H07516
Headlines : IraqThe Corporate Plunder Of Iraq
The largest part of the billions of dollars in reconstruction funds were disbursed to the US prime contractors. The prime contractors include Kellogg, Brown and Root (a subsidiary of Hallibuton), Parsons Delaware, Fluor Corporation, Washington Group, Bechtel Group, Contrack International, Louis Berger and Perini. The prime contractors act as “gatekeepers”, controlling entry into the Iraqi market.
*Also See: List of Security Companies Doing Business in Iraq – Names, Addresses, Phone, etc.*
[Posted By ShiftShapers]Republished from Socialist Worker - Online
Western corporations and occupying governments now talk of the liberation of Iraq from the “tyranny of Saddam’s planned economy.“
On the day that major hostilities were declared over, Tony Blair told the Iraqi people, “Saddam Hussein and his regime plundered your nation’s wealth. While many of you live in poverty, they have the lives of luxury. The money from Iraqi oil will be yours – to be used to build prosperity for you and your families.”
This has turned out to be another shameless lie. Saddam’s regime was undoubtedly corrupt, in the sense that he established a system of patronage and rewards for the elite that remained closest to him. But the scale and intensity of the corruption and fraud perpetrated by the occupation is unprecedented in modern history.
The largest part of the money spent by the US-British occupation was not US or international donor funds, but oil revenue that belongs to the Iraqi people. During the period of direct rule the US spent, or committed to spend, around £11.3 billion, most of which was disbursed to US corporations.
Of this expenditure, £5 billion is unaccounted for. From the available evidence we know that much of it has vanished into the hands of…
Posted by ShiftShapers
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What was that part Blair said about “While many of you live in poverty, they have the lives of luxury.”? Reminds me of living in the USA.
No war between the masses! No peace between the classes!
Note to the rich: Give it away, give it away, give it away now….
Of all the scandals plaguing the Bushies at the moment, this is the one I’d most like to see them take the fall for.