‘Best of Phinney’ Archives
Baghdad Embassy Contractor Aims for More Business
Sloppy construction, safety problems, bribes, slave-like labor practices, missed deadlines, internal disputes and inflated costs -- the new $600-million US embassy compound in Baghdad is swamped in a rising deluge of allegations from lawmakers and the news media. Meanwhile, the former Washington representative for the Kuwait-headquartered [...]
US Embassy Contractor Missing Laptop?
by David Phinney Oct. 6, 2007 -- A laptop belonging to a high-level executive supervising construction of the new US embassy in Baghdad went missing in May 2006 at the Kuwait office of the contractor hired to build the new US embassy in Baghdad, according to multiple sources. These sources, who formerly worked with the contractor, have [...]
Rumors of First Kuwaiti Airplanes for People Moving
From spring 2006: The general manager for the US Embassy contractor, First Kuwaiti General Trading and Contracting has two airplanes the company can't register and is piloted by a German pilot named Wolfgang .... The general manager also has another plane piloted by Brits flying in and out of Kuwait and a fourth that may be registered. Another [...]
Blood, Sweat and Tears at New U.S. Embassy
by David Phinney WASHINGTON, Jun 8, 2007 - The U.S. Justice Department is actively investigating allegations of forced labour and other abuses by the Kuwaiti contractor now rushing to complete the sprawling 592-million-dollar U.S. embassy project in Baghdad, numerous sources have revealed. Justice Department trial attorneys Andrew Kline [...]
Baghdad Embassy Investigated for Labor Trafficking and Abuse
Baghdad Embassy Investigated for Labor Trafficking and Abuse By David Phinney, IraqSlogger Posted on June 1, 2007 Editor's note: Rumors of labor trafficking and abuse have plagued the building contractor now completing the $592 million Baghdad embassy building project, but a State Department inspector general investigation reported finding [...]
The Contractor’s Fight at Home
I hooked up Dan Rather's producer to many of the sources and events in this Dan Rather Reports: "The hidden story of Americans serving in Iraq, the civilian contractors." Never did get a thank you. by David Phinney March 24, 2007 -- War for Hire: Dan Rather's producer called me for sources for a report exploring the "invisible army" in [...]
Book Review: Licensed to Kill
by David Phinney May 23, 2007 -- In his book, Licensed to Kill, Robert Young Pelton hits the bull's eye with a sweeping, crash course in the explosive growth of private security contractors. Thrust from the sweltering groins of Africa, Papua New Guinea and other trouble spots around the globe where hidden treasures of oil and minerals tempt [...]
The Iraq Reconstruction Mess: What Else is News?
Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general charged with investigating the billions of dollars wasted in the rebuilding of Iraq, makes the news again with the same old story: Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, said the program faced enormous challenges, especially an unstable security environment.... "There [...]
Flip this Palace and Fill those Sand Bags — Big Profits on DynCorp’s Iraq Police Training Program
Mar 23, 2007 -- My story in Iraqslogger.com significantly advances the story on DynCorp's tier-one subcontractor, Corporate Bank, a.k.a., The Sandi Group, in a new series Profits of War.... The Washington-based company headed by a Kurdish Immigrant Rubar Sandi was poised to make $8 million on the construction of a police camp at Adnan Palace in [...]
So, Are you Saying Nancy Will Be Flying Commercial?
Emails from damage-controlling Democratic fact-checkers generously point out that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi DID NOT request personal military flights to jet her and other California lawmakers between DC and the Golden State on a regular basis. Apparently, it was the House Sergeant at Arms who offered to make the inquiry. His name, I kid you not, [...]
