‘Uncategorized’ Archives
Busts
As dissent against the war in Iraq grows and reports of underequipped soldiers continue to surface, the federal government has begun cracking down on alleged war-profiteering scam artists. In March, ex-Halliburton manager Jeff Mazon and Kuwaiti businessman Ali Hijazi were indicted in connection with a kickback scheme authorities say swindled the [...]
New Meaning for ‘No Child Left Behind’
Okay, so if you can't cut it in high school, there's always the military option, and the US military is now beating the bushes for every possible recruit it can find. A provison to help out Pentagon recruiters was tucked inside the Bush Administration's much boasted "Leave No Child Behind" education reform of 2002. Although the controversial [...]
Tim Robbins on Impeachment: Bush and Clinton
"In one case, you have thousands of deaths, and in another, you have a dry-cleaning bill for a dress." That's actor Tim Robbins cleverly comparing the Bush Administration's false claim about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction with Bill Clinton's Monica Lewinsky affair and her seman-stained dress. Robbins served up the comment Wednesday [...]
Deep Thinking?
From the desk of Rev. Lou Sheldon, sending out an all-points bulletin e-mail asking people to remind "our elected officials...that they have forgotten us, and to remind them of our Values." We ask that you sign our letter, stating your agreement with Traditional Values, based upon biblical foundations, upon the principles outlined in the [...]
Profit Margin on South Asian Workers in Iraq
Tens of thousands of workers in Iraq laboring for subcontractors under Halliburton's $20-billion business in performing military camp support, food and transportation services to solidiers are making peanuts compared to the $80,000 to $150,000 and more that U.S. workers are hauling in for similar work. Hailing from the Philippines, India, Sri [...]
Civilian Contractor Casualties in Iraq Climbing
Seth Borenstein with Knight Ridder Newspapers notes what is previously unnoticed by the news media: The government's listing shows the contractors' casualty rate is increasing. In the first 21 months of the war, 11 contractors were killed and 74 injured each month on average. This year, the monthly average death toll is nearly 20 and the average [...]
Growing Numbers: More than 500 Contractor Deaths in Iraq
by David Phinney Nov. 2, 2005 -- The human cost of war in Iraq may be higher than previously thought, although the Pentagon has been slow in producing -- or even counting -- the number of casualties among civilians working for contractors in Iraq. Even while Congress repeatedly asks for definitive numbers, most of us, i.e. journalists and [...]
KBR Sued for Back Wages and Salaries by Iraq Workers
by David Phinney Nov. 1, 2005 -- It's a complaint I hear repeatedly from disgruntled workers returning home from Iraq. Employees working for Halliburton's subsidiary, KBR, frequently tell me they were stiffed on their paychecks and didn't get paid what they were promised. Now there's a class action lawsuit seeking to resolve the complaints [...]
Libby Indicted as Bush Talks War on Terror and Kerry Comes Out Punching
The war on terrorism is not a tool for distraction. John Kerry comes out punching today: "Rather than learn from the scandal engulfing a White House that endangered a CIA agent to attack an Administration critic, the President again today attacked Americans who ask tough questions of his failed policies. Rather than play politics with our national [...]
Bush: God Told Me to Invade Iraq
The BBC reports that President Bush claims God advised him to invade Iraq. Bush's admission apparently occurred during the president's first meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen and Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath in June 2003. Nabil Shaath says: "President Bush said to all of us: 'I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, [...]
