alabama

Short article, Alabama businessman finds contracts in warn-torn Iraq, by Associated Press
on wealthy businessman Winton Blount IV who began working in Iraq with Disaster Relief Co.

When the project was finished, Blount and Furr decided they wanted to stay and pursue other ventures. They left Disaster Relief Co. and formed a partnership with two Iraqi brothers, Bashir and Namir Al Mufti, who headed Saida General Contractors.

Two weeks later, the new firm landed what Blount called a "tiny contract" to convert a burned-out building into barracks for soldiers. Three days later, they landed a barracks-building project worth $2 million. The task was to convert space in torn-up warehouses into 230 rooms for 800 soldiers in less than 45 days. The company finished the job in 42.