more bits & pieces

Asia Times (you really must read this great publication on a regular basis) reports on the continuing controversy over who can and cannot bid on primary contracts in War critics lose out on $18.6bn Iraq bonanza It was this snippet that caught the bpost's attention.

"It is necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States to limit competition for the prime contracts of these procurements to companies from the United States, Iraq, coalition partners and force contributing nations," Wolfowitz was quoted as say in the report.

The decision is sure to upset France and Germany and other traditional allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the UN Security Council who are being blocked out of prime contracts because of their opposition to the war.
They may, however, bid for subcontracts. And these can be lucrative. For example, Siemens AG, the German industrial giant, won a $95 million subcontract from US construction giant Bechtel last month to build a turbine plant in northern Iraq. The company already had about $50 million worth of subcontracts.

We haven't been trolling Bechtel's website lately so there may be other goodies we have missed but do be sure to check out Bechtel's updated list of subcontracts as of December 18, 2003.