4 months

Something happened between February 11 and June 21 in 2001. Within that window of time, attitude changed, rhetoric changed, a new urgency emerged. Bpost is thinking out loud today. Here's what we're thinking about:

February, 11, 2001

Snow: Is Iraq a nuclear threat?

Rumsfeld: Iraq is probably not a nuclear threat at the present time. There's no question but that its nuclear capabilities were well advanced, and much farther advanced than Western intelligence capabilities knew. And we were very fortunate that the Israelis went in some time before, and took out their nuclear capability.

Fast forward. Same Secretary of Defense, different attitude, 4 months later:

June 21, 2001

Rumsfeld:We know from experience that they have already demonstrated a willingness to use these weapons. Saddam Hussein used gas on his own people, fired ballistic missiles against Israel and Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, and has an aggressive nuclear program.

Aggressive? No nukes to 60 mph in under five? So what happened during those 4 months?

Aid Update

The USAID announced three awards for the community of Umm Qasr.

$41,000 to enhance the capacity of the town council to meet the town's needs. The grant will provide for a pre-fabricated unit of four partitioned rooms, equipped with water, electricity and furniture, for use as interim town council offices. The grant will also provide computers and other office equipment, as well as training to develop the council members' leadership skills and increase their knowledge of democratic principles.

$30,000 to establish a community communications center consisting of several telephones and an Internet server with computers and printers to help in the reunification of families and to increase access to independent information for students and adults alike.

$5,000 will provide sports and other recreational activities for the town's youth.

And in case you missed it. Bit of a snafu on Stevedoring Services of America. Turns out they did not have the necessary security clearance. So the USAID rewrote the job description.

wmd

Why did the US invade Iraq? Something about weapons of mass destruction? Oh yeah...missiles loaded with the stuff Reagan and Bush sold Saddam Hussein.

Our conservative estimate is that Iraq today has a stockpile of between 100 and 500 tons of chemical weapons agent. -- Secretary of State Colin Powell, February 5, 2003

Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised. -- President Bush, March 17, 2003

Well, I think we have to realize that the weapons of mass destruction that they find could be just a few petri dishes. -- James Woolsey, Defense Policy Board member, April 22, 2003

aid update

The numbers continue to be squidgy. They just don't match up in places. Bpost likes names, dates, facts and figures. We'll keep looking though.

Humanitarian Assistance

Company Air Serv
Award $2.1 million
Agency USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 30, 2003
Nature of work Provide air logistical support for humanitarian personnel and emergency relief commodities in Iraq
Reference

Company The Cuny Center
Award $40,629
Agency USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award prior to March 19, 2003
Nature of work Research and educational institute that studies and develops practical solutions to address the needs of societies affected by disasters and complex emergencies
Reference

Company Development Alternatives, Incorporated (DAI)
Award $473,253
Agency USAID Office of Transition Initiatives
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Rehabilitating and repairing small-scale infrastructure, improving livelihoods and providing skills training, and encouraging inter-ethnic and inter-religious cooperation within communities
Reference

Company International Dispensary Company
Award $711,850
Agency USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 7, 2003
Nature of work To provide chronic pharmaceuticals to address diabetes, hypertension, and asthma
Reference

Company International Medical Corps
Award $4.2 million
Agency USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk
Reference
USAID and US Department of State Funding Summary #16 pdf

Company International Rescue Committee
Award $3 million
Agency USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Water, sanitation, primary health care and child protection assistance, humanitarian assistance programs for refugees and displaced persons and helps refugees permanently resettle.
Reference
Reference

Company Internews
Award $160,359
Agency USAID Office of Transition Initiatives
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Fosters independent media in emerging democracies, trains journalists and station managers in the standards and practices of professional journalism, produces innovative television and radio programming and Internet content, and uses the media to reduce conflict.
USAID and US Department of State Funding Summary #16 pdf

Company Mercy Corps
Award $5 million
Agency USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 31, 2003
Nature of work To provide emergency humanitarian relief assistance to up to 250,000 displaced and/or conflict-affected persons in Iraq for a 6-month period
Reference

Company Save the Children
Award $4.9 million
Agency USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award prior to March 19, 2003
Nature of work To provide health care, food, water and sanitation, and shelter for the displaced and refugee women and children.
Reference
Reference

Company World Vision
Award $2.5 million
Agency USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning October 2002
Date of Award April 15, 2003
Nature of work Christian aid group. Initial relief response would include food, blankets, kitchen sets and water containers for refugees, shipping supplies of medicine, water containers and clothes to Jordan for use in a possible crisis. Staff have been in place since October.
Reference

Note: Bpost has not included the line item "Administrative Costs" included on the Funding Summary as part of the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Pending

Iraqi National Congress: $97 million was originally awarded to the INC in a previous contract as a result of the 1998 Iraq Liberation Act. There is conflicting information on how much is remaining or is currently allocated in total. The previous contract had an exclusion from permitting the use of funds inside of Iraq. A waiver to redirect the funds is being sought to correct this now that the INC are inside Iraq.

Company Iraqi National Congress
Award $3.1 million
Agency US Department of State
Date of RFP ILA 1998
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 10, 2003
Nature of work To support activities of the leadership of the Iraqi opposition in Iraq. Subject to congressional notification.
Reference

Update on liability insurance:

Liability is now covered under a memorandum issued by President Bush on April 4, 2003. (bpost missed the memo during the first go round.)

1. You are authorized for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to exercise authority under Public Law 85-804, as amended (50 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), to the same extent and subject to the same conditions and limitations as the head of a department or agency listed in section 21 of Executive Order 10789 of November 14, 1958, as amended, with respect to one contract identified in subparagraph (a) of this memorandum and solely for the purpose identified in subparagraph (b).

(a) The contract is for repair and reconstruction in Iraq and is awarded on or before September 30, 2003.

Research information on Humanitarian Assistance:

Here are some useful sources to follow how the humanitarian aid is being spent. (For reconstruction contracts and military spending bpost relies on the mainstream media and government announcements.)

The U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs manages a website the Humanitarian Information Center that coordinates the ongoing aid process. It's loaded with information. Much of it is intended to inform other humanitarian groups of progress and needs. The bad part is, you won't know what a report says, or what language it's in, until you download it. Oh well. The info is really helpful. The reports are great. And yes, they are very busy over there and you'll get more out of one their reports than you'll get in 3 hours of CNN (but you knew that already!)

Relief Web also has a lot of great information including a Financial Tracking System that lists donors by country. The main page has great links to other sites. It's a very easy site to use and navigate. Also check out these pages on their site:
Iraq on Relief Web
Humanitarian Aid Financial Tracking System

If you'd like to read a policy paper on humanitarian assistance complete with a list of the most common international aid groups download the pdf Humanitarian Policy Group Report

Links to US government agencies involved in the relief effort:

At the USAID Assistance for Iraq you can download a pdf version of the current Funding Summary. Left hand column. Click here for an online sample from April 15. Everything is in initials so look for the accompanying press release or Fact Sheet to help translate what it is saying. Most of the time, you can figure out what the initials stand for just by looking at who has been named as a recipient. For instance ICRC is the International Committee of the Red Cross. Bpost has had to rely on google uncle sam to figure out some of the others.

USAID Assistance for Iraq
USAID Food for Peace
Fact Sheets and Situation Reports from the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
USAID Office of Transition Initiatives
US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
US Department of State Refugee Assistance Links

Based on the most recent Funding Summary #20, the above should bring things up to date. But we'll keep looking all the same 'cause that's just the way we are. (...and mercury is going retrograde so we know we're going to have to be double checking our info!)

game show gifts

So which lucky contestant gets the parting gift of $2.5 billion dollars? That's the question on everyone's lips today at bpost. Andrew Natsios at the USAID insists the $2.5 billion dollars being used for reconstruction in Iraq is not a loan.

It's a gift

But that's not quite what President Bush said when he issued an executive order on March 20 confiscating and vesting the assets of the Iraq government in US banks.

I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, hereby determine that the United States and Iraq are engaged in armed hostilities, that it is in the interest of the United States to confiscate certain property of the Government of Iraq and its agencies, instrumentalities, or controlled entities, and that all right, title, and interest in any property so confiscated should vest in the Department of the Treasury.

I intend that such vested property should be used to assist the Iraqi people and to assist in the reconstruction of Iraq, and determine that such use would be in the interest of and for the benefit of the United States.

For the year ending December 31, 2002, according to the Annual Report to the Congress, Terrorist Assets Report available in pdf, Iraq had $2.43 billion dollars in assets blocked in the US.

The money included assets frozen (blocked) in 1990, belonging to the Iraqi government that has been sitting in accounts at U.S. banks and their foreign branches. The institutions include Citigroup, Bank of America and Wachovia. The March 20, 2003 executive order allows these assets to be transferred to an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

During a press briefing session, Andrew Natsios explained where the $2.5 billion reserved for reconstruction for post war Iraq was coming from. Two very similar numbers but apparently very different sources.

The funds that are frozen are frozen in the Treasury Department. They have a separate account. They are not in the U.S. Treasury. The money, the $2.5 billion to be used for Iraq's reconstruction from my budget -- for the AID money is from U.S. taxpayer funds, not from Oil-for-Food, and not from frozen assets.

The Oil-for-Food revenues are in a UN trust fund. I think there are two or three of them, and they are controlled by the United Nations. And the only way to access this money is through a Security Council resolution because the UN controls the fund.

But over at the Treasury Department, there seems to be a bit of confusion. Treasury Secretary John Snow doesn't specify where the money is going to go.

The President today issued an Executive Order confiscating non-diplomatic Iraqi government assets in the United States. The Order authorizes Treasury to marshal the assets, and to use the funds for the benefit and welfare of the Iraqi people.

But the Treasury Department's general counsel, David Aufhauser, does.

'That is money that can no longer be directed to promote terror,' said. "It is money, in fact, that has every promise of being repatriated to the people of a free Iraq.'

Except, Aufhauser couches it as a promise of being given back. That's not quite the same as actually giving it back.

So where is it going to go? Who gets the $2.50 billion dollars? Turns out there is one more glitch in finding out who the lucky winner is. The glitch is the Oil for Food program that runs out on June 1, 2003. Its a small detail but one that is, to put it mildly, in need of greater clarification.

Natsios: The money we're spending now is not using Iraqi money. If the Oil-for-Food program is extended beyond the 45 days, then UN agencies will be able to use some of that money. But so far there has been no agreement to go past the 45 days -- and the Oil-for-Food program that has currently been extended for 45 days is only for old contracts that had been approved before the war started. That's the Security Council resolution that exists now.

Question: What happens after 45 days?

Natsios: It's stopped.

Who feeds the people after 45 days and who pays for it? The US as the occupying nation is obligated to care for the well being of the people of Iraq. If the Iraq oil industry is up and running, they could purchase their own food supplies. Assuming the US allows them access to the revenue, of course.

But even if they do or don't get money from oil sales everyone still wants to know.

Who gets the $2.5 billion dollars?

loot

You come across all sorts of bits and pieces of information when you surf around the web.

By now, everyone's read all about the looting of the National Museum in Baghdad. But did anyone hear about the military plans to prevent that from happening? Hear that there's even a designated chain of command within the military to safeguard cultural and religious sites?

On April 5, Major Christopher Varhola outlined the US military's plans to protect Iraq's unique cultural heritage. Less than a week later, the museum was looted. The kicker: The ones looking out for Iraq's cultural heritage were even embedded with units.

The U.S. military has integrated measures to identify and protect sites of religious, cultural, and historical importance in Iraq into every phase of its planning and operation, according to U.S. Army civil affairs officers who briefed reporters in Kuwait on April 5.

'Protection of cultural and religious sites is part of high-level planning, all the way down to unit cultural affairs officers who implement the measures to protect such sites,' said Major Christopher Varhola, a civil affairs reservist who is a cultural anthropologist.

Iraq's religious and cultural heritage is priceless, Varhola said. 'It's beyond rating.'

Obviously, the US military failed miserably at the task at hand. Not only did they not prevent the looting, but its fairly safe to say that US priorities facilitated the looting by taking little to no action to stop it. Four marines for one hour in front of the National Museum in a week of looting just doesn't cut it.

Q: Where do you rate Iraq in terms of its archeological treasures?

Varhola: Priceless. It's the cradle of civilization. The source of so much that we owe our culture to. It is absolutely priceless. From the smallest excavation from a tiny, tiny village which lead to agricultural patterns started thousands of years ago to whole social structures. And we aren't just concerned with ancient Mesopotamia structures but also those from the Golden Age of Islam, the 800's, 900's up until the medieval period. There are a number of priceless structures as well. I can emphasize this all day. It's beyond rating.

But then the priority was never Iraq or the people of Iraq, or the culture of Iraq, it was always the oil under the sand. Fire fighters were in Kuwait 6 weeks before the war began. Halliburton had a signed contract. Equipment had been flown in to extinguish oil well fires. But hey, protecting the history of mankind, the cradle of civilization, the Garden of Eden of Genesis?

'Stuff happens,' Rumsfeld told a Pentagon news briefing on April 11, when asked about widespread looting in Baghdad.

Stuff may happen, but it doesn't always have to.

Addendum

As the numbers pop up, we will continue to add them to the list. April 21, 2003 Funding Summary #16 in pdf was released by the USAID and US Department of State. Here's the accompanying press release. It's an impressive list but it doesn't match up number wise to previous press releases.

The Funding Summary does list Creative Associates International Inc as having received $1 million dollars. But then it lists UNICEF as having received a total of $11 million while the press releases only add up to $9 million. Bpost likes the numbers to jive, consistently. If the government starts getting sloppy matching the numbers it releases publicly with what it then states in the regular Funding Summary, well, you can see the potential for financial train wreck. Lets hope they do too.

Below are what bpost has found in public statements and press releases to date. Included are differing figures from the summary in parenthesis for comparison. Not included are items on the summary bpost found no specific information for. We have no idea what the discrepancies mean but will continue to try to get the details.

Company CARE (listed as NGO)
Award $4 million
Agency USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 25, 2003
Nature of work Managed by Care Australia. Distributing water, providing humanitarian assistance to hospitals, and manning a repair team for water systems.
Reference

Company Direct assistance to Iraq
Award $175 million to date of $300 million in grain
Agency USDA Food for Peace
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 20, 2003
Nature of work 161,000 metric tons of wheat from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust ($84 million), with another 400,000 tons of which 105,000 tons has been sent ($91 million). A portion of the wheat from the reserve will be exchanged for rice.
Reference

Company Direct assistance to Iraq
Award $16.3 million in supplies ($6.3 million)
Agency
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Emergency supplies including: 161,900 blankets, 39,878 hygiene kits, 7,990 rolls of plastic sheeting, 67,100 water containers, 67 water tanks and six water treatment units. It is unclear where this is listed on the Funding Summary. See Commodity pre-positioning under Logistics for the USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance ($6.3 million).
Reference

Company Interaction
Award $100 thousand
Agency USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 25, 2003
Nature of work To fund an observer to the Humanitarian Operations Center in Kuwait City.
Reference

Company International Committee of the Red Cross
Award $10 million
Agency US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 25, 2003
Nature of work Delivering medical, surgical and other supplies. The ICRC acts as a neutral intermediary, facilitating meetings between US forces and key public service representatives. Family Tracing - collect data on prisoners and missing persons and to restore contact between relatives separated by the conflict.
Reference

Company International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Award $3 million
Agency US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 25, 2003
Nature of work Manages the Ruweishid Refugee Camp about 65 km from the Iraqi border inside of Jordan. Particpating in a cooperation agreement with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. 30 Emergency Response Units are on stand-by to provide any refugee influx into countries neighbouring Iraq with life-support in the form of field hospitals, clinics, water and sanitation services.
Reference

Company International Organization for Migration
Award $8.6 million ($9.3 million)
Agency USAID & US Department of State (see nature of work)
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 25, 2003
Nature of work Organizes the safe movement of people for temporary and permanent resettlement or return to their countries of origin. It also provides pre-departure medical screening and cultural orientation programs. Assesses security before the movement of aid. USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance ($5 million) USAID Office of Transition Initiatives ($1.7 million) US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration ($2.6 million)
Reference

Company U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
Award $21 million
Agency US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 25, 2003
Nature of work Manages the Ruweishid Refugee Camp about 65 km from the Iraqi border inside of Jordan among several. Participating in a cooperation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Reference

Company U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Award $1.2 million
Agency USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Coordination and information services.
Reference

Company World Food Program
Award $260 million
Agency USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance & Office of Food for Peace
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 2, 2003
Nature of work Food aid. Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance ($5 million) Office of Food for Peace ($55 million) additional Food for Peace ($200 million)
Reference
Reference

Pending

Company
Award $35.8 million
Agency US Department of State
Date of RFP
Pre-planning March 25, 2003
Date of Award
Nature of work To construct a state-of-the-art embassy in Baghdad.
Reference

facts and figures

Trying to find accurate and consistent information on humanitarian assistance to Iraq is not an easy task. First, there are multiple agencies involved. Second, when an agency issues a statement it doesn't always agree with other official statements. Here is an example:

April 11, 2003: Washington -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced an initial $2 million, 12-month contract to Creative Associates International Inc. (CAII) to address immediate educational needs and promote participation of the Iraqi people in a sustainable, decentralized educational system. [mid-page of link]

April 17, 2003: WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced an initial $1 million, 12-month contract to Creative Associates International Inc. (CAII) to address immediate educational needs and promote participation of the Iraqi people in a sustainable, decentralized educational system.

The second press release says "revised" so bpost used the $1 million dollar figure in the list below. (The $1 million is also listed on Funding Summaries). But, and that's a very big but, for all we know, Creative Associates International Inc. (CAII) has been allocated an additional $1 million to the initial $2 million bringing the total to $3 million.

Bpost is not impressed with the slap dash accounting being provided. We would greatly prefer a line by line of when and how the money is being allocated including listing all of the agencies the aid is coming from and who it is going to. We suspect American taxpayers feel the same way. We will continue to do our best to list aid as we become aware of it.

And hey! USAID: just release a new press release so we can follow what you all are up to. We, the taxpayers, are the ones footing the bill.

and the winner is

Bpost has put together a running list of all of the contracts for reconstruction in Iraq. Included is the Company name, Award amount based on maximum cap figure, Agency awarding the contract, date of the Request for Proposal, the Award date and the Nature of the work to be undertaken. If any pre-planning was known, its indicated. References are included. The actual footnotes would take up too much space so we mostly stuck with the primary sources. Pending contracts are listed at the end. There's still more to come.....

Grand total to date: $8,341.7 million ($8 billion+)

Holy Toledo! That's a lot of senior health care, veteran's benefits, and free school lunches. Discliamer: we could be wrong about some of the details and we left some of the lines blank where we couldn't find any information. But hey, we did our best.

Some commonly used abbreviations:

USACOE US Army Corps of Engineers
USAID US Agency of International Development
ORHA Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Aid
RFP Request for Proposal

Contracts

Company Bechtel Corporation of San Francisco
Award $680 million
Agency USAID
Date of RFP February 12, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 17, 2003
Nature of work Emergency repair work on Iraqi infrastructure, including power, water and sewer systems, a seaport and an airport. May also include repair of hospitals, schools, other public buildings and irrigation systems.
Reference

Company Creative Associates International Inc.
Award $1 million immediate with $62.6 million cap
Agency USAID
Date of RFP March 4, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 11, 2003
Nature of work Primary and Secondary Education. Revitalization of Iraqi Schools and Stabilization of Education (RISE). Involves upgrading schools, restocking classrooms and training teachers.
Reference

Company Computer Sciences Corporation
Subcontractor DynCorp
Award $50 million
Agency U.S. Department of State
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 18, 2003
Nature of work Provide up to 1,000 civilian advisors to help the government of Iraq organize effective civilian law enforcement, judicial and correctional agencies.
Reference

Company Fluor Corporation - Team
Subcontractor Black & Veatch, and Contrack International
Award $100 million
Agency USACOE, Transatlantic Programs Center for work in U.S. Central Command's area of 25 countries located throughout the Horn of Africa, South and Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Northern Red Sea regions.
Date of RFP February 26, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 1, 2003
Nature of work Providing work to the US military in the region. The tasks could include repairing roads and bridges, replacing damaged windows and doors and building barracks for military personnel.
Reference
Reference

Halliburton, under contract thru the Department of Defense, issued an assessment and contingency plan for fighting oil well fires. The contract for extinguishing well fires was issued thru the Army Corps of Engineers. Halliburton owns Kellogg Brown & Root. KBR Engineering & Construction owns Boots & Coots International Well Control, Inc. KBR also subcontracts to Wild Well Control. We have done our best to identify the contracts and the individual awards based on the information available.

Company Halliburton
Subcontractors
Award $7 billion
Agency U.S. Defense Department
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 24, 2003
Nature of work Rebuild Iraq's oil production infrastructure
Reference

Company Kellogg Brown & Root (subsidiary of Halliburton)
Award $30 million
Agency Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work to dismantle and neutralize any chemical or nuclear weapons found in the region
Reference

Company Kellogg, Brown & Root (subsidiary of Halliburton)
Subcontractors Boots & Coots International Well Control, Inc. and Superior Energy Services' Wild Well Control, Inc.
Award $50.3 million to date (cost plus 7% contract)
Agency USACOE
Pre-planning November 2002
Date of RFP
Date of Award March 8, 2003
Nature of work Hazard and operational assessment, extinguishing oil well fires, capping oil well blowouts, as well as responding to any oil spills.
Reference

Company International Resources Group
Award $7.1 million - renewable annually
Agency USAID
Date of RFP January 23 due January 29
Pre-planning started in December 2002
Date of Award February 21, 2003
Nature of work Personnel Support for planning and managing reconstruction projects.
Reference
Reference

Company Perini Corporation - Team
Subcontractors Tetra Tech, POWER Engineers, Willbros Group, and Najad Rock Group
Award $100 million
Agency USACOE, Transatlantic Programs Center for work in U.S. Central Command's area of 25 countries located throughout the Horn of Africa, South and Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Northern Red Sea regions.
Date of RFP February 26, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 1, 2003
Nature of work Providing work to the US military in the region. The tasks could include repairing roads and bridges, replacing damaged windows and doors and building barracks for military personnel.
Reference
Reference

Company Raytheon Corporation
Award $30 million
Agency Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work to dismantle and neutralize any chemical or nuclear weapons found in the region
Reference

Company Research Triangle Institute (RTI International)
Award $7.9 million
Agency USAID for the ORHA
Date of RFP
Date of Award April 11, 2003
Nature of work Local Governance. Seeks to maximize Iraqi participation in all phases and aspects of the reconstruction as the transition to Iraqi administration occurs.
Reference

Company Stevedoring Services of America
Award $4.8 million
Agency USAID
Date of RFP February 12, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 24, 2003
Nature of work Seaport Administration including an initial port assessment, develop improvement plans to overcome port-imposed constraints, and supply technical expertise to ensure an adequate flow of through shipment. SSA is also responsible for providing the position of Port Director in Umm Qasr. The Port Director is restricted to an American only.
Reference

Company UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
Award $1 million
Agency USAID
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 8, 2003
Nature of work Provide support for basic education in Iraq
Reference

Company UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
Award $8 million
Agency USAID
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 28, 2003
Nature of work Provide basic health, water supply and sanitation services in Iraq.
Reference

Company Washington Group International - Team
Subcontractor Stanley Group
Award $100 million
Agency USACOE, Transatlantic Programs Center for work in U.S. Central Command's area of 25 countries located throughout the Horn of Africa, South and Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Northern Red Sea regions.
Date of RFP February 26, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award April 1, 2003
Nature of work Providing work to the US military in the region. The tasks could include repairing roads and bridges, replacing damaged windows and doors and building barracks for military personnel.
Reference
Reference

Company World Health Organization (WHO)
Award $10 million
Agency USAID
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award March 28, 2003
Nature of work Public health. Health System Strengthening in Post-conflict Iraq. Support to the Iraqi Ministry of Health to coordinate and report on health activities.
Reference

Pending

Company
Award
Agency USAID
Date of RFP March 3, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Public health. Health System Strengthening in Post-conflict Iraq. Support to the Iraqi Ministry of Health to coordinate and report on health activities.
see RFP at Reference

Company
Award
Agency USAID
Date of RFP March 12, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Iraq Logistics Support. Provide support related to freight forwarding, storage, and inventory management to deliver aid. Additional services may include purchasing agent, labor contractor, and/or additional logistical support.
see RFP at Reference

Company
Award
Agency USAID
Date of RFP February 19, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Airport Administration. Management of humanitarian and trans-shipment operations by air. Airport Director for each airport (minimum of 5 airports) is required to be American citizen.
see RFP at Reference

Company
Award
Agency USAID
Date of RFP April 9, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Iraq Community Action Program. Twelve month program to promote diverse and representative citizen participation in and among impoverished communities throughout Iraq
Reference

Company All companies operating in the region
Award
Agency Executive order/or under federal law 85-804
Date of RFP
Pre-planning
Date of Award
Nature of work Liability insurance. Officials are trying to determine if the law 85-804 would allow USAID to offer liability insurance, or whether President Bush might have to issue an executive order. Another option would be to ask Congress to pass a law providing such protections in certain cases, although this would probably take months, congressional aides said.
Reference

Company Louis Berger Group
Nature of work Engineering and construction firm. LBG is expected to receive a contract award.
Website

Company Parsons Corporation
Nature of work Engineering and construction firm. Parsons is expected to receive a contract award.
Website

digging out Iraq

Contracts for reconstruction in Iraq are primarily being handled by the USAID. The US Agency for International Development is headed by Andrew Nastios. Those of you from the Massachusetts area may recognize his name as the former head of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority during the turbulent years of 2000 to 2001. The MTA oversees the Big Dig construction project connecting and submerging central transportation arteries thru Boston. The Big Dig contractor is Bechtel in partnership with Parsons & Brinckerhoff. Bechtel sits in the drivers seat. Been a bit of criticism of Bechtel lately. Current Governor Romney has even threatened an independent review and from a republican governor no less. More likely it will prove to be a pat a on the back, job well done affair.

Ironically, as a legislator, Natsios was opposed to the Big Dig and voted against it twice. Once appointed Turnpike Chairman, Natsios attempted to present realistic over run numbers of $1.4 billion dollars. Unfortunately, $3.2 billion was the reality. The Big Dig is now at least $7 billion dollars over budget.

Over in the Big Dig offices, is the daughter of Bechtel board member and Defense Policy Board member George Shultz. Margaret is Bechtel's Big Dig human resources manager. And you wondered how bpost would connect Iraq, Boston, Bechtel, and the Defense Policy Advisory Board all together. It's not hard really. There are so many opportunities we have to pick and choose.

Now Andrew Natsios is in charge of handing out contracts for reconstruction projects in Iraq as head of the USAID. One would think with Natsios's hands on experience with Bechtel he might have reservations. Apparently not. So Bechtel will soon be $680 million dollars richer as they dig in and rebuild Iraq. By Boston standards, the final cost should run to $1,289 million, give or take a few additional million.

and so it came to pass

The USAID awarded Bechtel the contract for reconstruction in Iraq to the tune of $680 million dollars, although not all at once. It should come as no surprise really. Bechtel has a long history of working in Iraq and with Donald Rumsfeld as well. Rumsfeld won't be able to shake Saddam's hand this time, but he will get to shake down the Iraqis as well as the US taxpayers for the privatization of Iraq. But its not about oil.

Cooperative Research has a good timeline covering US Iraq relations that is worth reviewing. Here are a couple of snips from the early honeymoon days:

December 2, 1983. The U.S. State Department invited Bechtel officials to Washington to discuss plans for constructing an Iraq-Jordan oil pipeline. Former Bechtel president George Shultz was U.S. Secretary of State at the time.

December 19, 1983. President Reagan dispatched U.S. envoy to the Middle East Donald Rumsfeld, to express the administration's intention to 'resume [U.S.] diplomatic relations with Iraq.'

December 20, 1983. U.S. Special Envoy Donald Rumsfeld, who at the time was CEO of the pharmaceutical company, Searle, personally met with Saddam Hussein in an attempt to reestablish diplomatic relations with Iraq. [there's even video footage of the meeting]

Other issues that were discussed included plans for the construction of an Iraq-Jordan oil pipeline to be built by Bechtel and an Israeli offer to help Iraq in its war against Iran. According to a declassified State Department cable, Rumsfeld 'conveyed the President’s greetings and expressed his pleasure at being in Baghdad.'

Donald Rumsfeld. Secretary of Defense.

George Shultz. Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee. Board of Directors at Bechtel. Bet a war with Iraq isn't hurting his bank account any. Totally off topic, but do you think he has off shore accounts?

Saddam Hussein is the persona non-grata. Or is he?

There is a great report on Bechtel put together by Darren Puscas at the Polaris Institute. It's available in pdf.

Bpost is starting a pool to see who the next big winner is. Still no signs of Dan Quayle, but the post war is young and there are other countries to invade.

meet the viceroy

Retired Lt Gen Jay Garner is now a very busy man. Garner is the head of the Pentagon's new Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq. Funny thing though. The ORHA was created on January 20. Difficult to reconstruct something unless it has been destroyed first. The White House must have known something we at bpost didn't. Maybe that was why they waited a month to announce the new agency.

Retired Lt Gen Jay Garner is the new viceroy set to take over reconstruction in Iraq from US Centcom commander General Tommy Franks once the military operations wind down. Some folks aren't too pleased about the Garner choice.

But who is Jay Garner? Slogged around in Vietnam. Did a bit of stuff in Gulf War I getting to know the Kurds thru Operation Comfort securing the no-fly zones. But more importantly, he's the president of weapons defense contractor Sy Coleman. Sy Coleman specializes in Patriot missiles and is the wholly owned subsidiary of L3 Communications. L3 Communications just landed a $1 billion dollar plus contract to provide logistics support to US special forces.

L3 Communications also handles some of the electronic gadgetry in the Pentagon's new favorite toy the JDAM. JDAMS are the precision guided missiles that were falling all over Baghdad. "More bang for the buck" is how one expert described them. There's a poetic symmetry in choosing Jay Garner as the viceroy, no?

An added bonus is Jay's also a close friend of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney. Bpost wonders who is the fourth at their afternoon tea and bridge parties. We're keeping our fingers crossed its Dan Quayle.

coming soon: human rights and democracy

One cannot expect the White House administration to go in any particular order given their strange views on diplomacy. Rather, one should now expect a rather backwards approach. Right on cue, enter step one in diplomacy, two years too late.

Cue center stage spotlight. Enter benign diplomat with briefcase. Now that the culture of Iraq has been completely destroyed, and while the State Department still has everyone's attention, the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) appears to be launching its first Request for Proposal.

Organizations may submit grant proposals that address programs and activities that foster democracy, human rights, press freedoms, women's political development and the rule of law in countries with a significant Muslim population in the Middle East and North Africa, and where such programs and activities that would be important to United States efforts to respond to, deter, or prevent acts of international terrorism.

So thoughtful and caring to be concerned about the people of the Middle East. There's also an RFP for a $25 million shopping mall at the military base in Bahrain but I won't bore you with a link to that one.

SUMMARY of the U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative

The U.S. -Middle East Partnership Initiative will provide a framework and funding for the U.S. to work together with governments and people in the Arab world to expand economic, political and educational opportunities for all.

- The Initiative will encompass the more than $1 billion in assistance that the U.S. government provides to Arab countries annually. The United States is also committing $29 million in initial funding for pilot projects in support of reform in each area listed above. We will also be requesting significant additional funds next year.

- The Initiative is a partnership and we will work closely with governments in the Arab world, other donors, academic institutions, the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

- As part of the Initiative, we will review existing U.S. assistance programs in the region to ensure our aid is reaching as many people as possible across the region, with a particular emphasis on women and children. We also want to insure that we are providing the most effective and efficient assistance possible.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will serve as coordinator for the Initiative. The Initiative will be managed by the Near East Affairs Bureau of the Department of State.

Secretary of State Colin Powell introduced the MEPI in a speech at think tank Heritage Foundation back in December 2002.

I am pleased to announce the initial results of our work -- an innovative set of programs and a framework for future cooperation that we call the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative. The U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative is a bridge between the United States and the Middle East, between our governments and our peoples, an initiative that spans the hope gap with energy, ideas, and funding.

Our Partnership Initiative is a continuation, and a deepening, of our longstanding commitment to working with all the peoples of the Middle East to improve their daily lives and to help them face the future with hope. Just as our decision to rejoin UNESCO is a symbol of our commitment to advancing human rights and tolerance and learning, so this Initiative is a concrete demonstration of our commitment to human dignity in the Middle East.

Bit of a credibility gap there which Marina Ottaway covers in her thesis: Promoting Democracy in the Middle East: The Problem of U.S. Credibility available in pdf.

Ms. Ottaway writes that Arab mistrust of America's calls for democratization is summarized by three common arguments:

1. The U.S. talks about democracy to distract from a hidden agenda to support Israel and gain control of oil
2. The U.S. has always supported autocratic regimes in the region
3. If the U.S. supported democracy it would not disregard the rights of Palestinians.

She might want to add :

4. If the US supported democracy it would have protected the museums of Baghdad in addition to the Ministry of Oil and the oil wells.

But back to the think tank, the Heritage Foundation, where Powell introduced MEPI. They have a very interesting list of Middle East experts.

James A. Phillips
Research Fellow in
Middle Eastern Studies
Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies
The Heritage Foundation

Dr. Patrick Clawson
Director for Research
Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Dr. Geoffrey Kemp
Director of Regional Strategic
Programs
The Nixon Center

Dr. Daniel Pipes
Director, Middle East Forum

Do a google on them over at Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and see what you find.

And because think tanks are always closely associated with public policy and money, well, a peak at Heritage Foundation would be remiss not to mention sponsor Bechtel Foundation. That's right. The same Bechtel, as in Bechtel Construction, where George P. Shultz sits on the board of directors and Gen. (Ret.) Jack Sheehan is a vice president. Both are members of the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee.

If you were like bpost, you probably thought Powell was just delivering a feel good do good speech. But where there's Bechtel, there's usually money to be made even if they do label it "humanitarian assistance".

outing feinstein

Another day, another conflict of interest in Washington DC. Iraq is proving to be an opportunity for Washington insiders to rape and pillage the US Treasury.

How else would you describe today's news?

Perini Corporation Selected by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Construction Projects in U.S. Central Command's Area of Operations

Perini Corporation (AMEX:PCR) announces the award of a one year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Transatlantic Programs Center, for design-build, general construction, and short term operation and maintenance services in various locations throughout U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility. This area encompasses 25 countries located throughout the Horn of Africa, South and Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Northern Red Sea regions.
The contract, worth up to $100,000,000, is one of three contract awards made by the Corps of Engineers for new construction, restorations, renovation and repair, design-build, and O&M services to respond to the contingency needs that might arise within the U.S. Central Command area.

From a cached version of Hoover's Online from March 2003:

Perennial performer Perini is known for its hospitality -- particularly when it comes to building hotel/casinos. Projects include Connecticut's Mohegan Sun casino. The builder also works on entertainment facilities and sports complexes, health care facilities, prisons, and schools. Its civil division builds and maintains highways, subways, and airports, primarily in major East Coast cities. Perini also offers construction management and design/build services. Investor groups led by chairman Ronald Tutor (owner of California contractor Tutor-Saliba) and investor Richard Blum (husband of US Sen. Dianne Feinstein) control 75% of Perini. The company has evolved from construction businesses that began in 1894.

According to the L.A. Times (Oct. 10, 2002 Debate on Iraq: 2 parties, 2 paths, 1 concern by Johanna Neuman), Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-C.A.) had received 24,169 phone calls from constituents expressing opposition to an attack on Iraq, and 597 in support. She then went ahead and voted for the resolution that handed war powers to the White House.

After casting her vote in defiance of her constituents wishes, Feinstein wrote an op-ed on her vote.

On October 11, I cast one of my most difficult votes as a U.S. senator when, in an effort to compel Iraq's disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, I voted to authorize the president to use force against Iraq. I did not come to this decision easily: I strongly oppose a pre-emptive, unilateral strike against another sovereign state.

How about just turning the keys of the US Treasury over to all of the corporate interests in Washington and quit pretending that politicians in DC have Americans' interests at heart. At least it would be honest.

research

Lately, the emphasis here at bpost has been on research into think tanks, government contracts, corporate profiles and foreign policy. In addition to using search engines, here are some helpful sites for finding information on the web:

Corporate Research Project has a section on how to do basic research of corporations on the internet with links to useful sites.

Hoover's online maintains a list of short company profiles

News Followup includes links to sites as well as a list of watchdog groups.

PoliSci.com is a useful political reference tool to find government committees, departments, etc. It's a good place to start if you're not sure which department you are looking for.

Public Services international Research Unit maintains a list of corporations and their information including boards of directors.

Also in our links to the left:

google is a bpost favorite and search engine extraordinaire. They also just bought blogger.

Way Back Machine for finding a web page that no longer exists. If you have the complete url, include the http://, enter it in the box and see if they cached it for you.

Coop Research is always a good starting place for research on anything relating to public policy.

Disinfopedia is a collaborative on-line dictionary and encyclopedia. Know something about something? You can contribute and even correct the Disinfopedia.

Infobel has telephone directories to choose from. Great for verifying an address or phone number and the AT&T anywho allows you to search with very imited information.

Public Research allows you to search by name. See what turns up on a public figure. It's limited but helpful.

Arabic Translation from English and Arabic to English, Tarjim Ajeeb is a pay based subscriber service with links to popular Arab language sites.

Babel fish translation is a great tool to use for translation. It can handle portions of a page or just copy and paste text into the translation box.

Geek Tools is a good way to do a reverse look up to see who is behind the website you just stumbled on. Click on the teeny tiny Who is in the upper right hand corner. Enter the url, not including the http://www., into the box and see who is paying the bills at the site.

Some basic information on USAID Iraq reconstruction contracts

1. What is the source of funding for the contracts and grants that USAID is awarding?

Funds appropriated by the U.S. Congress - ultimately the U.S. taxpayer. Revenues from the Oil for Food program, or other Iraqi or international sources, will not fund these contracts.

2. What will the initial contracts cover?

Between January 31st and March 4th, USAID issued eight Requests for Proposals or RFPs for work in Iraq. These are for capital construction including bridge, road and port rehabilitation and repair; seaport administration; airport administration; public health; primary and secondary education; local governance; theater logistical support and personnel support.

The RFP for Stevedoring Services of America was presented on February 12, 2003. The reply was due one week later on February 19, 2003. The conract was awarded (ok...announced) on March 24, 2003.

Interesting:

US citizenship is required of key persons selected to perform under classified portions of this contract

Guess that rules out international cooperation. More specifically, it rules out a Port Director for Umm Qasr who is Iraqi. see RFP for Seaport Administration

A general note on bids: The USAID has said that 6 months is normally required from the date bids are requested to the awarding of contracts. They waived this protocol for all bids for reconstruction in Iraq from January 31, 2003 onwards.

timeline

A brief pause in our regularly scheduled exploration of think tanks to look at a timeline of events that lead up to the current war in Iraq. The timeline is based on articles and information available online. Money plays a very large part in what you are about to review.

In some cases, the event is nothing more than a reference in a sentence or an off the cuff remark. Since there has been quite a bit of attention to Halliburton in the news, many of the events surround this company.

Taken together, they provide a look at the preparations and planning involved by the Bush administration.

For an in depth review of the politics that lead to the war from 1992 to today, please see the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Timeline

January 20, 2001 George W. Bush is sworn into office as the 43rd President of the United States of America

April 9, 2001 President George W. Bush is said to have empowered three administration working groups to think hard and devise one more new and improved U.S. policy on Iraq. Jim Hoagland Now an Iraq War in Washington Washington Post

September 11, 2001 Four passenger planes are hijacked, two are flown into the World trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon, one is found in a field in Pennsylvania.

October 7, 2001 US and an international coalition begin bombing strikes in Afghanistan

December 21, 2001 An interim government is sworn-in in Afghanistan

December 2001 Halliburton is awarded a 10-year contract from the Pentagon to work with the U.S. government in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Jordan, and other countries. Jeff Fischer Halliburton Charges into Iraq Motley Fool

January 29, 2002 In his first State of the Union address, President Bush says Iraq, Iran and North Korea constitute an "axis of evil". Transcript

February 8, 2002 The White House has left little opening for Iraq to remove itself from George Bush's "axis of evil", saying that even if Baghdad readmits United Nations arms inspectors, the United States will still pursue a "regime change" policy, with or without the support of its allies. Gay Alcorn Nothing Saddam does can save him, says Powell Herald

February 8, 2002 The New York Times has reported that the CIA has no evidence of any Iraqi terrorist operations against the US in almost 10 years. Gay Alcorn Nothing Saddam does can save him, says Powell Herald

March 23, 2002 Department of Defense begins planning campaign to invade Iraq from a statement by General Tommy R. Franks, the Commander in Chief of the United States Central Command. Stephen Fidler How long has war been in the cards Financial Times

March 25, 2002 NBC begins construction in secrecy to send live, broadcast-quality video from moving vehicles at the war front in Iraq. David Lieberman NBC hopes big investment in news coverage pays off usa today

July 2002 The US with British backing has blocked $5.4 billion worth of humanitarian supplies to Iraq. Blair’s press conference: lies and self-delusion WSWS

September 2002 Boots & Coots of Kellogg, Brown & Root begin negotiations with the American government over coming to Iraq to douse oil well fires. Andrew Buncombe The priority here is clear: Oil comes before people Independent

October 30, 2002 The US State Department pushes back to December its planned meeting with Iraqi opposition leaders on exploiting Iraq's oil and gas reserves after a US military offensive removes Saddam Hussein from power. US sets meeting on exploiting Iraqi oil after Hussein Oil & Gas International

November 2002 Kellogg, Brown and Root asked by the US Army Corps of Engineers to develop a contingency plan for extinguishing oil well fires in Iraq. US army under fire over Iraqi oil firefighting contract AFP

January 31, 2003 Eight civilian contracts for the postwar reconstruction of Iraq are tendered by USAID reportedly valued at more than $900 million. US awards contract to manage, rebuild Iraqi port at Umm Qasr AFP


February 9, 2003 KBR Government Operations, a unit of Kellogg Brown & Root, the construction unit of Halliburton Co., runs ads in the Chicago Tribune seeking employees in several fields to work in the "Central Asia region," including mechanics for M1 Abrams tanks and M2/3 Bradley armored fighting vehicles. CNNmoney CNN

February 21, 2003 International Resources Group awarded $7.1 million personnel contract. US awards contract to manage, rebuild Iraqi port at Umm Qasr AFP

March 8, 2003 Kellogg, Brown & Root contract for extinguishing oil well fires awarded. US army under fire over Iraqi oil firefighting contract AFP

March 19, 2003 US and UK forces begin air strikes on Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom

March 24, 2003 Halliburton is awarded a U.S. Defense Department contract to rebuild Iraq's oil production infrastructure. Boots and Coots Intl Well Control Incubspainewebber

March 24, 2003 Stevedoring Services of America awarded $4.8-million contract to manage the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr. US awards contract to manage, rebuild Iraqi port at Umm Qasr AFP

March 25, 2003 Boots & Coots International Well Control Inc. announces it has been hired to fight oil well fires in Iraq and supply well control services. Boots & Coots International Well Control Inc ubspainewebber

lucky for us Michael Ledeen of the American Enterprise Institute is so happy he's glowing. AEI was the site of the big kickoff party to launch the war. The one where the hawks in Washington were toasting to their success. Why have a victory party before a war even starts? Because it was all about getting to have their war, not about the outcome. They now can have a war where ever they want, when ever they want and no one is going to stop them.

Emboldened by the U.S. military's apparent quick rout of Iraqi forces, conservative hawks in America are setting their sights on regime change in Iran and Syria.

"It's time to bring down the other terror masters," Michael Ledeen of the American Enterprise Institute wrote on Monday -- two days before U.S. troops swept into the heart of Baghdad -- in a piece entitled Syria and Iran Must Get Their Turn.

"Iran, at least, offers Americans the possibility of a memorable victory, because the Iranian people openly loath the regime, and will enthusiastically combat it, if only the United States supports them in their just struggle," he added. "Syria cannot stand alone against a successful democratic revolution that topples tyrannical regimes in Kabul, Tehran and Iraq."

Lucky lucky us.

Daily Pundit

Reuters

next stop

Syria? We'll have to ask Vice President Cheney who seems to be very big on war and reconstruction.

Mr Cheney also made clear that Washington, and to a lesser extent London, would have the key role in rebuilding Iraq. That job, and the creation of a new Iraqi government, 'had to reside with the US government'. Though the United Nations and foes of the war would be expected to be involved with the humanitarian effort in post-Saddam Iraq, 'We don't believe the UN is equipped to play that central role. It will play a very important role, but the central role will reside with the coalition, Mr Cheney added.

Any ideas as to who the We is that Cheney refers to?

Mr Rumsfeld, who last week accused Damascus of helping President Saddam's regime, warned that Syria was continuing to provide military aid to Baghdad's forces, and intelligence reported "senior military people" from the regime had fled to Syria.

He also implied some of President Saddam's suspected weapons of mass destruction might have been moved there. Asked he he was worried that WMD had been taken out of Iraq, the Mr Rumsfeld replied crisply: 'You bet.'

There's Iran, second base of the axis of evil.

And third base, North Korea, the token non-Arab.

A North Korean Foreign Ministry statement said the country's security could only be guaranteed by arming itself with a 'tremendous military deterrent'.

It also suggested it no longer supported a non-aggression pact with Washington, one of its main demands if it is to end its nuclear arms program.'The Iraqi war shows that to allow disarming through inspections does not help avert war, but rather sparks it,' the North Korean statement said.'This suggests that even the signing of a non-aggression treaty with the US would not help avert a war.'

And last but not least, ominous words from the American diplomat in Cuba.

'They can shoot the messenger if they want,' Mr. Cason said. 'There will be more messengers coming.'

So good news for Halliburton. A new war would probably cover their debts as well as those of their unit Kellogg, Brown & Root. A new war would certainly enhance both of their chances for profit. Cheney would like that.

that was fast

No sooner had we written about the report and marketing of Directed Energy Weapons at Lexington Institute when BOOM Adm. James O. Ellis was testifying to the Senate Armed Services subcommittee yesterday. They don't let the grass grow under their feet do they?

The head of the U.S. Strategic Command, which controls the nation's nuclear weapons delivery systems, told Congress yesterday that future global strike plans would increasingly involve advanced conventional weapons.

'This innovative approach will enable the command to deliberately and adaptively plan and rapidly deliver limited-duration, nonnuclear combat power anywhere in the world,' Adm. James O. Ellis told a Senate Armed Services subcommittee yesterday.

Conventional and 'non-kinetic' weapons, which put out electronic pulses as their kill mechanism, along with special operations capabilities for precision guidance, will be incorporated 'into the nation's strategic war plan to further reduce our reliance on nuclear weapons,' Ellis said.

The catering at the luncheon must have been really good.

What makes Adm. James O. Ellis so special that he testifies at a hearing? Well, he got the plum job of being the new head of a new agency when Strategic Command merged with Space Command

The United States Strategic Command, or USSTRATCOM, is headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.  The command is one of nine U.S. unified commands under the Department of Defense.

The command is responsible for both early warning of and defense against missile attack and long-range conventional attacks. The command is charged with deterring and defending against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

How come it sounds like they want to build new weapons of mass destruction and not get rid of them? Bpost must be missing some important detail here.

If you want to follow Congressional hearings on National Security, check the updated page at Federation of American Scientists Adm Ellis' testimony isn't on-line yet but is already listed in the directory.

so many think tanks so little time

The US State Department actually prepared a report on the benefits of think tanks for US Foreign Policy. Available in pdf format It's an entertaining read if you're up for it.

US Foreign Policy Agenda November 2002 Volume 7 Number 3 An Electronic Journal of the US State Department The Role of Think Tanks in US Foreign Policy

'Think tanks provide a steady stream of experts to serve in incoming administrations and on congressional staffs,' a function that is 'critical in the American political system,' says State Department Director of Policy and Planning Richard Haass. In addition, he says, 'think tanks provide departing officials with institutional settings in which they can share insights from government service,' and 'remain engaged in pressing foreign policy debates.' page 39

Ripley's believe it or not moment, the above quote is in the section headed The Revolving Door It then goes on to list "prominent Americans who have served in government and in think tanks." Here's an example of one of these prominent Americans:

George P. Shultz Thomas W. and Susan B. Ford Distinguished Fellow at the Hoover Institution

Formerly: Secretary of State in the Reagan Administration (1982-1989), Chairman of President Reagan's Economic Policy Advisory Board (1981-1982), Secretary of the Treasury (1972-1974), Nixon Administration's Secretary of Labor (1969-1970).

There is so much to say about Mr. Shultz and the Hoover Institution, it's hard to know where to begin. So, let's start with his corporate affiliations.

Mr. Shultz is a member of the board of directors of Bechtel Group, Fremont Group, Gilead Sciences, Unext.com, and Charles Schwab & Co. He is also chairman of the International Council of J. P. Morgan Chase and on the advisory committee of Infrastructureworld.

Bechtel is currently up for a $600 million USAID government contract to rebuild infrastructure in Iraq. And speaking of Iraq....

It was awfully nice of the Washington Post to publish Mr. Shultz's Hoover Digest essay Act Now advocating a war in Iraq. And Mr. Shultz backs his harsh words up with action. He's on a committee.

Mr. Shultz is the Chairman of the board of advisors for Committee for the Liberation of Iraq (CLI). Guess they got their wish. CLI is closely associated with the Iraqi National Congress (INC). That's right, Ahmed Chalabi. How do we know the two groups are associated? The CLI website is hosted by the INC as reported by Karen Pease from Iowans for Peace. But bpost also discovered this first hand. The links on the site are very unstable and will dump you right onto the INC home page without much effort. In fact, if you try the link http://www.liberationiraq.org/ it may dump you there now. It's hit or miss.

In honor of George P. Shultz's position on a think tank, committee, and corporate interest, the Trifecta. Congratulations George!

Oops...out of time. There's so much yet to explore at the Hoover Institution, the think tank that gave us Condoleezza Rice, the woman who has an oil tanker named after her.

fogies

The Center for Public Integrity ran an article about the Defense Policy Board a week ago. Let's peak at what it has to say about one of the Defense Policy Board members.

Retired Air Force Gen. Ronald Fogleman sits on the board of directors of companies which received more than $900 million in [Pentagon] contracts in 2002. The companies, which all have longstanding business relationships with the Air Force and other Defense Department branches, include Rolls-Royce North America, North American Airlines, AAR Corporation and the Mitre Corp. In addition to being chief of staff for the Air Force, Fogleman has served as a military advisor to the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and the President. He also served as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Transportation Command, commander of Air Mobility Command, the 7th Air Force and the Air Component Command of the U.S./ROK Combined Forces Command.

Why that's the same Ronald Fogelman who advises the Lexington Institute. So let's see that's: think tank, committee, corporate interest. Trifecta!

Do take a look at his corporate affiliations, its really quite fascinating. I especially like the fact Fogelman is on the board of directors at Derco Holding Ltd who in turn owns Derco Aerospace who in turn is a wholly owned subsidy of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation who is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation.

That's a lot of Pentagon contracts wouldn't you say? A war is good for their business. Good thing we have one right now. I'd hate to see them have to rely on non-lethal industries to make a living.

tanks

One of the really cute things about think tanks is they sure like to use their initials, just like on monogrammed towels. I guess it makes them feel important. So. Who are some of the think tanks advising the current White House?

American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI)

Center for Security Policy (CSP)

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)

National Security Advisory Council at the Center for Security Policy (NSAC)

Heritage Foundation

Hoover Institute

Hudson Institute

Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies (IASPS)

Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA)

Lexington Institute

Mitre

Project for the New American Century (PNAC)

The above are just some of the more common names run across in the news or testifying to congress. There are many more out there. Heritage Foundation funds townhall.com, which lists conservative think tanks in its "right pages". Google around, you'll find more with little effort.

Going in no particular order, lets visit the Lexington Institute for a closer look-see.

Lexington Institute describes itself as one of the fastest-growing public-policy think tanks in the nation's capital. Lexington Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public-policy research organization that focuses on national security, education reform, immigration and federal policy concerning science and technology.

Of the recent white papers released by Lexington Institute, Directed Energy Weapons: Technologies, Applications and Implications warrants reading to find out how your tax dollars are being spent. It's basically Star Wars with a new name. If you think Ronald Reagan's Star Wars was mothballed, you would be very very wrong. The same research simply continued under the guise of different applications. Clever, no?

Lexington Institute Board of Directors

Jim Courter is the chairman of Lexington Institute. He also is CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the IDT Corporation, (NYSE:IDT,IDT.B) a leading facilities-based multinational telecommunications carrier based in Newark, New Jersey. Mr. Courter also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the company's subsidiaries IDT Telecom, IDT Media, and IDT Winstar.

Dr. Loren B. Thompson is Chief Operating Officer of the Lexington Institute. Dr. Thompson's main job at Lexington is to oversee security studies, the institute's largest project.

Dr. Thompson is a long-time advisor to high-tech companies, the federal government, and foundations. He conducts most of his for-profit activities through Source Associates, a consulting firm that he heads in Northern Virginia. The areas on which he advises Source clients range from non-lethal weapons to industrial policy to military strategy.

Dr. Thompson testified to congress on April 9, 2002 in favor of increasing spending on new technology as part of military transformation. Transformation is just a fancy way of saying upgrade.

My final point is that realizing the potential of military transformation requires a greater commitment to procurement.

In other words, spend lots of tax dollars on new high technology weapons. Its unfortunate Dr. Thompson doesn't mention which defense and aerospace industries he's an advisor to. One possible company is Northrop Grumman, which carries the text of his congressional testimony on their defense links site. Northrop Grumman also funds the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution where Dr. Thompson was a fellow.

Alternative media site, Third World Traveler has this to say on one of Dr. Thompson's pet projects the B-2 bomber.

Public opinion has also been targeted by a number of prominent defense intellectuals. The foremost public proponent of the B-2 is Loren Thompson of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution in Arlington, an outfit that receives funding from Northrop [Grumman]. Thompson produces a steady stream of pro-B-2 op-ed articles and is regularly quoted in the press. He also is a regular witness before Congressional panels, telling one committee in 1997 that the B-2 is a miracle plane that can "fly anywhere in the world within a few hours, safely penetrate modern air defenses and precisely destroy up to 16 separate targets with minimum collateral damage." Such assurances were given despite the fact that at the time the B-2 had never even been certified as combat ready and had yet to fly a single mission.

Thompson also put together a letter from seven former secretaries of defense-Melvin Laird, James Schlesinger, Donald Rumsfeld, Harold Brown, Caspar Weinberger, Frank Carlucci and Dick Cheney-in support of the B-2, which was used to great effect on Capitol Hill. "It is essential that steps be taken now to preserve an adequate long-range bomber force," the seven said judiciously. "The B-2 remains...the most cost-effective means of rapidly projecting force over great distances."

On numerous occasions during the past decade, Congress seemed all but sure to kill off the B-2. Each time, though, Northrop has managed to fend off the final stake to the heart with a lobbying blitzkrieg, prompting Rep. John Kasich of Ohio to dub the B-2 the "Dracula" bomber. This, then, is how military policy is formulated in the late-20th century: Because a company can mobilize enough lobbying firepower, the American people end up paying for a bomber that doesn't work, to meet a threat that doesn't exist.

The Lexington Institute white paper Directed Energy Weapons: Technologies, Applications and Implications takes on a new role now that the product has been sufficiently developed. It now emerges as a marketing tool.

Directed Energy Luncheon

On April 3, 2003, the Lexington Institute will be hosting a policy luncheon to present our paper, Directed Energy Weapons: Technologies, Applications and Implications. The authors of this paper, Dr. Loren Thompson and Dr. Daniel Gouré, will be featured speakers at this event. Representative John Hostettler will also speak.

This marketing tool ultimately only benefits the defense industry. None of what they propose would have stopped 12 men with box cutters and lasers would be useless in a desert combat arena with dust storms. But who cares about the details when there's money to be made. (fyi: Lockheed Martin and Boeing are listed as having participated in briefing sessions with Lexington Institute in the white paper footnotes. And what do you know. Ret. Gen. Ronald Fogelman of the Defense Policy Board is on the senior advisory board of the Lexington Institute Directed-Energy Program. How convenient.)

As far as nuclear theats, North Korea has now proven if you've got the bomb, even Washington has to bow to diplomacy. Rather than concentrating on non-proliferation, everyone will now have to have a nuke to talk to Washington. Nice, huh?