what's in a name

US-Led Group Wins Iraq Security Contract

Nour USA, a privately held U.S.-led consortium, has won a $327 million contract to supply Iraq's new armed forces and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps with equipment, the U.S. military said on Saturday.

[...]

Nour, based in Vienna, Virginia, was set up specifically to bid for business in postwar Iraq and has previously won an $18 million contract to provide security in the country.

Nour's partners include HAIFinance, a private equity group based in the United States, and Jordan-based conglomerate Munir Sukhtian Group.

Website for Nour USA.

MSNBC ran an article on contractors in Iraq, Iraq contracts: Making introductions, in October that mentioned Nour USA.

Yet, outside Washington, a company set up only in May — Nour USA — is already in the door. This summer, Nour hired the lobbying company run by former Secretary of Defense William Cohen and soon afterwards a joint venture Nour set up with another company won a contract worth up to $80 million over two years.

Anyone who thinks the contracts are being awarded objectively must be incredibly naive.

PS $18 million vs $80 million: we'll see if we can track down the contracts.