conflict of interests or just tacky?

Some of what we'll be posting will be dated but thems the breaks.

Rumsfeld Names Panel to Probe Iraq Prison Abuse

Rumsfeld told reporters after daylong congressional hearings on the abuse controversy that former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger, former Rep. Tillie Fowler of Florida and retired Air Force Gen. Charles Horner had agreed to take part in the 45-day review.

All are members of the Pentagon's Defense Policy Board (DPB), a group of experts who provide advice to the secretary and other senior department officials on policy.

Conflict of interest? Under the investigation of former DPB member and chair Richard Perle last year, it was determined that he had less than 8 days of service to the DPB therefore, no conflict of interest with his outside business interests and his work with the DPB. But now a 45-day review falls well outside that acceptable limit.

Tillie Fowler's law firm is currently advising Presdient Bush's brother, Governor Jeb Bush, on how to avoid military base closures in Florida. Tillie Fowler is the current Chair of the DPB. Gee. What a coinky dink. Think she'll be objective?

Meanwhile, Charles Horner is another Scoop Jackson protege as was Richard Perle who spent 11 years in Jackson's office. Perle met Rumsfeld's current Deputy Secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, when they both interivewed together with Jackson. Douglas Feith at the Department of Defense in Policy was in turn a protege of Perle. Ahhhh. How sweet. Think Horner can remain objective?

Is James Schlesinger still an advisor to defense contractor Shaw Group?

The Shaw Group Inc. is the world's only vertically-integrated provider of comprehensive engineering, procurement, pipe fabrication, construction and maintenance services to the power, process and environmental & infrastructure sectors.

Shaw Group opened an office in Iraq and recently won a contract:

The Shaw Group Inc. announced today that its subsidiary, Shaw Environmental, Inc., was awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville to perform conventional and recovered chemical warfare materiel (RCWM) munitions response and other munitions related services. Shaw is one of seven companies selected under this contract which has a first year shared capacity of $525 million. An estimated 75% of the work may be in support of the Army's Iraq operations.

Shaw Environmental, Inc. is the prime contractor in a teaming arrangement that includes American Technologies, Inc. (ATI), a small disadvantaged business, Readiness Management Support LC (RMS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson Controls, The Al-Khudhairy Group of Iraq, and the Armor Group.

The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a five-year ordering period.

No mention of full cost of contract. 1/7 of $2.5 billion? ($525 million x 5 years) Think Schlesinger will be objective?

The intertwined relationships of the people in and around this White House border on incestous. Get out and meet some new people for God's sake.