I took the time to read through Bush's Iraq escalation speech now that I've calmed down a little.

I have to conclude that most of this is magical fairy dust to get you to watch the left hand while the right hand does something else. The key here is not the 20K increase in troops, but the Billions of dollars that needs to be spent on re-constructing Iraq that is tied to this effort. The Billions of dollars is another non-competitive bonanza for contractors like KBR, and companies like GE. Check out this US Government US Department of commerce - Iraq Investment and Reconstruction Task Force.

There is a whole government agency that is centered around on business opportunities in Iraq. And we, the citizens of the US will pay for all of it.

ordo ab chao

Looking up the webpage at a the 4th International Requild Iraq Exposition I found the following table:

Iraq reconstruction needs until 2007

o Local administration & civil society $300 million
o Health, education & employment $7 billion
o Infrastructure $11 billion
o Electricity $13 billion
o Agriculture and water resources $3 billion
o Security and police $5 billion
o Oil $8 billion
o Culture $1.5 billion

I wonder if this is in addition to the $100 billion dollar emergency spending bill that Bush will require in February.

quote:

Originally posted by HiTekVagabond:
The Billions of dollars is another non-competitive bonanza for contractors like KBR, and companies like GE.

What companies should be on the bid list that can provide the same services?
Single source vending is far more efficient than managing multiple small companies to do the same.
I had read that France was campining to get in on the reconstruct dollars being shelled out by the U.S.
I don't see why we should entertain whom we don't want to work on what has become our project.

The saddest part is the no real reconstruction has been done.

Lets see, instead the unemployment went up to 50% in Iraq, while the cheapest labor possible was employed--not iraqi, in the cheapest possible conditions--resulting in labor deaths, etc. People being tricked into forced labor as well--and losing their lives in the process as well.

Boy those Neocons do know how to cheat!

eley

Read about LOGCAP.
http://www.amc.army.mil/LOGCAP/WhoWhere1.html

It will answer the silly rehtorec about "non competitive bids" that I keep hearing here.

Iraq Reconstruction

Current projects

GAO report on Reconstruction

Loganthor,

I found this quote interesting off your Iraq Reconstruction link web-page:

Portal Iraq

quote:

The current security situation in Iraq has impacted the recruitment effort by companies involved in the reconstruction of Iraq. Many companies have halted their recruitment for jobs in Iraq and are waiting to see what will happen in terms of security. Once companies start recruiting again, we will post Iraq jobs opportunities.

eley