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[7MUSICè·‘
IRAQ FOR SALE: THE WAR PROFITEERS
IN RECENT YEARS, AS WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN WAR,
THINGS THE GOVERNMENT USED TO DO
IS NOW BEING DONE BY PRIVATE COMPANIES.
FOOD, LAUNDRY, AND HOUSING WERE SERVICES PROVIDED WITHIN
THE MILITARY.
NOW IN IRAQ YOU STILL NEED A LOT OF SUPPORT MECHANISMS AND
THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH MILITARY INFRASTRUCTURE
TO DO THIS.
PRIVATE CONTRACTORS COME IN AND THEY FILL THE GAP.
I SAW CONTRACTORS IN IRAQ DOING ANYWHERE FROM
HELPING FIX TANKS, HELICOPTER MECHANICS, PRETTY MUCH
ANY JOB THAT'S IN THE MILITARY,
THERE'S A CIVILIAN CONTRACTOR RIGHT THERE.
THERE ARE OVER 100,000 PRIVATE CONTRACTORS
WORKING IN IRAQ, KUWAIT, AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.
THIS WAR HAS BEEN PRIVATIZED TO A GREATER EXTENT
THAN ANY OTHER WAR IN HISTORY.
THEY'RE PART OF A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY FUELED
BY YOUR TAX DOLLARS.
AN INDUSTRY VERY MUCH IN NEED BY THE US MILITARY.
40 CENTS OUT OF EVERY DOLLAR CONGRESS CONTROLS NOW GOES
TO CONTRACTORS.
THERE'S MORE THAN 20,000 PRIVATE MILITARY ON THE GROUND
THE SECOND LARGEST ARMED FORCE IN IRAQ
ARE PRIVATE SECURITY
THEY OUT-SCALE THE BRITS OR ANY OTHER NATION
BLACKWATER IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST CONSPICUOUS
SECURITY FIRMS IN IRAQ WITH ABOUT 300 EMPLOYEES THERE.
BLACKWATER IS STAFFED LARGELY BY RETIRED US MILITARY,
INCLUDING FORMER MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL FORCES.
SCOTTY WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD BE DOING SECURITY
FOR PAUL BREMER, THE AMBASSADOR.
THAT HE WOULD JUST GO EVERYWHERE PAUL BREMER WENT
AND THEY WOULD BE USUALLY LIKE 3 8 HOUR SHIFTS.
AND THAT WAS FINE WITH SCOTTY,
CAUSE HE DIDN'T GO OVER THERE TO HURT ANYONE,
HE WAS THERE TO PROTECT PEOPLE.
WATCH OUT NOW,
I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET UNDERNEATH ME
WHEN I'M CLIMBING.
YOU MIGHT GET HURT.
HEY, KELSEY.
HE JUST HAD AN INCREDIBLE WAY WITH SPORTS.
EVEN AS A SMALL CHILD
HE WAS THE BEST SWIMMER ON THE SWIM TEAM.
HE WAS AMAZING.
FIRST TIME HE RAN AWAY FROM HOME I THINK
HE WAS SIX MONTHS OLD.
AND SOMEHOW HED GOTTEN THE FRONT DOOR OPEN
AND HE WAS IN HIS WALKER.
AND IM GETTING READY FOR WORK AND HES HAULING TAIL DOWN
THIS HILL HEADING FOR THE PLAYGROUND.
AND THAT JUST TOTALLY STUNNED ME.
AND HE WAS LIKE THAT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
HE WAS ALWAYS RUNNING.
SCOTTY WENT INTO THE NAVY ON HIS 17TH BIRTHDAY.
HE LOVED BEING A SEAL.
AS FAR AS SCOTTY GOING TO IRAQ,
HE CHOSE BLACKWATER BECAUSE THEY HAD A 2 MONTH CONTRACT
AND SCOTTY WASN'T GONNA HAVE TO BE AWAY FROM HIS KIDS
VERY LONG.
HE NEEDED TO MAKE SOME MONEY.
MY SON CALLED ME AND HE TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO KUWAIT
WITH PAUL BREMER, THE AMBASSADOR IN IRAQ.
I STILL HAVE LITTLE SOLDIERS IN A SHOE BOX
THAT HE USED TO PLAY WITH.
THOSE WERE HIS FAVORITE TOYS.
MY BOYS.
THIS IS JERRY, THIS IS TOMMY.
THAT'S MY FAVORITE PICTURE POUR
AND JERRY ALWAYS CARRIED IT WITH HIM.
ALWAYS.
WHEREVER JERRY WENT HE HAD THAT PICTURE WITH HIM.
THAT WAS MY JERRY, THEN CAME MY TOMMY
THEN MY NIECE ANITA THEN MY NEPHEW
NOTICE EVERYTHING'S "MY TOMM" AND .MY JERRY/.
I LOVE THAT!
WELL, HE WAS THE FIRST BORN.
EVERYTHING I KNEW ABOUT KIDS
I LEARNED WITH HIMYA' KNOW, AND FOR HIM.
THE NEWS CAME OUT ON THE RADIO AND IT SAID
THAT THERE WAS AN INCIDENT IN FALLUJAH.
BREAKING NEWS STORY TONIGHT
THE 4 AMERICAN CIVILIANS WERE AMBUSHED AND KILLED IN FALLUJAH
AND THEY'RE BELIEVED TO BE FROM A LOCAL COMPANY
CALLED BLACKWATER SECURITY COUNSELING.
THERE ARE 4 FAMILIES IN THIS WORLD TODAY
THAT ARE GONNA GET KNOCKS ON THE DOORS AND YOU DON'T
WANT TO BE ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT DOOR WHEN IT HAPPENS.
EITHER HEARING THE NEWS OR DELIVERING THE NEWS.
REALITY DIDN'T CHECK IN, I DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT.
I STILL DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT BUT THE FACT IS
HE'S NOT WALKING THE EARTH.
I NEED TO PRAY FOR HIS SOUL.
I MISS HIM.
I WAS SO ANGRY.
I WAS SO UNBELIEVABLY ANGRY.
AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
BUT I WAS JUST ANGRY THAT MY SON HAD DIED.
THE PEOPLE THAT DID THIS HORRIBLE THING,
THESE IRAQI INSURGENTS OR MAYBE THEY WERE JUST KIDS
ON THE STREET.
THEY WERE TAUGHT HATRED FOR ANYONE THAT DIDN'T REPRESENT
WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT TO BELIEVE IN.
AND I FOUND IT SO HARD TO HATE THEM.
BUT WHEN I FOUND OUT WHAT BLACKWATER DID,
THAT'S WHEN I STARTED REALLY FEELING,
REAL,
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT.
THE VEHICLES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ARMORED AND THEY
ALSO SHOULD HAVE HAD SAWS,
WHICH ARE HEAVY BELT-FED MACHINE GUNS,
IN EACH VEHICLE, WHICH THEY DIDN'T HAVE.
THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE 3 INDIVIDUALS IN EACH CAR.
THEY PULLED OFF 2 GUYS TO DO, FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD,
CLERICAL WORK.
SO THEY SENT THEM OUT SHORT 2 MEN.
THEIR CONTRACTS LIST THAT THEY WERE TO KNOW WHERE
THEY WERE GOING AND KNOW THE PEOPLE
THEY WERE WORKING WITH.
AND HAVE BEEN THERE BEFORE.
IF THEY HAD HAD AN ARMORED VEHICLE,
IF THEY HAD HAD THE REAR GUNMEN.
HE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS GONNA PROTECT THEM.
MY SON IS NOT WALKING THE EARTH BECAUSE PEOPLE THAT HE TRUSTED
AND WORKED FOR DID NOT CARE ABOUT HIM.
IT WAS THE MIGHTY DOLLAR, THAT'S ALL THAT
THEY CARED ABOUT.
THEY KNOWINGLY SKIMPED ON THE MISSION.
THEY CUT CORNERS LEFT AND RIGHT.
SHAME POUR COUNTRY, SHAME POUR BLACKWATER,
SHAME FOR YOU, BLACKWATER!
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM WHILE THEY WERE WITH THIS COMPANY.
COMPANY, NOT THE AMERICAN MILITARY,
THIS COMPANY, HAD RESPONSIBILITIES THAT
THEY DIDN'T LIVE UP TO.
AND OUR FAMILY MEMBERS DIED BECAUSE OF THAT.
THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY ON EARTH.
NO REAR GUNNER,
NO ARMORED VEHICLES,
NOT EVEN A MAP.
THAT'S TO ME NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE.
THEY WERE JUST NUMBERS FOR THEM.
PEOPLE WHO THEY CAN BILL FOR.
THIS IS A SITUATION THAT WAS IN THE FRONT PAGE
OF THE NEWS,
THAT WAS LEADING VARIOUS NETWORK BROADCASTS
FOR SEVERAL DAYS,
AND HOW THAT COMPANY MANAGED THAT CHALLENGE WOULD REALLY
DICTATE THE FUTURE OF THAT COMPANY.
THE FIRST THING,
THE FIRST FOCUS HAS TO BE FOR ANY COMPANY THAT FINDS
ITSELF IN THE TYPE OF CRISIS THAT
BLACKWATER FOUND ITSELF IN,
IS WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO PRESERVE
THE FINANCIAL BUSINESS FUTURE OF THIS COMPANY?
THIS IS A COMPANY WHOSE SUCCESS,
ECONOMIC SUCCESS,
IS COMPLETELY CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING
FROM THE US GOVERNMENT.
WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS,
BLACKWATER HIRED A DC LOBBYING FIRM
CALLED ALEXANDER STRATEGIES GROUP.
ASG IS ONE OF THOSE SMALL HANDFUL OF FIRMS IN 2004
THAT WAS PART OF THE REPUBLICAN CONSERVATIVE CLUB.
BLACKWATER ITSELF,
IN PARTICULAR ITS CEO AND FOUNDER ERIK PRINCE,
HAS LONG STANDING TIES TO THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT,
PARTICULARLY ON THE CHRISTIAN COALITION SIDE,
HAD BEEN VERY GENEROUS WITH HIS CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
OVER THE YEARS.
HE AND HIS FAMILY CONTRIBUTED OVER
2 MILLION DOLLARS TO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES
AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
(ERIK PRINCE NEWS FOOTAGE)
FALLUJAH HAPPENS THE LAST DAY OF MARCH.
WITHIN 24, 4-8 HOURS AFTER THAT THEY'RE LITERALLY
ON THE HILL MEETING WITH SOME OF THE
MOST POWERFUL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO WERE REALLY
GONNA DICTATE WHAT WAS GOING HAPPEN TO THIS COMPANY
IN TERMS OF ITS FUNDING.
THEY WENT TO JOHN WARNER,
WHO WAS THE CHAIR OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
ON THE SENATE SIDE.
THEY WENT TO DUNCAN HUNTER WHO WAS A CONGRESSMAN
FROM SAN DIEGO WHO WAS THE CHAIR OF THE ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE ON THE HOUSE SIDE.
THEY MET WITH RICK SANTORUM,
WHO WAS CHAIR OF THE REPUBLICAN SENATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE,
WHICH IS A VERY, VERY POWERFUL POST.
CONTRACTORS ARE AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TAKEN HOSTAGE.
THEY'VE ALSO SUFFERED TERRIBLE INJURIES AND LOSS OF LIFE,
THE MOST HORRIFIC OF WHICH OCCURRED ON APRIL 13TH
OF THIS YEAR, MADAM PRESIDENT.
WHEN THE BODIES OF 4 CONTRACTORS WERE BURNED,
MUTILATED AND HUNG FROM A BRIDGE IN IRAQ.
SHOULD WE STEP UP AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT PROBLEM?
WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE VERY VIGOROUS OPPOSITION
TO THIS AMENDMENT AS IT IS PRESENTLY DRAWN.
THE BLACKWATER STRATEGY WORKED VERY, VERY WELL.
THEY WENT TO WASHINGTON, THEY STOPPED ANY
INVESTIGATIONS FROM TAKING PLACE,
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, AS A RESULT OF THEIR ACTION,
THEY WERE ABLE TO PROTECT THEIR BUSINESS.
THEY WENT OUT AND THEY RETAINED
FORMER HIGH RANKING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
COFER BLACK, WHO WAS A HIGH RANKING
OFFICIAL TO CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY,
JOSEPH SCHMITZ WAS AN INSPECTOR GENERAL
AT THE PENTAGON.
UNDOUBTEDLY WHEN YOU GO OUT AND YOU RETAIN HIGH RANKING
OFFICIALS LIKE THAT,
THEY CERTAINLY ARE HELPFUL IN ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS,
PURSUING NEW BUSINESS, AND GETTING NEW CONTRACTS.
WITHIN THE YEAR AFTER THE FALLUJAH INCIDENT,
THEY HAD RECEIVED OVER 200 MILLION DOLLARS
IN NEW GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON WHO LEAVE GOVERNMENT AND GO TO WORK
IN LUCRATIVE JOBS FOR DEFENSE INDUSTRY,
THEY HAVE CONNECTIONS.
THEY HAVE INFLUENCE.
(CNN) BUSINESS BOOMED.
THEY JUST BUILT A BRAND NEW HEADQUARTERS
(CNN) LAST MONTH THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AGREED
TO LET BLACKWATER
THAT'S A BIG EXPANSION.
IT'S A RATHER BIG EXPANSION BUT IT'S NEEDED,
CERTAINLY WE'VE LEFT ROOM FOR GROWTH
(CNN) A 2500 FOOT AIR STRIP--
THE COMPANY SAYS IT CAN ASSEMBLE HUNDREDS OF
BATTLE READY MEN, A SMALL PRIVATE ARMY
AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.
(NEWS FOOTAGE) TEAMS OF BLACKWATER INDEPENDENTCONTRACTORS
WERE DEPLOYED AROUND THE WORLD
INSTEAD OF MOURNING MY SON'S DEATH AND THE OTHER THREE MEN,
THEY GO AND THEY PROFITEER OFF OF IT.
THEY WERE CUTTING EVERY POSSIBLE CORNER TO MAKE
MORE MONEY FOR THEM.
IN IRAQ MOST OF THE MEN ARENT GETTING THEIR PROTECTION.
MEN OVER THERE WORKING FOR BLACKWATER
ARE STILL DYING.
THE WORLD REALLY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE
AND WE NEED TO STOP IT.
THERE HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY.
RIGHT NOW THEY ARE LITERALLY GETTING AWAY WITH ***.
COMPANIES SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO OPERATE
IN A WAR ZONE AND NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
[7ARABIC7]
I WAS READING THE BIBLE IN GREEK AND HEBREW
AND STUDYING THOSE LANGUAGES AND HEBREW SORT OF LED
NATURALLY INTO ARABIC.
I WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT.
I OWED, Y'KNOW, UPWARDS OF $40,000 IN STUDENT LOANS WHICH
THE ARMY PROMISED TO REPAY.
THE OPTION AVAILABLE TO ME WAS TO GET A SECRET CLEARANCE
AND BECOME AN INTERROGATOR.
AND I AGREED THAT THIS WAS PRE-9/11,
I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT THAT I'D HAVE TO INTERROGATE
SOMEONE OR IMAGINED IF I DID IT WOULD'VE BE IN A
CONVENTIONAL WAR WHERE THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT.
I FOUND OUT IN APRIL OF 2003 BY A PHONE CALL.
HE SAID, "WELL THE GOOD NEWS IS CONGRATULATIONS,
YOUVE BEEN SELECTED FOR PROMOTION TO BRIGADIER GENERA"
I SAID,"WELL THATS GOOD NEWS,
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE BAD NEWS?"
AND HE SAID, "WELL THE BAD NEWS IS YOUR UNIT YOULL BE
COMMANDING IS ASSISTING THE PRISONS EXPERTS WITH THE
RESTORATION OF PRISONS FOR ALL OF IRAQ.
AND THEY'RE ALREADY DEPLOYED".
AND I SAID, "WELL, CANT I GO?"
AND THERE WAS JUST A SECOND OF SILENCE ON THE OTHER END
OF THE TELEPHONE AND HE SAID,
"YOU WANT TO GO?"
I RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM A MR. SALLAH.
AND HE SAID"CAN YOU HELP ME"
HE SAID"THE AMERICANS TOOK MY MONEY AND
THEY HURT ME VERY BAD.
AND I JUST CAME FROM ABU GHRAIB"
HE TOLD ME OF ONE INCIDENT WHERE YOU KNOW,
HE WAS STRIPPED NUDE AND
THEY TIED A ROPE TO HIS ***
WITH 7 OR 8 OTHER MEN
AND THEN THEY WOULD,
THESE WERE AMERICAN PERSONNEL HE'S TELLING ME.
AND THEY WOULD PUSH ONE MAN AND ALL OF THEM WOULD FALL
AND THEY'D BE JOKING AND LAUGHING AND MOCKING HIM.
I WOULD ASK"WHO WAS DOING THIS TO YOU MR. SALLAH?/
AND HE WOULD SAY,
"WELL THERE WERE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE.
ONE WAS DRESSED IN SOME TYPE OF MILITARY PERSONNEL
WEARING THE ARMY.
AND THEN THE OTHER TYPE WOULD BE IN CIVILIAN CLOTHING"
I SAID .WHAT DO YOU MEAN CIVILIAN CLOTHING"
HE SAID"LIKE NORMAL PANTS.
ANY NORMAL PANTS AND A NORMAL SHIRT./
SO THAT'S THE FIRST TIME WHEN IT STRUCK ME THAT
THERE WAS ANOTHER ELEMENT BEING INVOLVED HERE
IN ABU GHRAIB.
ANOTHER TYPE OF PERSON THERE.
WHEN I SAW THE PHOTOGRAPHS, FOR THE FIRST TIME,
AND I SAID TO THE COMMANDER OF THE
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION
WHO WAS SHOWING THEM TO ME,
I SAID, "WHY ARE THE TRANSLATORS
AROUND THE PRISONERS?
WHY ARE THE TRANSLATORS IN THE CELL BLOCK?"
AND HE SAID, "MAAM, THOSE ARENT TRANSLATORS.
THOSE ARE CACI INTERROGATORS."
CACI WAS HIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
OUT OF A LITTLE TOWN IN ARIZONA CALLED SIERRA VISTA.
AND THEY WERE HIRED TO DO DATABASE WORK.
AND THAT CONTRACT, WHICH WAS SORT OF A BLANKET CONTRACT
THAT ALLOWED THEM TO DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS
WAS USED TO DO INTERROGATION IN ABU GHRAIB.
WHAT OSTENSIBLY WAS A CONTRACT TO DO CLERICAL WORK OR
I.T. WORK TURNED OUT TO BE GETTING INFORMATION NOT
FROM A COMPUTER BUT FROM HUMAN BEINGS
IN A NOTORIOUS PRISON IN IRAQ.
AT THE TIME OF THE SCANDALS IN THE SPRING OF 2004,
ROUGHLY 50% OF THE INTERROGATORS
WERE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS.
THIS AMENDMENT MADAM PRESIDENT, ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS WHAT I
BELIEVE IS A VERY LEGITIMATE AND SERIOUS CONCERN
THAT HAS COME TO LIGHT IN RECENT DAYS WITH THE RESPECT
TO THE USE OR MISUSE OF CONTRACTORS
AND THE MISTREATMENT OF DETAINEES IN IRAQ.
QUITE SIMPLY MADAM PRESIDENT,
THIS AMENDMENT WOULD PROHIBIT THE USE OF CONTRACTORS
IN INTERROGATIONS OF PRISONERS
AND IN OFFENSIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS.
IT JUST SEEMS TO ME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT WE CANNOT HIRE
PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO PERFORM A FUNCTION THAT IS
INHERENTLY GOVERNMENTAL,
INHERENTLY SENSITIVE,
INDEED INHERENTLY EXPLOSIVE AND FOR WHICH THERE MUST BE
ACCOUNTABILITY AS IS THE INTERROGATION OF PRISONERS.
CORPORATIONS EXIST TO MAKE A PROFIT.
AND WHEN THEY ARE HIRED TO DO JOBS WHERE IT'S
THE PROVISION OF WATER OR THE YOU KNOW,
INTERROGATION OF PRISONERS,
THEIR JOB IS TO GET AS MUCH WORK AS POSSIBLE
AND MAKE AS MUCH PROFIT AS POSSIBLE.
NOW THAT DOESN'T WORK IN THE FIELD OF INTELLIGENCE, PERIOD.
YOU DO NOT PUT PERSONNEL WHO DO NOT HAVE ALLEGIANCE
AND 100% LOYALTY TO AMERICA, YOU DO NOT PUT THEM
IN SENSITIVE KEY GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES LIKE MILITARY
INTELLIGENCE GATHERING.
IT CREATES A CONFLICT TOO BECAUSE WE WERE ON CERTAIN,
YOU KNOW,
WE KNEW WHAT OUR CHAIN OF COMMAND WAS.
THAT WAS VERY CLEAR AND WE WERE FORCED TO
MEMORIZE IT AND FOLLOW IT.
BUT WHAT'S THE CACI CHAIN OF COMMAND?
THERE WAS A WINK AND A NOD APPROACH.
WE HAVE THESE RULES, YOU'RE GONNA FOLLOW THEM
BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA SPEND THAT MUCH TIME MAKING SURE
THAT YOU'RE GONNA FOLLOW THEM.
AND IF I DON'T KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON
THEN I CAN HAVE PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY.
THE CONTRACTOR IS SAFELY IN AN OFFICE IN THE UNITED STATES
SOMEWHERE SO NO DIRECT SUPERVISION.
AND TO JUST SIMPLY SAY,
"WELL, I GUESS THEY GOT OUT OF CONTROL.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE TAKING THEIR INSTRUCTIONS FRO"
IT SEEMS TO EXCUSE ALL OF THEM.
I HAVE REPRODUCED AN EXCERPT FROM THE JOB POSTING
AS IT WAS RE-PRINTED IN THE WASHINGTON POST ON MAY 10TH
ON THE POSTER HERE BEHIND ME.
LET ME READ IT FOR YOU.
IT SAYS"UNDER MINIMAL SUPERVISION WILL ASSIST/
AND GOES ON.
KEY WORDS: "UNDER MINIMAL SUPERVISION/
IN 2003 THE PENTAGON ESSENTIALLY PANICKED
AND A VERY DESPERATE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
DID WHATEVER HE HAD TO DO VERY, VERY QUICKLY TO TRY
TO GET MORE INTELLIGENCE.
IF THAT MEANT GOING OUT AND HIRING A BUNCH OF CONTRACTORS
WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND PUTTING THEM
WRONGLY IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE,
THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
THEY WERE DESPERATE.
THE CONTRACTING BUSINESS IN IRAQ IS VERY, VERY LUCRATIVE.
THERE WAS SO MUCH MONEY BEING GIVEN AWAY OVER THERE
TO CONTRACTORS.
THERE WERE JOBS THAT DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO BE THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE GO INTO THE TENT TO USE OUR INTERNET
AND THE WOMAN WHO WOULD PUT MY NAME DOWN TO ASSIGN ME
TO A COMPUTER WOULD BE A CIVILIAN CONTRACTOR
WHO IS MAKING 6 FIGURES TO BE OVER THERE.
WHY IS SHE THERE?
WHY ARE WE PAYING THIS WOMAN TO DO THIS?
THEY THREW SO MUCH MONEY AT THESE PEOPLE THEY CAN'T REFUSE.
IF YOU'RE A MECHANIC AND YOU MAKE LIKE
$20 OR $30,000, AND SOMEONE OFFERS YOU $100,000 A YEAR
TAX-FREE TO GO TO IRAQ, THAT'S HARD.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY HARD TO REFUSE.
THEY WOULD VERY OFTEN SIT DOWN WITH SOLDIERS,
PARTICULARLY FROM RESERVE OR NATIONAL GUARD AND SAY,
"HEY MAN," YOU KNOW, "WHAT ARE YOU MAKING,
$3,000 A MONTH OVER HERE?"
YOU KNOW, "I MAKE THAT IN A WEEK./
WE WOULD TALK ABOUT HOW IN 8 MORE MONTHS
I'M GONNA BE OUT OF HERE AND I'M GONNA BE MAKING 140 GRAND.
IT'S CERTAINLY AFFECTED RETENTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHY ANY MILITARY PERSON WOULD RE-ENLIST TO DO
THE SAME JOB WHEN THEY COULD GET OUT OF THE MILITARY
AND MAKE 6 TIMES THEIR MONEY AND DO THE SAME JOB.
THERE WAS A LITTLE PHRASE WE THREW AROUND,
"FOOD FOR FREEDOM./
THAT IF YOU WANTED TO GET PAID MORE YOU SHOULD START
EATING MORE SO YOU COULD GET BOOTED OUT FOR BEING OVERWEIGHT
AND IT'S AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE AND IT WOULD BOOST YOUR PAY,
YOUR NET WORTH BY ABOUT 5 TIMES
IF YOU WERE TO DO SUCH A THING.
AND IT WORKED.
ABU GHRAIB PHOTOS
I WAS GETTING REALLY ANGRY ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I KNEW
THAT A LOT OF THESE PRISONERS THAT I SAW WITH THESE INJURIES
FROM ABUSE AND TORTURE REALLY HADN'T DONE ANYTHING.
THEY WEREN'T A PART OF THE INSURGENCY,
THEY WERE JUST PICKED UP FOR NO REASON AT ALL.
WE WERE INTERROGATING TAXI DRIVERS AND LIKE
PIZZA DELIVERY GUYS.
IT WAS JUST, WE CALLED THEM
"AVERAGE ACHMED./
USING METHODS SUCH AS TORTURE AND ALSO USING PEOPLE WHO ARE
NOT QUALIFIED TO DO THIS JOB
HAS RESULTED IN BAD INFORMATION
AND THEREFORE PROBLEMS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOR
THE SOLDIERS BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING INFORMATION
THAT'S NO GOOD.
IN A LOT OF AREAS YOU START NOTICING A LOT OF, YOU KNOW,
A LOT OF HOSTILITY AGAINST THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE THE SOLDIERS ARE DOING A LOT OF WRONG THINGS
IT'S BECAUSE SOMETIMES MAYBE THE COMMUNICATION THAT HAS BEEN
TRANSMITTED TO THEM HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED TO THEM WRONGLY,
UNPROFESSIONALLY, AS SERVING SOMEONE ELSE'S INTERESTS.
THESE ARE TITAN LINGUISTS, THEY WERE HIRED BY TITAN.
TITAN HAS LONG STANDING CONTRACTS PROVIDING CRITICAL
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR
SOME OF OUR NATION'S MOST VALUABLE DEFENSE ASSETS.
UNDER A CONTRACT WITH THE US ARMY'S INTELLIGENCE
AND SECURITY COMMAND,
TITAN HAS OVER 4,000 LINGUISTS THAT PROVIDE
INVALUABLE MISSION CRITICAL SERVICES.
TITAN IS THE COMPANY THAT PROVIDES THE LINGUISTS
AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THE LINGUISTS IN IRAQ.
THEY'RE THE BIGGEST PROVIDER IN THIS BUSINESS.
THEY WERE SO DESPERATE TO GET PEOPLE TO FILL
THESE POSITIONS AS TRANSLATORS THAT THEY WERE JUST HIRING
ANYBODY THAT APPROACHED SOMEBODY AND OBVIOUSLY
HAD COMMAND OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
IN ADDITION TO THE ARABIC LANGUAGE
OR FARSI OR WHATEVER IT MAY HAVE BEEN.
THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO MAYBE SPOKE THE LANGUAGE BUT
IT WAS BROKEN AND COULD NOT READ IT OR WRITE IT.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT ENGLISH.
AND THEY WERE HIRED.
THEY WERE NEVER GIVEN A TEST.
NOBODY WAS GIVEN A TEST, I WASN'T GIVEN A TEST.
THE TEST I WAS GIVEN WAS A PHONE CONVERSATION
FOR A MINUTE.
MILITARY TRUSTED US, MILITARY TRUSTED TITAN.
TITAN CAME AND SAID HERE IS A LINGUIST
THAT WE HAVE HIRED, WE HAVE TRAINED, TESTED,
WE PUT OUR TRUST IN, HE PASSED THE SECURITY CLEARANCE
OR HE GOT SOME KIND OF A CLEARANCE,
YOU SHOULD TRUST HIM AND EVERYTHING HE DOES,
EVERYTHING HE SAYS.
I DID WORK CLOSELY WITH TITAN ALL YEAR LONG
WHILE I WAS IN IRAQ.
AND I CAN SAY THAT A LOT OF THE TRANSLATORS
WEREN'T TRAINED AT ALL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF TRAINING THEY RECEIVED
BUT THEY WERE TERRIBLE AT IT.
THERE WAS NO MANAGERS, THERE WAS NO SUPERVISION,
THERE WAS NO TRAINING, THERE WAS NO FOLLOW UP,
THERE WAS NEVER A SYSTEM OF EVALUATION OF HOW LINGUISTS
ARE DOING OR WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
EVEN A SYSTEM OF IF THESE THINGS
ARE REALLY TRANSLATING OR
ARE THEY TRANSLATING OR GIVING THEIR OPINIONS?
TITAN MADE THE BIG BUCKS.
AND HIRED THE MOST INCOMPETENT PEOPLE MOST OF THE TIME,
DID NOT FOLLOW UP WITH THEM, DID NOT REALLY KNOW WHAT
THEY WERE DOING.
PROBABLY AS A RESULT A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT HURT,
A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT KILLED, AMERICAN LIVES GOT LOST
BECAUSE SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE MONEY
AND WANTS TO HAVE A FAT CHECK IN HIS POCKET.
HERE YOU HAVE THE MP'S WHO ENGAGED AND PARTICIPATED
IN HORRIFIC CONDUCT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
WHY AREN'T THE US CONTRACTORS,
THE CIVILIAN CORPORATE PERSONNEL,
WHY AREN'T THEY BEING HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS?
IF YOU ARE A US SOLDIER AND YOU HURT AN IRAQI CIVILIAN
AND THAT BECOMES KNOWN, YOU WILL BE COURT MARSHALED.
BUT IF YOU ARE A US CONTRACTOR AND YOU KILL AN IRAQI CIVILIAN
AND THAT BECOMES KNOWN, YOU WILL BE SENT HOME.
AND THEN YOU CAN COME BACK THE FOLLOWING WEEK
AND YOU CAN WORK FOR A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR.
SO HERE WE HAVE THE TWO SUPPOSED RING LEADERS
OF ABUSE AT ABU GHRAIB VERY EXPLICITLY SAYING
IN MANY CASES WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS THEY WERE
BEING ORDERED TO ABUSE DETAINEES
BY CIVILIAN CONTRACTORS.
THESE GUYS ARE IN PRISON FOR 18 YEARS TOTAL
BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM AND THERE'S NO CONTRACTORS
IN PRISON.
MY QUESTION IS IN REGARDS TO PRIVATE MILITARY CONTRACTORS.
THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE DOES NOT APPLY
TO THESE CONTRACTORS IN IRAQ.
I ASKED YOUR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO
WHAT LAW GOVERNS THEIR ACTIONS-
--I WAS GONNA ASK HIM, GO AHEAD.
HELP.
I'LL PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY MR. SECRETARY,
I GOT AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
THIS IS WHAT DELEGATION,
I DON'T MEAN TO BE DODGING THE QUESTION ALTHOUGH
IT'S KINDA CONVENIENT IN THIS CASE BUT NEVER THE,
I REALLY WILL.
I'M GONNA CALL THE SECRETARY AND SAY YOU BROUGHT UP
A VERY VALID QUESTION AND WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT?
THAT'S HOW I WORK.
I'M, THANKS.
YES MA'AM.
ARE ANY OF THESE ALLEGATIONS BEING INVESTIGATED?
THERE, MY RECOLLECTION IS, AND I THINK IT'S OKAY TO SAY,
THAT IS THE INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING AND THAT TIME WILL TELL
SOMEHOW THESE CONTRACTORS HAVE LEVERAGED POWER
IN WASHINGTON, AND THE GOVERNMENT
FEELS LIKE THEY WANT TO PROTECT THESE PEOPLE;
THEY WANT TO PROTECT THE SECURITY OF
THESE CONTRACTS AND THEY WANT TO PROTECT THEM
FROM PROSECUTION.
MOST OF THE MANAGERS AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE
WE DEALT WITH WORKING FOR TITAN WERE
EX-MILITARY OFFICERS, HIGH RANKING OFFICERS.
ALL MAJOR MILITARY CONTRACTORS HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT THAT IS COMPOSED OF
SENIOR RETIRED MILITARY PERSONNEL.
AND THIS ALLOWS THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO
GET CONTRACTS.
WASHINGTON IS A PHENOMENALLY INCESTUOUS PLACE.
RETIRED SENIOR OFFICERS, CAPITOL HILL STAFFERS
AND DEFENSE INDUSTRY,
THE USUAL SUSPECTS COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN.
TOP RECIPIENTS OF MONEY FROM HALLIBURTON,
TITAN, CACI AND BLACKWATER ARE THE TWO CHAIRMAN
OF THE COMMITTEES IN CONGRESS
AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THAT OVERSEES MILITARY MATTERS AND SPENDING.
THE MAJOR CORPORATIONS,
THESE CARTEL AND MONOPOLY CORPORATIONS,
THEY'VE FIGURED OUT HOW TO LEGALLY BUY INFLUENCE.
I WOULD ECHO THE WORDS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II:
PROFIT BY ITSELF IS NOT SUFFICIENT MOTIVATION
IN BUSINESS ENDEAVORS.
YOU'RE OPERATING IN THE REALM OF GREED;
YOU'RE NOT OPERATING IN THE REALM OF MORALITY.
I WENT TO IRAQ AND CAME BACK.
WHAT WAS SO HEARTBREAKING WAS THAT I FOUND OUT
WE WEREN'T ALWAYS THE GOOD GUYS
AND IT WAS VERY DISILLUSIONING FOR ME.
BECAUSE I'D GROWN UP WITH THIS DREAM OF AMERICA,
WHAT AMERICA WAS.
AND WHEN I SAW THAT DREAM AT ABU GHRAIB
AND WHAT IT HAD BECOME I FELT HEARTBROKEN.
I FELT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
AN AMERICAN BECAUSE I HAD SAW WHAT I THOUGHT
AMERICA WAS: DESTROYED AND DISGRACED.
WHEN THEY WENT INTO IRAQ,
A SUBSIDIARY OF HALLIBURTON WHICH IS KBR,
KELLOGG BROWN, AND ROOT WAS ON THE SCENE IMMEDIATELY.
THEY WERE LOGISTICS PEOPLE, THEY WERE MECHANICS,
AND THEY WERE ALSO CONTRACTED TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF
SETTING UP SHOWER POINTS, LAUNDRY FACILITIES,
MESS HALLS, DINING FACILITIES,
REALLY SEARCHING FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ON
WHAT WOULD BE TRADITIONALLY MILITARY ROLES.
WHEN YOU USE THESE CONTRACTORS,
YOU GAIN A LOT OF EFFICIENCIES. YOU GAIN A LOT OF EXPERTISE
AND SPECIALIZATIONS.
IT WAS DEVASTATING BECAUSE THEY TOOK MY JOB.
I ENDED UP DOING NOTHING.
WE HAD TO TRAIN THESE KBR CONTRACTORS HOW
TO FIX THESE RADIOS.
WE HAD TO WALK THEM THROUGH ALL THE BASIC STEPS.
WHEN I COULD BE ACTIVELY BECOMING A BETTER SOLDIER
AND BECOMING MORE PROFICIENT IN MY JOB,
INSTEAD I'M GONNA SIT UP ON GUARD DUTY TO
WAIT AROUND WHILE KBR CONTRACTORS ARE DOING THE JOB
THAT I HAD TO TRAIN THEM TO DO.
ACROSS THE BOARD, PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS.
QUARTER MASTER COMPANIES, MECHANICS,
ANY LOGISTICS SOLDIERS WERE INVOLVED WITH,
THEIR JOBS WERE OUTSOURCED TO KBR.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW KBR, YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO IRAQ.
BECAUSE KBR IS EVERYWHERE IN IRAQ.
YOU HAVE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS,
OF THESE TRUCKS DRIVING NORTH AND SOUTH ON THESE ROADS
EVERY DAY BRINGING SUPPLIES TO OTHER MILITARY BASES.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE DRIVING FOR KBR
WERE FOREIGN WORKERS.
THEY WERE FROM PAKISTAN AND NEPAL, INDIA.
SOMETIMES THERE WOULD BE AMERICANS DRIVING THE TRUCKS,
U.S. CIVILIANS.
I HEARD ABOUT THE JOB THROUGH ANOTHER TRUCK DRIVER FRIEND
IN CALEXICO, CALIFORNIA.
WE WERE WAITING FOR A LOAD AND HE TOLD ME THIS WAS
HIS LAST LOAD AND HE WAS GOING OVERSEAS.
FROM THERE I SENT MY RESUME IN.
I THOUGHT I WAS REALLY GOING TO BE DOING A LOT
OF RECONSTRUCTION IN IRAQ AS FAR AS WELL,
I COULD SEE ME HAULING FUEL TO A PLACE THAT
HAD LOADERS AND DOZERS.
WE NEVER WENT TO GO BE IN A BATTLE OR FIGHT A FIGHT.
WE WENT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILIES AND MAKE SOME MONEY,
TO RECONSTRUCT IRAQ.
TONY AND I MET IN'79 AT A HALLOWEEN PARTY,
IT WAS KIND OF A BLIND MEETING AND WERE MARRIED
LESS THAN A YEAR LATER.
HIS BROTHER WAS IN THE NAVY SO HE ALWAYS WISHED THAT
HE HAD DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
HE WAS JUST A GOOD OL' BOY.
HE THOUGHT IT WAS SUCH A GREAT CAUSE TO GO
AND HELP REBUILD AND GOT A JOB WITH HALLIBURTON
AND HE WAS GONNA GO DRIVE A TRUCK IN IRAQ.
WITHIN A MONTH HE WAS THERE.
I WAS 15 WHEN I MET STEVE FIRST TIME.
A GOOD FRIEND INTRODUCED US AT A FAIR THEY HAD
AND WE JUST HIT IT OFF.
HE GOT OUT OF THE FIBER GLASS BUSINESS
IN MICHIGAN AND EVENTUALLY ENDED UP TRUCK DRIVING.
STEVE DECIDED TO GO OVER THERE TO GET US FINANCIALLY SET
FOR NOT ONLY RETIREMENT,
BUT TO HELP 3 KIDS GO THROUGH COLLEGE.
HE WOULD TAKE ON ANYTHING IF HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BENEFIT
HIS FAMILY.
HE WASN'T MILITARY, HE WAS NON COMBATANT,
HE WAS A DRIVER.
HE WENT OVER THERE TO HELP REBUILD IRAQ.
AND THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.
WHEN I WOKE UP EARLY THAT MORNING
IT WAS ABOUT, I'D SAY ABOUT 4:30 AM.
WE HAD TO BE OUT BY OUR TRUCKS BY ABOUT 7 AM.
WE ALREADY KNEW WE WERE GOING ON OUR MISSION,
WE WERE TOLD AT 7 PM THE NIGHT BEFORE
ON THE 8TH OF APRIL.
FIRST THING WE DO IS JUST VERY NORMAL,
ROUTINE BEHAVIOR.
JUST GO AHEAD AND DO A PRE-CHECK,
GO CHECK THE MAINTENANCE, CHECK THE OIL,
CHECK THE AIR IN YOUR TIRES, YOUR FUEL TANK.
THE SOLDIER THAT WAS SKETCHING A MAP WITH HIS BOOT
IN THE GRAVEL NEXT TO HIS VEHICLE, WELL
SOME OF US SAW PART OF IT AND SOME OF US DIDN'T.
NOBODY TOLD US WHY,
NOBODY TOLD US WHAT WAS GOING ON,
THEY SAID THE ROADS ARE RED
AND I WASN'T SURE WHAT RED MEANT.
WE LEFT THE POST DURING 11 O'CLOCK.
10:40, 11 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING SOMEWHERE.
AND HEADED ON OUR WAY TO BAGHDAD.
WE'RE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND WE GOT PRETTY CLOSE
TO I BELIEVE THE ABU GHRAIB PRISON AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
THE TRAFFIC,
THERE'S NO TRAFFIC.
AND RIGHT ABOUT THEN, I MEAN BULLETS CAME
FROM EVERYWHERE.
IT SOUNDED LIKE WE WERE IN A HAIL STORM.
IT WAS LIKE WHEN YOU WERE A KID AND WE USED TO MAKE POPCORN
IN A PRESSURE COOKER.
THE TEMPERATURE COMES UP AND IT BEGINS TO POP.
THEY WERE COMING IN THROUGH MY DOORS,
THEY WERE HITTING MY TANKER, THEY WERE HITTING MY WINDSHIELD
THEY WERE COMING THROUGH, HITTING THE ENGINE,
YOU COULD HEAR THEM COMING THROUGH ONE DOOR
HIT THE OTHER DOOR WHEN THEY LAUNCHED IN
AND I MEAN THEY'RE JUST COMING IN EVERYWHERE.
AND THEN IT JUST REACHED A CRESCENDO AND JUST SEEMED
LIKE IT NEVER STOPPED AFTER THAT.
AND I COULD HEAR THE MEN CRYING
ON THE RADIO CRYING OUT FOR HELP.
"I'M BURNING UP, HELP ME, HELP ME,
PLEASE DON'T LET ME DIE IN IRAQ"
TRUCK BEHIND ME, HIS TRAILER CAUGHT FIRE
AND HE OVERTURNED AND WAS TRAPPED
INSIDE THE TRUCK AND BURNED UP
I HEARD ONE YELLING AND THEN SCREAMING UNTIL HE STOPPED.
FRIENDS THAT I HAD PROMISED BEFORE THAT IF THEY BROKE DOWN
OR SOMETHING HAPPENED I WOULDN'T LEAVE &EM.
I HEAR THEM SCREAMING "I'M HIT, I'M HIT, HELP ME,
PLEASE, I DON'T WANT TO DIE HERE"
I WAS COMPLETELY SATURATED WITH BLOOD,
MY PANTS WERE SOAKED FROM BLOOD,
MY SHIRT WAS SOAKED IN BLOOD.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY JUST SHEER TERROR.
JUST ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY HORRIFYING.
AND I STILL FEEL,
I STILL HAVE THAT SHAKY SORT OF THING IN ME.
IT'S LIKE,
SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW IT'S LIKE I'M STILL THERE.
THE MUTILATED BODIES OF 4 PEOPLE
WERE FOUND WEST OF BAGHDAD NEAR AN AREA WHERE
A US FUEL CONVOY WAS ATTACKED ON FRIDAY.
AFTER THAT ATTACK, 7 AMERICANS WERE REPORTED MISSING
INCLUDING CONTRACTORS WORKING FOR HALLIBURTON,
A COMPANY THAT SUPPLIES FUEL AND OTHER SUPPLIES
FOR US TROOPS.
THE FAMILIES WERE NOTIFIED TODAY OF THE DISCOVERY.
HALLIBURTON DID RELEASE A STATEMENT SAYING
"WE AT HALLIBURTON ARE SADDENED/
SATURDAY APRIL 10, ONE DAY AFTER I GOT
THE FIRST PHONE CALL FROM HALLIBURTON AND KBR.
"STEVE, WHEN YOU GET BACK TO BASE PLEASE CALL ME.
I GOT A CALL YESTERDAY SAYING THAT YOU ARE MISSING
AFTER HEAVY FIGHTING AND MORE ATTACKS.
YOU AND 9 OTHERS./
WHAT ARE THESE ROCKS CALLED AGAIN,
I FORGOT.
DAD TOLD US BUT I DON'T REMEMBER.
LIKE SHALE?
I'M NOT SURE.
I JUST TURNED 50 AND IT'S HARD TO HAVE TO
REINVENT YOURSELF LIKE YOU'RE A TEENAGER AGAIN,
WHEN ALL YOUR DREAMS AND THINGS GO OUT THE TUBE.
SO.
HE WAS DEFINITELY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.
HE FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT KBR AND HALLIBURTON WERE
GONNA KEEP HIM SAFE.
HE TRULY DID.
HE WAS VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THAT RIGHT UP TO THE END,
HE BELIEVED HE WOULD BE SAFE.
HE WASN'T MUCH OF A WRITER, THAT'S FOR SURE.
HIS JOURNAL'S EMPTY.
MY DAD JUST TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO WORK FOR HALLIBURTON,
AND HOW BIG THEY WERE AND HOW THEY WERE THERE
TO HELP REBUILD.
SOMEBODY KNEW THAT THEY SENT THESE WONDERFUL MEN OUT THERE.
HOW CAN THEY DO THAT?
THESE MEN WENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
SO, BOTTOM LINE, THEY WERE TOTALLY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
I TRUSTED THE COMPANY.
THIS IS A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE THEY WOULD SEND ME
DOWN A ROAD THAT WAS CLOSED OR WAS GONNA HAVE HOSTILE
ACTIVITY FOR SURE.
THAT DIDN'T EVEN CROSS MY MIND.
US FORCES HERE ARE SAYING THEY'RE OPENLY BRACED
FOR MORE TERROR ATTACKS
WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT ANNIVERSARY,
THE FALL OF BAGHDAD.
WE HAD A CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY AND THEY CONVERGED
TO CREATE WHAT WAS AN OBVIOUS DAY OF DANGER.
HALLIBURTON AND KBR HAD NEWS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES,
INCLUDING MULTIPLE SOURCES IN THE MILITARY THAT
THE ROADS THAT DAY WERE UNDER ACTIVE COMBAT OPERATIONS
AND WERE BLACK, CLOSED, AND OR RED: NO CIVILIANS.
THEY WERE SITTING DUCKS OUT THERE IN MILITARY TRUCKS
ON THAT DAY.
THEY TOLD US WE COULDN'T WEAR CAMOUFLAGE OR ANYTHING
THAT WOULD MAKE US LOOK LIKE MILITARY.
THE POINT WAS CLEAR THAT WE WERE NOT SOLDIERS
AND WE WERE NOT TO BEHAVE LIKE SOLDIERS.
HE COULDN'T EVEN WEAR A CAMOUFLAGE SHIRT ON BASE,
LET ALONE DRIVING A MILITARY FUEL TRUCK
OUT IN THE DESERT WHERE THERE WAS A WAR AROUND HIM.
WHY WOULD THEY SEND THIS CONVOY
IN CAMOUFLAGE TRUCKS ON THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF BATTLE?
IT'S ABOUT CONTRACTS,
I BELIEVE.
FULFILLING THE CONTRACT AND REPLACING US IF WE DIED.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONTRACTS
BEING OFFERED OUT THERE AND KBR WANTS MOST OF THEM,
IF THEY COULD HAVE THEM ALL THEY COULD TAKE THEM ALL.
AND THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE ARMY,
WHATEVER THE RISKS WERE.
IT WAS NOTHING BUT THE MONEY.
THERE'S NO DUTY, HONOR, OR COUNTRY AMONG ANYONE
AT HALLIBURTON, KBR.
HALLIBURTON, KBR, SOME OF THESE OTHER FIRMS
OVER THERE ARE STAYING OVER THERE
AND CONTINUING TO MAKE PROFITS, BIG MONEY.
AND PEOPLE ARE JUST, AT THE COST OF HUMAN LIFE.
THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE ARMY PROVIDED THEM WITH LITERALLY
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE EVERY YEAR.
THE CONTRACT, PROFIT, AND THE CONTRACT PROFIT
THAT THEY MADE BECAME MORE IMPORTANT THAN
THE LIVES OF THE MEN THAT THEY HIRED.
I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT AND THE FACT
THAT YOU SACRIFICED OUR LOVED ONES,
OUR LOVED ONES FOR YOUR PROFIT.
KBR.
KILL, BAG AND REPLACE PEOPLE.
THEY TRIED TO DO IT WITH US AND THEY KILLED MY FRIENDS.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THEY TRIED TO KILL ME.
I KNOW THEY KNOW.
THIS IS A CASE ABOUT HALLIBURTON AND KBR
TRYING TO MAKE A PROFIT AT TIME OF WAR
AND USING CIVILIANS IN AN IMPROPER FASHION.
HALLIBURTON IS IN CHARGE OF SEEING THAT THESE MEN
AND THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE SAFE.
HALLIBURTON SENT THESE MEN OUT ON APRIL 9TH AND KNEW,
THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS MORE THAN
A GOOD CHANCE THAT THEY WOULD BE KILLED.
WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT OH THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES
AND THIS THING,
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THEY DID NOT.
THEY WERE STOLEN FROM THEM.
THEY WERE SCREAMING AND DIDN'T WANT TO GO.
AND THERE WASN'T ANYTHING GREAT OR GLORIOUS
ABOUT THE WHOLE OBSCENE ORDEAL.
THEY DIDN'T DIE, THEY DIDN'T PASS AWAY,
THEY WERE MURDERED.
KBR GOT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF CONTRACTS
IN IRAQ WITHOUT A BIDDING.
HALLIBURTON GOT THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACT WITHOUT
COMPETITIVE BIDDING.
IN THE CASE OF HALLIBURTON,
MOST OF THE CONTRACTS THEY'VE RECEIVED
HAVE BEEN SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS WHICH MEANS THEY'RE EITHER
GIVEN THE CONTRACT, IT' S JUST OFFERED TO THEM,
OR THEY'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO BID ON IT.
A LOT OF FEDERAL OFFICIALS WILL DEFEND THIS
SAYING THAT THIS IS THE ONLY COMPANY
THAT CAN DO THE WORK.
CONSERVATIVES ESPECIALLY WHO FAVOR
A FREE MARKET SYSTEM
SHOULD BE OUTRAGED ABOUT THE DEGENERATE STATE
OF THE LACK OF COMPETITION IN DEFENSE INDUSTRY.
BUNNATINE GREENHOUSE,
A TOP CONTRACTING OFFICER AT THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
ALLEGES FAVORITISM AND RULE BREAKING.
I WALKED INTO A PROCESS THAT WAS CORRUPT,
THAT WAS GEARED TOWARDS PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO KBR.
KBR WAS PRE-SELECTED, THE DURATION OF THE CONTRACT
WAS PRE-DETERMINED.
MOST BLATANT ABUSE THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED
IN MY CONTRACTING CAREER.
THE AMERICAN WAY IS COMPETITION.
AND I CANNOT SUFFICIENTLY STRESS THAT IN
DEFENSE INDUSTRY, WHEN IT COMES TO BIG PROGRAMS,
THERE'S NOT COMPETITION.
IT'S MONOPOLY AND CARTEL BEHAVIOR.
IT IS CORRUPT,
IT IS CORRUPTING,
AND IT IS CORROSIVE TO OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE.
WHEN WE SHOWED UP, THERE WAS NOTHING THERE.
OUR CUSTOMER IS A PRIVATE COMING OFF PATROL WHO WANTS
A MIDNIGHT SHOWER,
AND WE'RE THERE FOR HIM.
WE'RE DOING STUFF THAT YOU'LL NEVER READ ABOUT IN THE PAPERS.
EVERYONE HAD TO MAKE A BIG ADJUSTMENT OVER THERE.
I HELP WITH THAT.
WE GOT 80,000 TROOPS OUT OF THE SAND IN THREE MONTHS.
IT WAS AWESOME.
I'M IAN DOLAN.
ANGELA STEVENS.
PERTH HANSEN.
MY NAME IS JAY PATTERSON, AND I'M PROUD TO WORK
FOR HALLIBURTON.
MY NAME IS BEN CARTER,
AND WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF BEING IN IRAQ
I KNEW THAT THAT WASN'T GONNA BE THE COMPANY
I WANTED TO BE WITH.
HALLIBURTON WAS HIRED TO PROVIDE CLEAN,
SAFE COOKING, CLEANING, SHOWER WATER FOR THE MILITARY.
ONE OF HALLIBURTON'S EMPLOYEES
SAW SOMETHING WIGGLING IN THE WATER IN HIS TOILET BOWL
SO I WENT AND TESTED THE WATER
IN OUR WATER STORAGE TANKS.
THERE WAS NO CHLORINE IN THEM.
NONE.
THE WATER WE SHOWERED IN EVERY SINGLE DAY
WAS EXTREMELY CONTAMINATED.
AND WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT CONTAMINATED WATER
I'M SAYING MALARIA, TYPHUS, GIARDIA, CYRPTOSPERIDIUM,
THE LIST IS REALLY REALLY LONG.
HALLIBURTON IS ACCUSED BY ITS OWN EMPLOYEES
OF EXPOSING TROOPS TO CONTAMINATED WATER IN IRAQ.
WHEN I TRIED TO NOTIFY THE TROOPS
THAT THEY MAY BE EXPOSED TO A SERIOUS HEALTH RISK,
I WAS TOLD THAT THE MILITARY WAS NONE OF MY CONCERN.
THEY WERE ONLY CONCERNED WITH MAKING THEIR PROFIT
AND DIDN'T CARE HOW IT MAY AFFECT THE TROOPS.
OF THE 67 WATER TREATMENT PLANTS THAT HALLIBURTON RUNS,
63 OF THEM WEREN'T PROVIDING SAFE WATER.
AND THE MARINES ARE SHOWERING IN IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SORRY.
I WAS THERE TO HELP THEM.
THERE'S A LOT OF SOLDIERS OVER THERE.
THEY MIGHT COME HOME WITHOUT A BULLET WOUND
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM WHO ARE GONNA COME HOME
WITH PATHOGENS IN THEIR BLOOD BECAUSE OF HALLIBURTON.
AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW TO GET TESTED FOR IT
UNLESS SOMEBODY TELLS THEM.
AND I'M SURE HALLIBURTON IS NOT GONNA BE THE COMPANY
TO TELL THEM.
WHEN I JOINED HALLIBURTON,
I KNEW I WAS GOING TO WORK ON SOME BIG THINGS.
WE PUT OUT HUGE FIRES AT WORK,
ONCE RAN INTO THE SMALL CHALLENGE OF GETTING SUPPLIES
TO OUR TROOPS,
BUT THE BIGGEST THING?
SERVING OUR TROOPS GOOD OL' AMERICAN FOOD.
SO THEY FEEL JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO HOME.
HOW COME YOU DON'T GO TO THE CHOW HALL?
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND ON LINE?
AT LEAST, AT LEAST AN HOUR.
AN HOUR FOR FOOD?
AN HOUR IN THE SANDSTORM FOR FOOD.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT LINE OVER THERE.
WHAT LINE AM I LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW?
THAT LINE IS FOR THE CHOW HALL.
WHERE YOU EAT.
SEVERAL TIMES DINING HALLS WERE ATTACKED.
ALL IT TAKES IS ONE IRAQI THAT'S AN INSURGENT
AND BECAUSE THEY KNEW WHAT TIME WE WERE GONNA EAT
EVERY DAY THEY KNEW WHEN TO EXPECT TO HIT.
AND THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE KBR WON'T GO TO A 24 HOUR
FEEDING SCHEDULE WHERE THEY ALWAYS HAVE FOOD READY.
THEY WON'T DO IT BECAUSE IT SAVES THEM MONEY.
BECAUSE THEY GET PAID BY HOW MANY SOLDIERS THEY FEED.
NOT BY HOW MANY SOLDIERS THEY SAVE.
FEEDING THE TROOPS.
THE PENTAGON HAS FOUND SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS
WITH HALLIBURTON'S WORK ON THAT CONTRACT AS WELL.
PENTAGON AUDITORS FOUND A HALLIBURTON CONTRACT
TO PROVIDE FOOD AND HOUSING FOR AMERICAN TROOPS
HAD A STAGGERING $1.8 BILLION DOLLARS IN UNSUPPORTED COSTS.
IT WAS ALL A SCAM.
HALLIBURTON WAS CHARGING $45 FOR A SIX PACK CAN
OF LIKE COKE OR PEPSI THAT THEY GIVE US
AND THE MILITARY FREE IN THE MESS HALL.
NOW THESE SODAS WERE MADE RIGHT THERE IN THE DESERT.
IT'S NOT AS IF THEY WERE BROUGHT OVER
FROM THE UNITED STATES.
THESE SODAS WERE MADE WITH ARABIC WRAPS,
YOU KNOW, COCA COLA, PEPSI COLA, WHATEVER.
RIGHT THERE IN THE DESERT SO IT'S NOT AS IF THEY HAD
AN EXORBITANT TRANSPORTATION RATE.
THEY HAD THE LITTLE MOBILE UNITS THAT
WE HAD TO PUT OUR CLOTHES IN, LIKE A NET DUFFEL BAG.
HALLIBURTON CHARGED THE GOVERNMENT $100
FOR EVERY BAG OF CLOTHES THEY WASHED.
WHENEVER WE GOT OUR LAUNDRY BACK,
IT FELT WORSE THAN WHEN WE TURNED IT IN.
EVERYTHING WAS STILL GRIMY.
I STOPPED TAKING MY LAUNDRY INTO KBR AND INSTEAD
I WAS WASHING IT IN THE SINK.
AND I WAS TOLD BY MY CHAIN OF COMMAND
THAT I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO WASH MY LAUNDRY ON MY OWN.
I HAD TO TAKE IT TO KBR TO HAVE IT WASHED
EVEN THOUGH WE ALL KNEW THAT THEY WERE DOING
A HORRIBLE JOB BECAUSE THEY GET $99 DOLLARS A BAG
FOR A BAG OF LAUNDRY THAT I COULD DO
AT HOME FOR 3 DOLLARS.
THE LEGAL WAY OF STEALING FROM THE GOVERNMENT
ARE TAXPAYERS' MONEY.
THE PENTAGON AUDIT RELEASED LAST NIGHT FOUND THAT
THE COMPANY IS OVERCHARGING TAXPAYERS.
HALLIBURTON COMPANY BILLED TAXPAYERS FOR ITS CONTRACT WORK
IN IRAQ.
IT IS YOUR MONEY THAT'S BEING USED.
THESE CONTRACTS ARE MANAGED UNDER A SYSTEM CALLED COST-PLUS
WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF TRYING TO SAVE MONEY.
IT GUARANTEES THAT EVERYTHING YOU BUY WILL BE PAID BACK
AND REIMBURSED IF IT'S SEEN AS JUSTIFIED
AND YOU'LL BE GIVEN A PROFIT IN ADDITION.
A COST PLUS ARRANGEMENT THAT CRITICS SAY
LEAVES LITTLE INCENTIVE TO SAVE.
THE MORE TAXPAYER DOLLARS HALLIBURTON SPENDS,
THE MORE HALLIBURTON MAKES.
COST PLUS ENCOURAGES YOU TO RUN UP THE COST OF A PROGRAM
BECAUSE YOU ARE GONNA GET A PERCENTAGE OF THE END RESULT.
SO THERE'S NO INCENTIVE TO STAY AT MOTEL 6.
STAY AT THE RITZ CARLTON IN CUTTER FOLKS.
THE PLACE THAT THEY CHOSE FOR ORIENTATION IN KUWAIT
WAS A HUGE RESORT SET RIGHT ON THE OCEAN.
HAD I THINK 3 SWIMMING POOLS.
IT WAS BETTER THAN THE WYNDHAM IN TEXAS
OR THE RITZ.
IT WAS FANCIED UP.
MARBLE FLOORS, MAHOGANY WOODWORK,
IT WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
WE HAD SEA-DOOS, JET SKIS THEY COULD USE.
YOU COULD GO AND RENT WAVE RUNNERS
AND GO OUT AND PLAY IN THE WATER.
WE WERE RENTING WAVE RUNNERS AND WE GOT PAID BY THE HOUR
TO DO IT. I WAS TOLD THIS:
DON'T QUESTION IT, ENJOY IT.
SEVERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING
IF HALLIBURTON OVERCHARGED FOR WORK ALREADY COMPLETE
IN IRAQ.
THEY HAD 5 STAR MEALS CATERED IN EVERY DAY.
IT WAS SO LAVISH.
ROWS OF VEGETABLE PATTERS, BEEF PLATTERS, FISH PLATTERS.
IT WAS A COST PLUS CONTRACT.
KBR LOOKED AT IT THE MORE MONEY WE SPEND,
THE MORE MONEY WE GET IN OUR POCKETS.
WE HAD IT MADE OVER THERE COMPARED TO THE MILITARY.
THOSE GUYS WERE LIVING IN TENTS AND WE HAD
AIR-CONDITIONED PRIVATE HOOCHES.
THE TENTS WE WERE STAYING IN WERE COMPLETELY MOLDY
AND EVERYONE WAS GETTING SICK WITH RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS.
THEY'RE GETTING PAID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
WHY CAN'T THEY EVEN GIVE US A TENT THAT DOESN'T MAKE US
SICK TO LIVE IN IT.
THESE SOLDIERS ARE SLEEPING ON THESE LITTLE COTS
OUT IN THE DESERT WHILE THESE KBR EXECUTIVES
ARE DRIVING THESE $40,000 VEHICLES.
THEY AND THEIR SECRETARIES ARE DRIVING AT LEAST
A $30-40,000 VEHICLE.
THIS SECRETARY LIVES IN THIS COMPLEX,
EATS HER MEALS IN THIS COMPLEX,
HAS HER LAUNDRY DELIVERED TO HER,
HAS NO REASON TO GO ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME BUT HAS
A BRAND NEW, TOP OF THE LINE
FORD OR CHEVY PICK-UP WITH EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE
ON IT THAT YOU CAN PUT ON IT.
CHROME RIMS, LEATHER INTERIORS AND CD PLAYERS
AND ALL THESE EXTRA AMENITIES THAT YOU DON'T REALLY NEED
IN WARTIME.
WHY DO THEY NEED AN H2 HUMMER?
WHY DO THEY HAVE CADILLAC ESCALADES
IN IRAQ FOR HALLIBURTON MANAGERS?
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?
ONE INVOICE I SAW WAS FOR ABOUT $7,000 FOR ONE MONTH
FOR A SUV ON A LEASE.
IT WAS A 3 YEAR CONTRACT.
COMES UP TO ROUGHLY $250,000.
A VEHICLE THAT YOU AND I COULD PURCHASE AT
THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR PROBABLY TOP OF THE LINE
$45,000.
AND THE TAXPAYER IS PAYING $250,000.
AND NEVER DID OWN THE VEHICLE.
THEY GOT THE WRONG EQUIPMENT, ORDERED THE WRONG STUFF.
COMPUTERS STILL IN BOXES, NEW VEHICLES,
THEY'D PUSH THEM OUT INTO WHAT THEY CALLED BURN PITS
AND JUST SET IT ON FIRE, CLAIM IT AS A LOSS,
GET MORE MONEY FOR THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
OR THE RIGHT STUFF THEY NEEDED.
WHY WOULD YOU NEED TO ORDER
SOMEBODY ELSE'S WRONG EQUIPMENT
JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY PAYS YOU TO DO IT?
AND YOU BURN IT AND DESTROY IT.
THEY GOT BRAND NEW TRUCKS OVER THERE
AND THERE'S NOT EVEN OIL FILTERS.
SO WHEN THE MOTOR BLOWS WHAT DO YOU DO?
BUY A NEW TRUCK.
AND BILL THE GOVERNMENT.
$75,000 TRUCK THEY WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE
A SPARE TIRE TO FIT IT.
WE HAD TO BLOW IT UP.
AND THEY DIDN'T CARE, HALLIBURTON DIDN'T,
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT'S PAYING FOR IT.
WE KNEW THAT EVERY DAY A VEHICLE BROKE DOWN
WE WOULD HAVE TO DESTROY IT.
AND THESE ARE MAYBE $80,000 VEHICLES,
MAYBE $100,000,
THEY'RE EXPENSIVE TRUCKS.
WE'RE BURNING FUEL IN FRONT OF IRAQI PEOPLE
WE'RE NOT REALLY DOING ANYTHING TO HELP
AND WE JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW ORDERS.
AS A TRUCK DRIVER IN THE MAIL DEPARTMENT,
THEY'D SEND ME TO THESE CAMPS WITH ONE BAG OF MAIL.
THAT'S RISKING MY LIFE JUST TO DELIVER ONE BAG OF MAIL.
WE WOULD ESCORT ENTIRE CONVOYS
WHERE EVERY FLATBED TRUCK WAS EMPTY.
THE ALLEGATIONS COME FROM 12 TRUCKERS COMPLAINING THAT
THE COMPANY WAS WASTING GOVERNMENT MONEY BY
RUNNING EMPTY TRUCKS ON THE CONVOYS AND
BILLING THE GOVERNMENT FOR THEM.
IT SEEMED SENSELESS TO TRAVEL UP AND DOWN THE ROAD
AND TAKING A CHANCE OF LOSING YOUR LIFE
WHEN THERE WASN'T NO PURPOSE IN IT.
WHEN YOU WENT UP EMPTY AND YOU COME BACK EMPTY.
I WENT TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR MY FAMILY.
ALWAYS HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS AND NOT HAVE
TO WORRY ABOUT WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM.
IT WASN'T THAT FUN WITH HIM GONE.
WE MISSED HIM AND ALL THAT STUFF.
I COULDN'T DO STUFF WITH HIM.
DIDN'T HAVE NOBODY TO THROW A BASEBALL WITH, DID YOU?
OR TAKE YOU FISHING.
MOM WAS SCARED YOU'D FALL IN AND GET DROWNED.
YEAH.
I WENT OVER THERE AND GOT MY HEALTH MESSED UP
AND GOT SHOT, BRICKED, KNOCKED OUT, EVERYTHING ELSE.
I FELT LIKE NOT ONLY I COULD MAKE A DECENT LIVING
FOR MY FAMILY AND BETTER MYSELF
BUT I'D BE DOING SOMETHING
FOR MY COUNTRY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
I'M SUPPLYING THE MILITARY AND THESE GUYS
SO THEY CAN EAT AND HELP FIGHT WHEN WE HAVE TO.
BUT THEN YOU LOOK AND YOU'RE GOING UP AND
DOWN THE ROAD EMPTY.
HALLIBURTON'S CHARGING THE GOVERNMENT FOR
EVERY CAMP THEY GO BY.
AND YOUR BUDDY'S GETTING KILLED FOR NO CAUSE AT ALL.
NOT EVEN AS MUCH AS A BAND AID ON THE TRUCK.
THAT'S HOW HALLIBURTON WAS MAKING THE KILLING,
MAKING THEIR MONEY.
THERE'S A LEGAL WAY OF STEALING FROM THE AMERICAN CITIZEN
AND THE MILITARY.
HALLIBURTON IS ACCUSED OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS IN IMPROPER CHARGES.
PENTAGON AUDITORS HAVE FOUND POTENTIAL OVERCHARGES
OF $61 MILLION.
NOW THE NUMBERS ARE APPARENTLY EVEN LARGER
THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.
HALLIBURTON'S UNREASONABLE AND UNSUPPORTED BILLS
EXCEED $1 BILLION.
IF ANYBODY'S OVERCHARGING THE GOVERNMENT,
WE EXPECT THEM TO REPAY THAT MONEY.
IT'S BEEN PROVEN SO MANY TIMES THAT HALLIBURTON HAS
OVER-BILLED THEM.
AND THEN THE PENTAGON STILL PAYS THEM ANYWAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS THAT IS PROTECTING HALLIBURTON.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE MILITARY WOULD
PROTECT THEM.
IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THEY'VE GOT CONTACTS IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT,
CONTACTS IN THE MILITARY.
PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR HALLIBURTON ONCE WORKED IN THE MILITARY.
WHEN YOU HIRE TOP PENTAGON OFFICIALS,
WHEN THE VICE PRESIDENT IS YOUR FORMER CEO,
YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE ACCESS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T.
IT IS REPORTEDLY NOT A COINCIDENCE
THAT VICE PRESIDENT *** CHENEY'S OLD COMPANY
GOT A HUGE CONTRACT TO HELP REBUILD IRAQ.
TIME MAGAZINE SAYS IT HAS GOTTEN A HOLD
OF A PENTAGON E-MAIL SAYING CHENEY'S OFFICE COORDINATED
HALLIBURTON'S MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR DEAL.
WHEN ALL THE REVELATIONS CAME OUT ABOUT HALLIBURTON
GETTING ALL THESE FANCY NO BID CONTRACTS,
THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE HEARING IN THE CONGRESS, HOUSE,
OR SENATE ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS BIDDING PROCESSES AROUND IRAQ
AND HALLIBURTON.
THAT'S RIDICULOUS.
THE OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITY BELONGS TO
THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
IT BELONGS HERE AND IT'S NOT HAPPENING HERE.
THE SENATE SHOULD SPEND A LITTLE LESS TIME
ADVERTISING ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING
AND SPEND MORE TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS GOING RIGHT.
IF ANYBODY BELIEVES THAT THE CONTRACTS HANDED
TO HALLIBURTON FOR IRAQ WEREN'T THE MORAL EQUIVALENT
OF INSIDER TRADING, MAN,
I'VE GOT AN OCEAN IN THE MIDDLE OF KANSAS
I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU SURFING ON.
IT'S JUST PHENOMENAL.
OF COURSE IT WAS INSIDER DEALS.
OF COURSE IT WAS PAY BACK FOR OLD FRIENDS
AND POLITICAL SUPPORTERS AND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS.
THEY'RE VERY STRATEGIC IN HOW THEY ALLOCATE
THEIR POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
YOU'LL SEE MOST OF THEIR MONEY GOING
TO THE COMMITTEES THAT OVERSEE MILITARY MATTERS
AND FUNDING FOR IT.
WHEN YOU PAY INFLUENCE MONEY IN THE FORM
OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS,
IT MEANS PEOPLE LOOK THE OTHER WAY.
THE US ARMY ANNOUNCED TODAY IT SIGNED A NEW CONTRACT
WITH A UNIT OF THE HUGE CONTRACTING FIRM
HALLIBURTON.
THE MILITARY FIGHTS FOR THE GUY NEXT TO YOU
OR THE GUY IN THE NEXT FOX HOLE,
WHO YOU'VE TRAINED WITH, SLEPT WITH, ATE WITH,
SPENT ALL YOUR TIME LIVING WITH AND WORKING WITH.
FROM THE CORPORATE SIDE,
ITS A QUESTION OF WHERE IS THE NEXT CONTRACT
COMING FROM?
HALLIBURTON'S STOCK HAS QUADRUPLED IN VALUE
SINCE THE WAR BEGAN.
AND TAX PAYERS ARE BEING RIPPED OFF.
THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE SAY WE WANT TO GIVE
TO CONTRACTORS BECAUSE THEY CAN DO IT CHEAPER.
BUT LO AND BEHOLD,
THE EVIDENCE IS NOW COMING IN
AND IT ISN'T CHEAPER AND WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY
GETTING WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.
WE WERE WRITING CONTRACTS WITH HALLIBURTON AND OTHERS
TO DO THINGS THAT IRAQIS COULD HAVE DONE BETTER
AND FAR, FAR CHEAPER
AND BY THE WAY WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN
IRAQIS OFF THE STREET AND GIVEN THEM JOBS.
LET US STOP THE WAR PROFITEERS.
LET US SAY NO TO THEM AND LET US SAY
IF YOU CONTINUE TO, YOU'RE GONNA GO TO JAIL
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU BELONG.
MY AMENDMENT WOULD STOP THEM.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A SINGLE MAJOR PIECE
OF CONTRACTING OVERSIGHT LEGISLATION PASSED
BY THE CONGRESS SINCE THE WAR BEGAN.
NOT EVEN A SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENT HAS BEEN PASSED
DESPITE ALL THE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF FRAUD
AND WASTE AND ABUSE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A SPECIAL COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED,
A BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WASTE
AND FRAUD AND ABUSE.
THE AMENDMENT IS NOT AGREED TO.
THE AMENDMENT IS NOT ADOPTED.
AND THE LEAHY AMENDMENT IS NOT AGREED TO.
IF I HAD THE HEADS OF CACI, OF TITAN OF KBR I'D SAY
WHAT WOULD THOMAS JEFFERSON HAVE TO SAY IF HE SAW THE LEVEL
OF PROFIT THAT HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN WAR FIGHTING?
WHAT WOULD BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SAY?
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE,
BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE
IS REALLY OF, BY AND FOR THE COMPANIES
THAT ARE GETTING THE CONTRACTS.
AND THAT IS NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
RAYTHEON, PARSONS AND DHP ARE NOT AMERICA AS I KNOW IT.
THEIR GREED GOES AGAINST OUR GRAIN.
WE HAVE MORE AND MORE MONEY THAT ARE GOING OUT TO
THESE COMPANIES AND LESS, AND LESS PEOPLE WATCHING
THE FEDERAL PIGGY BANK.
WE NEED GREATER OVERSIGHT IN THIS WAR,
EVEN MORE THAN IN PAST WARS BECAUSE THIS WAR
HAS BEEN PRIVATIZED TO A GREATER EXTENT
THAN ANY OTHER WAR IN HISTORY.
I VOTED FOR SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, OKAY.
LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
LET'S SEE IF ANYONE GETS IN TROUBLE FOR THIS.
LET'S SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE GO TO PRISON.
LET'S SEE WHO LOSES A CONTRACT OVER THIS.
I KNOW WE HAVE A BATTLE AHEAD
FOR LOCKHEED MARTIN TO DYNACORP AND BECHTEL.
THE PROFITEERS ARE NOT GOING TO EASILY TRANSFORM
INTO PATRIOTS.
THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE MONEY, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING
A PROFIT HAVE A LOT OF POWER AND A LOT OF MONEY AND
A LOT OF INFLUENCE.
AND SO I THINK IT WILL REALLY TAKE SOMETHING BIG,
A BIG MOVEMENT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE MY COUNTRY.
I'D STAND BEHIND IT.
I'M CONCERNED NOW IN A WAY THAT PROBABLY
I'VE NEVER BEEN CONCERNED BEFORE BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE
WHAT I'M SEEING.
AMERICA HAS BECOME A POWDER KEG I THINK
AND IT'S JUST WAITING FOR A MATCH.
THIS IRAQI MOVEMENT
HOW ARE YOU GONNA WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS
OF THESE PEOPLE IF THEY SEE YOU CHEATING YOUR OWN PEOPLE,
IF ALL THIS STUFF IS JUST FOR THE MONEY?
BEFORE WE CAN POINT THE FINGER AT ANYBODY,
WE NEED TO GET THE CENTER OUT OF OUR OWN EYE
AND WE NEED TO CLEAN HOUSE A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK THE WORLD REALLY NEEDS TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE.
THERE HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY
AND WE NEED TO STOP IT.
I'M A PATRIOT.
I LOVE OUR COUNTRY AND I WANT OUR COUNTRY
TO SURVIVE.
AND THE SURVIVAL OF OUR COUNTRY DEPENDS
ON US TAKING IT BACK.