Hired armed cutter Brave

Transcription

[7MUSIC跑 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 MURDER. 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 PENIS 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 DICK 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.