Latest Articles

The government either doesn't know or won't say the actual number of workers engaged in reconstruction, and companies won't discuss it, citing security concerns. But the Department of Labor does know the death toll: As of March 31, death claims for civilians working on U.S. government contracts in Iraq had reached 276.

Public records suggest Doug Wood went through several years of money troubles and tax battles. His friends wondered if that was what led him back overseas to Iraq, where contractors commonly pull down six-figure salaries in danger bonuses. "I saw real potential to work, to build things, to make things happen in Iraq," he told a newspaper.

It was Rumsfeld, CEO of the Pentagon, who was complicit in trying to conceal shenanigans by Haliburton subsidiary, KBR, and allowing his people to censor sections of critical audit reports.

Some may not remember that these truck drivers and other civilian contractors in Iraq are being paid a godawful amount of money to be there. Some make nearly $10,000/month! Meanwhile, driving right next to them, is a soldier who gets a $450/month "hazard duty pay" bonus to do the same job. Some of these servicemembers are Reservist and National Guard members who have left civilian jobs that pay 3 or 4 times their military wage.

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional negotiators have agreed to bar
government agencies for one year from issuing video news releases that
do not clearly identify themselves as the source, Democratic Sen.

In the last two years, at least two dozen leading nutrition scientists and experts have started working for large food companies, either as consultants or as members of health advisory boards. Most do not directly promote products, though Dr. Arthur Agatston, a practicing cardiologist and author of "The South Beach Diet," has a licensing deal with Kraft Foods to sell a line of South Beach foods, which are appearing on supermarket shelves this month.

Like many other Iraqis, businessmen invariably make then-and-now comparisons with Saddam Hussein. Saddam ran his own massive corruption of the UN oil-for-food program and he and his cronies regularly demanded a cut of any new business or contract. But Iraqi businessman said: "I'd say that about 10 per cent of business was corrupt under Saddam. Now it's about 95 per cent. We used to have one Saddam, now we have 25 of them."

Halliburton representatives testified that the Halliburton employees being investigated for taking kickbacks under the LOGCAP troop support contract were not managers but were "administrative people." Yet according to the Justice Department, a Halliburton manager has now been indicted for this kickback scheme.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, may be violating international and Canadian laws by using covert strategies to undermine a unionising drive at its Canadian stores, say labour experts and union activists.

After reports of U.S. pressure, Philippines clarifies that call for Filipino workers employed by contractors to leave Iraq is only voluntary. "We are ready to implement mass repatriation if it becomes necessary, but the government is only undertaking voluntary repatriation of workers from Iraq" said Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas.