Suing the American military ... Halli Baba

(1) -

�Three British soldiers and an army interpreter are suing the American military (for $2.3m) after their vehicle was rammed by a US tank transporter in Iraq.�

(2) -

�The United Nations has approved payment of $2.9 billion to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for environmental projects to clean up oil lakes and other pollution from Iraq's 1990-1991 occupation of Kuwait�� "The total approved was $2.9 billion. Of that $2.28 billion went to Kuwait and $625 million to Saudi Arabia," plus $188,000 to Iran, said UNCC spokesman Joe Sills after the decision was taken at closed-door talks in Geneva�.

(3) �

�In July (2003), United States District Court for the District of Columbia awarded the former prisoners multiple millions of dollars for injury and suffering inflicted by the Republic of Iraq and its intelligence service, at the direction of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
"President Bush continues to urge the American people to be patient while we pay billions of dollars for the reconstruction of Iraq, yet he totally disregards the plight of these ex-POWs who were severely tortured by Saddam Hussein and his minions," Representative Meeks asserted.�......

�Some $1 billion in Iraqi funds that have been seized during this war and part of it rightfully belongs to these 17 victims of Iraqi torture.�

(4) -

�The value of Halliburton's Iraq contracts has crossed the $10 billion threshold. Halliburton has now received $8.3 billion in Iraq work under its LOGCAP troop support contract and $2.5 billion under its no-bid Restore Iraqi Oil (RIO) contract, a total of $10.8 billion.

The mounting value of the contracts has been accompanied by a growing list of concerns about Halliburton's performance. Over the last year, government auditors have issued at least nine reports criticizing Halliburton's Iraq work, and there are multiple criminal investigations into overcharging and kickbacks involving Halliburton's contracts. Former Halliburton employees have testified before Congress about egregious instances of over billing. Despite these concerns, the Bush Administration continues to reject the recommendations of its auditors that 15% of Halliburton's LOGCAP reimbursements be withheld until the company can provide better substantiation for its charges�Instead of following the advice of these independent auditors, the Army has refused to withhold payments for the last eight months. To the contrary, the Army has given Halliburton multiple extensions to provide the adequate cost estimates and supporting data needed to finalize the terms of the contract."

How much will the Iraqi people sue the illegal occupiers for tank �accidents� (read random shooting of civilians at check points) and �torture� (read Abu Ghraib) and �environmental damage� (read Depleted Uranium) and outright robbery (read does any one know where exactly had the Iraqi oil money been going to for nearly two years? Not the Iraqi Ministries of Oil and Industry where it is urgently needed, that is for sure).

Or are the Iraqi people not up to �Western standards� of worth?

Sources of Quotes

(1) British soldiers sue Pentagon. November 13, 2004

(2) UN clears $2.9b in Gulf War claims. December 9, 2004

(3) Congressman Gregory W. Meeks Sponsors Legislation Compensating 1991 Gulf War POW�s Without Delay. December 2, 2003

(4) Halliburton's Iraq Contracts Now Worth over $10 Billion. December 9, 2004

Suing the American military ... Halli Baba

by Imad Khadurri