U.S. firm Bechtel wraps up Iraqi rebuilding efforts

jlew24asu

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

right....so is it safe to assume that you don't have a problem with blowing up a country that was not a threat to you? is it okay with you that these companies that have been bankrolled by the bin ladens get these rebuild contracts? were there no other capable companies based in iraq or in the middle east or did we get the bill for them to move all of their equipment there as well?

it is not ok with me that we blew all their shit up in the first place, let alone giving billions in our tax money to rebuild what we destroyed. the us is going to bankrupted paying for all of this for the next few generations. i can't wait to see halliburton's tab.

you shouldnt assume anything. I do have a problem with the iraq war. I cant change that it happened. what we can change is the mess we made.

the company in question certainly seems quailifed to do that job. is there someone better? I dont know. nor do I care. point is they completed their work.

america wont be bankrupt anytime soon.

jlew24asu

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

no if we did that fema would take several days to formulate a plan just to bring food and water to the region, but i digress.

with what money are we going to repair our own schools? its all going to the military and the war profiteers. lord knows its not going to no child left behind.
for the last 8 years in my area of MO people will not pass a tax levy that goes to fixing and maintaining schools.

you seem to think america is broke.

Dept of education currently administers a budget of about $88.9 billion per year—$57.6 billion in discretionary appropriations and $31.3 billion in mandatory appropriations—and operates programs that touch on every area and level of education. The Department's elementary and secondary programs annually serve more than 14,600 school districts and approximately 54 million students attending more than 94,000 public schools and 27,000 private schools. Department programs also provide grant, loan, and work-study assistance to more than 10 million postsecondary students.

Cosmo

jlew24asu wrote:

you shouldnt assume anything. I do have a problem with the iraq war. I cant change that it happened. what we can change is the mess we made.

the company in question certainly seems quailifed to do that job. is there someone better? I dont know. nor do I care. point is they completed their work.

america wont be bankrupt anytime soon.

...
I'm guessing you don't care because you aren't paying for it. That cost is being handed down to the 5 and 7 year olds and younger to pay.
My guess... you'd be screaming your ass off if your taxes went up to pay for all this shit. But, as long as it's not coming out of your paycheck, really... why should you care? Why should any of us care?

jlew24asu

Cosmo wrote:

...
I'm guessing you don't care because you aren't paying for it. That cost is being handed down to the 5 and 7 year olds and younger to pay.
My guess... you'd be screaming your ass off if your taxes went up to pay for all this shit. But, as long as it's not coming out of your paycheck, really... why should you care? Why should any of us care?

it is coming from my pay check.

Cosmo

jlew24asu wrote:

it is coming from my pay check.

...
Check again... the close to 500 Billion set for Iraq already... I don't think so.
...
And Yes... rebuilding schools that we blew up, fixing the playground swing sets we blew up, restoring water treatment facilities we blew up... all good things. You get no arguement from me if you are isolating these things, specifically.
However, when painted in the full context of our involvement in Iraq... the invasion and current occupation... well, it's sort of like sprinkling a little sugar on a big, steaming olympic sized pool filled with the contents of Porta Potties from construction sites in Mexico, next to a Tommy's Burger joint and a rancid roach coach. That little bit of sugar you put on it isn't going to make this shit taste any better.

Truthmonger

So they've constructed a bunch of schools that Iraqi children can't even attend because of MAJOR security issues. Just yesterday or the day before i posted a story about sections of iraq that have completely cancelled the ENTIRE school year because of the dangers involved. Oh well, the Iraqis can use them for makeshift hospitals, refugee dispersal centers or Iraqi police stations, because, ya know, their other ones are constantly being blown up in that little thing known as a freakin' civil war.

Truthmonger

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1887804,00.html

Truthmonger

Cosmo wrote:

...
Check again... the close to 500 Billion set for Iraq already... I don't think so.

And of this money the U.S. allocated just 18 billion for reconstruction. Thats roughly 3-4 %. But wait, it gets worse b/c not all of the 18 billion was actually used for reconstruction. From what i've read only 50-60% of the 18 B was used. So its more like 2-3 %, which amounts to lipstick on a pig.

jlew24asu

Truthmonger wrote:

So they've constructed a bunch of schools that Iraqi children can't even attend because of MAJOR security issues. Just yesterday or the day before i posted a story about sections of iraq that have completely cancelled the ENTIRE school year because of the dangers involved. Oh well, the Iraqis can use them for makeshift hospitals, refugee dispersal centers or Iraqi police stations, because, ya know, their other ones are constantly being blown up in that little thing known as a freakin' civil war.

is your glass half full? or half emtpy?

jlew24asu

Cosmo wrote:

...
Check again... the close to 500 Billion set for Iraq already... I don't think so.
...
And Yes... rebuilding schools that we blew up, fixing the playground swing sets we blew up, restoring water treatment facilities we blew up... all good things. You get no arguement from me if you are isolating these things, specifically.
However, when painted in the full context of our involvement in Iraq... the invasion and current occupation... well, it's sort of like sprinkling a little sugar on a big, steaming olympic sized pool filled with the contents of Porta Potties from construction sites in Mexico, next to a Tommy's Burger joint and a rancid roach coach. That little bit of sugar you put on it isn't going to make this shit taste any better.

you guys are just rays of sunshine

SundaySilence

jlew24asu wrote:

you guys are just rays of sunshine

you can't turn shit into ice cream

jlew24asu

SundaySilence wrote:

you can't turn shit into ice cream

I can use cliches too.

Failure is opportunity in disguise


now you go.

SundaySilence

jlew24asu wrote:

I can use cliches too.

as you began four posts ago

SundaySilence

jlew24asu wrote:

Failure is opportunity in disguise


now you go.

blood money

Cosmo

jlew24asu wrote:

you guys are just rays of sunshine

...
And you are fooling yourself when you believe that the rebuilding of the schools and the ongoing violence are on equal footing. Because seriously, who care if the schools have a new coat of paint if the roads to it hide snipers, exploding trash cans and kidnappings that result in beheadings.
Secure the fucking place FIRST. That would be my priority... not rebuilding structures that no one uses.

jlew24asu

Cosmo wrote:

...
And you are fooling yourself when you believe that the rebuilding of the schools and the ongoing violence are on equal footing. Because seriously, who care if the schools have a new coat of paint if the roads to it hide snipers, exploding trash cans and kidnappings that result in beheadings.
Secure the fucking place FIRST. That would be my priority... not rebuilding structures that no one uses.

why cant both happen at the same time? have the military and police secure the place and have engineering companies try to rebuild. and how do you know no one is using these structures? have you been there?

again, Im not going to argue that iraq isnt a fucked up place but why cant you acknowledge something positive instead of turning it around and make negative assumpitions.

SundaySilence

jlew24asu wrote:

why cant both happen at the same time? have the military and police secure the place and have engineering companies try to rebuild. and how do you know no one is using these structures? have you been there?

again, Im not going to argue that iraq isnt a fucked up place but why cant you acknowledge something positive instead of turning it around and make negative assumpitions.

This isn't positive. Bechtel is pulling out. We are giving up on the reconstruction.

jlew24asu

SundaySilence wrote:

This isn't positive. Bechtel is pulling out. We are giving up on the reconstruction.

pulling out? did you even read the article. they COMPLETED their work.

SundaySilence

jlew24asu wrote:

pulling out? did you even read the article. they COMPLETED their work.

There is more reconstruction needed. But this is significant as the end of the US led reconstruction.

Many of the Bechtel "completed" projects have subsequently been sabotaged by terrorist insurgents.

The incestuous relationship between this government and Bechtel has led to "term contracts", meaning their work is over when their money ends, not when the school, hospital etc. is actually built. Here is an example:


"David Snider, a spokesman for the United States Agency for International Development, the State Department agency in charge of the project, said that technically, Bechtel’s contract was not being terminated because the contract did not actually require the company to complete the hospital.

“They are under a ‘term contract,’ which means their job is over when their money ends,” Mr. Snider said. So despite not finishing the hospital, he said, “they did complete the contract.”"

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/28/world/middleeast/28basra.html?ei=5088&en=1f07ea47eeeb7754&ex=1311739200&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

jlew24asu

chiefojibwa wrote:

one of my favorite quotes ever, from the great stephen colbert:

"reality has a well-known liberal bias"

reality check. america went to war with Iraq. during that war, much infrastructure was destroyed. america hired contractors to fix some of what was destroyed. one of those companies finished work from a large contract to repair schools, roads, and a important well.

another take on reality? american fucked up the country, those schools that were repaired are emtpy and only used by snipers, dont repair the country, fix the volience.