It becomes clearer as time passes that some of the biggest winners of the war in Iraq are the corporations standing to profit from the multi-million dollar contracts doled out by the U.S. government for the reconstruction of the war-torn country and the extraction and management of its vast oil reserves.
Many of these highly prized contracts have been granted to well-connected corporations with personal ties to administration insiders, a history of mammoth campaign contributions and extensive lobbying clout. The secrecy, lack of competitive bidding and lack of cost accountability guarantees in many of the initial contracts is particularly troubling, given the questionable performance records of some of the contractors. Secrecy invites skepticism, and for good reason. It is behind closed doors that deals get made based on political favoritism instead of merit. Disclosure and transparency are essential to democracy. President Bush, who has spoken so forcefully on the virtues of an open democracy in justifying the war, should be the first to recognize this.
George W. Bush, Jr.
Petty Dictator, United States of America
Many of these highly prized contracts have been granted to well-connected corporations with personal ties to administration insiders, a history of mammoth campaign contributions and extensive lobbying clout. The secrecy, lack of competitive bidding and lack of cost accountability guarantees in many of the initial contracts is particularly troubling, given the questionable performance records of some of the contractors. Secrecy invites skepticism, and for good reason. It is behind closed doors that deals get made based on political favoritism instead of merit. Disclosure and transparency are essential to democracy. President Bush, who has spoken so forcefully on the virtues of an open democracy in justifying the war, should be the first to recognize this.
George W. Bush, Jr.
Petty Dictator, United States of America
