Neo-Con Strategery: Throw Money at the Problem

King of Zembla is where I first saw this--he notes it's been linked to a lot. I almost wanted to call this the "Carl Sagan Memorial Post," because we're literally talking about billions--billions of dollars wasted. Billions of dollars thrown by Dick Cheney and George W. Bush at Halliburton like feces thrown by an angry monkey in a zoo cage...

Here's the article, which nicely follows up from this morning's post below. It's long, but please take a look if you have the time. To attempt to summarize is hardly justice, but...in 100 words or less:

The old boy network is plenty alive and well when it comes to wasting federal dollars. Halliburton/KBR got no-bid, cost plus contracts in Iraq totalling about $12 billion dollars, which mostly has gone to line the pockets of higher ups within the company--or to shore up the company's stock, which would be in the tank thanks to Cheney's idiotic takeover of Dresser Industries, and its $4 billion dollar asbestos liability. Trucks break down over $7 dollar parts, endangering the lives of the drivers, while poolside resorts and diamond jewelry are the perks handed out to those with the right connections.

Simbaud has an excellent summary, with a number of paragraphs.

Damn, some of the KBR folks truly are sociopaths--I'd say they should be required to write personal notes of condolences to the familes of those killed in Operation Line Their Pockets and Simultaneously Fleece the Government for Money to Indemnify Asbestos Claims--but that probably wouldn't do any good.

I swear--they must have liquid nitrogen flowing through their veins.