# Anyone care to know the real reason for Cheneys defense of Gitmo? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 17, 2005, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655 "2005-06-17T05:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/1 "2005-06-17T05:00:10Z")
> [@](#): > > WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Halliburton Co. unit will build a new $30 million detention facility and security fence at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the United States is holding about 520 foreign terrorism suspects, the Defense Department announced on Thursday. > **[Breaking International News & Views](https://www.reuters.com/)** It just gets worse and worse. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/2 "2005-06-17T05:02:19Z")
Oh come on, this is a chump change contract for them. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/3 "2005-06-17T05:05:53Z")
OK, **Reeder** , you nailed this one. Though there is also this part: > [@](#): > > It is part of a larger contract that could be worth up to $500 million if all options are exercised, the Defense Department said. Must be the commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/4 "2005-06-17T05:07:42Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Oh come on, this is a chump change contract for them. $30 million is only chump change to the US Congress. To a corporation or anyone else who has to actually earn their money, it’s very real. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/5 "2005-06-17T05:08:23Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Oh come on, this is a chump change contract for them. Notice it says a “unit”. They all have to eat at the trough you know. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/6 "2005-06-17T05:23:28Z")
$30 Million? Shit, they’ve got the much loose change in the office couches. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/7 "2005-06-17T05:31:14Z")
> [@Rhubarb](#): > > $30 million is only chump change to the US Congress. To a corporation or anyone else who has to actually earn their money, it’s very real. So the company which got [a seven billion dollar no bid contract and preferential status](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7606-2004Oct28.html) is really hurting for another 30 mil? ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/8 "2005-06-17T05:54:58Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > So the company which got [a seven billion dollar no bid contract and preferential status](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7606-2004Oct28.html) is really hurting for another 30 mil? Well, 30 mil here, 30 mil there, pretty soon you’re talking about real money. If it’s such a paltry amount to them, perhaps you can get them to just give it to me. I promise not to spend it on prisons. My company regularly wins multi-million dollar contracts. We also actively pursue contracts worth just a few thousand. Every individual business unit is expected to be profitable, not just the ones that get the big fat juicy gifts handed to them on a platter. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/9 "2005-06-17T06:39:05Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > It just gets worse and worse. What gets worse, your OPs? Exactly how much money does Cheney get from this again? ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/10 "2005-06-17T07:33:31Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > What gets worse, your OPs? > > Exactly how much money does Cheney get from this again? Sorta depends on how much stock he owns, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/11 "2005-06-17T07:41:14Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > Sorta depends on how much stock he owns, doesn’t it? Well, Cheney still gets money from them each year. I figure he’s not a disinterested party. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/12 "2005-06-17T07:50:11Z")
Shit. It really does all come down to Halliburton, huh? Fuck it, dismantle the company. Shut it down tomorrow. They’re doing more harm than benefit. You’ve sold me. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/13 "2005-06-17T08:16:16Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Shit. It really does all come down to Halliburton, huh? Well, yes… Painful but true, I’ve come to think. Your foreign policies are _not_ based on nice lofty ideals not even Realpolitik. It’s plain money grabbing, theft, plunder. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/14 "2005-06-17T09:02:20Z")
What I hate worse is the manipulation. This is a win-win situation. They get to say, look this is a state of the art facility, the prisoners are well treated–Then they misdirect with the shiny turd that they have constructed, profitting financially and on the “humanitarian” side. This is so low that I can see the chafing on Cheney’s ass! ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/15 "2005-06-17T09:15:23Z")
This is also a vey bad sign in a more ominous way. They are _institutionalizing_ this whole “thing” physically and monumentally. The archetype will embed…forget about liberty and justice for quite some time with this legacy. [hyperbole]It’s like when they installed the ovens at Auschwitz.[/hyperbole] ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/16 "2005-06-17T09:46:52Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > Sorta depends on how much stock he owns, doesn’t it? Nope. All his stock revenue goes to charity. All he gets is residual deferred income amortized for tax purposes. And after this year, that dries up as well, and he’ll get no money at all from them. [http://www.factcheck.org/article261.html](http://www.factcheck.org/article261.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/17 "2005-06-17T09:50:39Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Nope. All his stock revenue goes to charity. All he gets is residual deferred income amortized for tax purposes. And after this year, that dries up as well, and he’ll get no money at all from them. > > [http://www.factcheck.org/article261.html](http://www.factcheck.org/article261.html) If you really believe that, you are even more deluded than you seem on here. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/18 "2005-06-17T09:56:12Z")
> [@Mockingbird](#): > > If you really believe that, you are even more deluded than you seem on here. Holy cow, what brought that on? The link contains all the documentation necessary to prove the point, including the [Gift Trust Agreement](http://www.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/Cheney%20Gift%20Trust%20Agreement.pdf) (PDF) for the stocks, bearing the notarized signatures of both Dick and Lynne. Do you have any facts to offer? Or did you just want to screech? ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/19 "2005-06-17T10:39:32Z")
Hmm…Well, who knows yet how Cheney will benefit from anything that Halliburton gets now? The revolving door needs to complete its current revolution. These things span out over a long period of time. And it depends upon who gets elected president in 2008. I do know that Halliburton (well, KBR, I think) was getting military contracts since before Cheney had any power, in the Vietnam war. They continued to get contracts because, well, “Thems was the guys that’s last done it…” Hence these no-bid, cost-plus contracts. It doesn’t matter if Cheney benefits or not. It’s a waste of money no matter who’s in the White House. The use of private contractors has increased steeply in the last few years. This has demoralized the soldiers who would otherwise be doing the same work for less than a fourth of what the contractors get paid. They see these people making so much money, and they think, “Why should I stick around in the US military?” And contractors aren’t subject to the same discipline and accountability as military personnel, yet they often benefit from the protection they get from our military. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655/20 "2005-06-17T11:11:01Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Or did you just want to screech? Like a Kennedy? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-care-to-know-the-real-reason-for-cheneys-defense-of-gitmo/308655.md?page=2)