It really doesn’t inspire one with confidence in their reasoning and diplomatic abilities that they didn’t of these things first rather than after a public outcry.
Do you think the US administration lurks in the Pit?
It would appear that it is, in fact, possible to embarass a scoundrel, even a Republican. This is glad news.
Yeah, the diplomatic damage is pretty much done. This won’t eliminate criticism that the war was started for economic reasons; it only prevents some economic benefit from happening. It still be argued that was a cause of the war (not that I’m arguing that).
Suddenly, as the background noise begins to be recognizable as a flushing roar, a couple of turds try to jump out of the toilet.
Good luck, turds, but I’m pretty sure we’re all going down together on this one.
Those who will not learn from history are doomed to make the rest of us repeat it.
…And those of us who repeat it are doomed to a history lecture!
I do feel a little better that we may finally have seen the last of Perle’s Bond-villain face on our TV screens. Somebody at the BBC seems to have had him on speed dial for years.
Oh, he’s not gone, not by a long shot. Just taken down a peg.
Yep, as elucidator alludes, Perle has only resigned his role as Chairman of the Defense Policy Board. He’s still on the Board, just not leading it.
Whoa Nellie! Halliburton is out?
You mean to say that a fleeting and harried glimmer of unexpected reason has actually flashed through Shrub’s last lonely soon-to-be-excreted neuron?
I’m stunned!
Two down. More to go.
From your lips to the ears of Allah!
Removing Pearle from his chairman position is cosmetic. And It appears that Halliburton not getting the primary contract could be cosmetic as well.
Will there be a cute fuzzy bunny in on this makeover too ?
Just heard about this, what’s the latest?
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
We’re speaking French now? I must have really missed something. 
Not to rain on the parade, but maybe Haliburton pulled out because they’ve already got Iraq locked up tight anyway?
According to Rep. Henry Waxman, Haliburton’s earlier contract to put out Iraq’s oil fires has “no set time limit and no dollar limit and is apparently structured in a way as to encourage the contractor to increase its costs and, consequently, the cost to the taxpayer.” And to top it off, the contract was awarded to Halliburton exclusively, and without any notice to Congress.
So they just attempted to pull a save face move that was purely cosmetic?
No. The contracts are entirely separate – different scopes, different awarding agencies, different everything.
The fire contract went to HAL because at the time there was widespread concern that there would be massive oil fires similar to those after Iraq slashed and burned Kuwait. If that had occurred, HAL was literally the only company in the world equipped to handle the problem on a timely basis. Happily, it looks like the fires are much less severe this time. That means that perhaps a longer bidding process might have been appropriate (depending on how much “plus” Halliburton got in its cost-plus contract) – other firms might have been able to handle it. Such is the benefit of 20-20 hindsight. What it means is that HAL won’t make all that much money off the contract. Boot and Coots will do OK, though.
The USAID contract is a different animal entirely. Basically, Halliburton just wasn’t big enough or experienced enough to do the job. Word on the street is that they were told exactly that by USAID – in any event, they withdrew without submitting a formal bid. Washington Group’s bid has been rejected. Both firms will compete for subcontracting work.
Awarding of the final contract has been held up because of concerns over insurance – basically, it’s no available for projects in Iraq, so firms are looking to the government for indemnification, which is exactly something USAID was hoping to avoid. Negotiations are ongoing, and AID hopes to make an award soon. As to who gets the Prime job, USAID isn’t saying who is left, but think the usual set of big U.S.-based international construction firms – Bechtel, Fluor, Parsons, etc.
That people are conflating these things, or even relating them, demonstrates that there are way too many people posting on this board and not enough reading.
There are similar errors in the Perle matter, but I don’t like the guy and I think he handled matters atrociously, so he’ll have to find someone else to carry his water. 