Rummy 1966: Anti-Cronyism & Anti-Haliburton
http://hnn.us/roundup/entries/2851.html
Funny...how history seems to keep coming back around...
"John Burnett, reporting for NPR about the history of Kellogg, Brown & Root, the construction company at the center of controversy in Iraq (Dec. 24, 2003):"
Rummy surfaces in the interview...
BURNETT: One of the most striking echoes of history is the reappearance of Donald Rumsfeld. As Defense secretary, today's he's a staunch supporter of reconstruction contracts in Iraq awarded to KBR. In August 1966, as a young Republican congressman from Illinois , Rumsfeld stood up in Congress and excoriated the Johnson administration for the stench of cronyism. Rumsfeld's speech in the congressional record could easily have come from the current Halliburton critic, Congressman Henry Waxman, the California Democrat. Again, James Carter.
Hmmm...cronyism...who would guessed....
Mr. CARTER: Donald Rumsfeld was overtly critical of Johnson's handling of the war. And I'll read a short passage from this. Quote, "Why this huge contract has not been and is not now being adequately audited is beyond me. The potential for waste and profiteering under such a contract is substantial," unquote.
WHAT?!?! Rummy for "Congessional Oversight?!? THE HELL THEY SAY!!!
BURNETT: Brown & Root learned some other lessons as well. Hang tough, keep the client happy, do good work and massage the public relations. The criticism will blow over. The presidents and their parties will come and go, but Brown & Root outlasts them all.
Well well well....now that they're greasing Rummy's pockets...he doesn't seem to have the same problems of 32+ years ago....
What a strange coincidence........
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