U.S. Shuts Out France, Germany for Iraq Work

Reuters/Lycos.com ^ | December 09, 2003 | Sue Pleming

[veronica]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has ruled that lucrative, prime contracts to rebuild Iraq must exclude firms from nations such as France and Germany that opposed the U.S. war effort, said a document released on Tuesday.

The announcement followed discussions over which countries should benefit from a slew of reconstruction contracts to be advertised in coming days that are being funded by $18.6 billion appropriated by the U.S. Congress.

The decision, while not identifying any countries by name, shuts out companies from nations that opposed the U.S. decision to invade Iraq and topple President Saddam Hussein without U.N. approval. Those countries may apply for subcontracts.

"It is necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States to limit competition for the prime contracts of these procurements to companies from the United States, Iraq, coalition partners and force contributing nations," Wolfowitz said in a notice published on an Iraqi rebuilding Web site (www.rebuilding-iraq.net).

Some officials had argued privately the United States should not limit international competition to rebuild Iraq, where the infrastructure has been shattered by years of neglect, war and post-conflict looting and attacks.

The rollout of tenders to rebuild Iraq has been delayed in recent days while "high-level" policy decisions were being taken on Iraqi reconstruction and as lawyers checked that the final wording complied with U.S. procurement laws.

Wolfowitz said that since May, coalition forces in Iraq other than those from the United States had increased to 23,700 from 14,000, while U.S. troops levels had dropped.

"Limiting competition for prime contracts will encourage the expansion of international cooperation in Iraq and in future efforts," wrote Wolfowitz.

Companies likely to benefit most from the decision come from Britain, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea and Poland.

Other supporters of the war effort include Albania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Honduras, Hungary, Kazakhstan and the Philippines.

The first round of reconstruction contracts to rebuild Iraq was limited to U.S. firms, with oil services company Halliburton, once run by Vice President Dick Cheney, and San Francisco company Bechtel the dominant players.

A defense official said he expected the new contracts to be advertised on government Web sites later on Tuesday or on Wednesday. Bidders' conferences are expected later this month and contracts are set to be awarded by Feb. 3.

The contracts cover electricity, communications, public buildings, transportation, public works and security and justice. Additional contracts are also being awarded to oversee those projects.

[jwalsh07]

Out_Freakin'_Standing.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[xzins]

It's our 87 billion dollars doing the rebuilding.

That's all that really needs to be said, so far as I'm concerned.

Even if France had shined our shoes every day of the campaign, if we're the ones putting up the money, then we should dictate who gets the contracts.

[blackie]

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has ruled that lucrative, prime contracts to rebuild Iraq must exclude firms from nations such as France and Germany that opposed the U.S. war effort, said a document released on Tuesday ~ Big Bump!

[BurbankKarl]

AWESOME NEWS!

let the France/Germany crybabies start whining! Now the EU Constitution is having trouble also....They can't decide which languages Mein Keimpf should be translated into.

[white trash redneck]

Screw the EUrotraitors bump!

[PhilDragoo]

Chirac and Schroeder, no soup for you!

[sarasmom]

Surely those nations who stand in opposition to our actions in Iraq on "moral grounds" would not choose to profit from our "immoral" actions?

France, Germany, and Russia have been illegally profiteering from UN sanctions against the former regime in Iraq for years.
Poor stupid evil stooges, they thought the game was theoretical multi-dimensional chess, when they were actually playing straight up Poker.
We win!
Disband the UN, punish France, ignore Germany and forgive Russia.

[Dave Elias]

You do realise that the Statue of Liberty was designed by Eiffel don't you?

[ClintonBeGone]

Paybacks. . . . etc :)

[ClintonBeGone]

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has ruled that lucrative, prime contracts to rebuild Iraq must exclude firms from nations such as France and Germany that opposed the U.S. war effort, said a document released on Tuesday.

This guy makes the left apoplectic . . . and I love it.

[ClintonBeGone]

Willie, good news on the international economic front! :)

[scoastie]

Geez, well said , Brian!!

[Happy2BMe]

"U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has ruled that lucrative, prime contracts to rebuild Iraq must exclude firms from nations such as France and Germany that opposed the U.S. war effort, said a document released on Tuesday."

Briliant!

[Dolphy]

Clark, Kerry, etc. will go beserk. How can we do this to our "allies?"

You are right, I can hear them all now. But as Gore proved to Lieberman, the Dems don't know the meaning of allies.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[longjack]

This story got top billing in "Spiegel-Online" this morning. Short and sweet.

I enjoyed this line:

"61 other countries regarded as coalition partners"

A Nice touch by "Spiegel" here, I thought.

longjack

---

IRAK-BUSINESS

USA Punishes European Objectors

The US-Government delivered on it's warnings. Firms from countries that opposed the war, such as Germany and France, are excluded from Iraq contracts worth bilions.

DPA
Paul Wolfowitz in Iraq: No business for objectors

Hamburg - The deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz was a leading man in a US-Government policy that has now been announced. It states that any countries which didn't back the US in the Iraq war will not receive any general contracts worth billions for the reconstruction of Iraq. Wolfowitz justifies this step as "necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States".

The value of the contracts is listed as 18.6 billion dollars (approximately 15.2 billion Euros), paid from U.S. taxes. The U.S. Government had already announced prior to the war that opponents wouldn't play a decisive role in the reconstruction of Iraq.

Besides Germany and France, Russia is also affected by the restrictive competition. All in all, 26 projects will most likely be announced in the coming days from the economic sectors of oil, energy, communication, water supply and house building, among others.

By this directive, only companies from the USA, Iraq and 61 other countries regarded as coalition partners of Washington will be able to participate in the bids for these contracts. The "New York Times", in its Internet edition, classifies the decision of the U.S. government "as the most important retaliatory measure" of President George W. Bush against U.S. allies who opposed the Iraq war.

© SPIEGEL ONLINE 2003

"Der Spiegel"....USA strafen europäische Kriegsgegner ab

Translated by longjack

[river rat]

President Bush is not a man to trifle with...

His enemies, both foreign and domestic - should have learned by now that they are NOT dealing with a weak and cowardly, image worshiping, public opinion decision making, ass kissing President Clinton....

We now have a REAL President in the White House....
And, he is prepared to get the job done....

Semper Fi

[smpc]

There were three countries who had significant numbers of troops,aircraft and navy participating in the war,USA,Britain,Australia.Each of these three spent in the billions to launch the war,contracts should be appropriated accordingly to cover war costs before anyone else gets contracts.

[Fledermaus]

SWEET!