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U.S. Contractor Pulls Out of Reconstruction Effort in Iraq
Los Angeles Times ^ | December 22, 2004 | T. Christian Miller

Posted on 12/22/2004 2:12:31 AM PST by RWR8189

WASHINGTON — For the first time, a major U.S. contractor has dropped out of the multibillion-dollar effort to rebuild Iraq, raising new worries about the country's growing violence and its effect on reconstruction.

Contrack International Inc., the leader of a partnership that won one of 12 major reconstruction contracts awarded this year, cited skyrocketing security costs in reaching a decision with the U.S. government last month to terminate work in Iraq.

"We reached a point where our costs were getting to be prohibitive," said Karim Camel-Toueg, president of Arlington, Va.-based Contrack, which had won a $325-million award to rebuild Iraq's shattered transportation system. "We felt we were not serving the government, and that the dollars were not being spent smartly."

Although a few companies and nonprofit groups have pulled out of contracts in Iraq because of security concerns, Contrack's is the largest to be canceled to date, U.S. officials said. The move has led to fears that Iraq's mounting violence could prompt other firms to consider pulling out, or discourage them from seeking work in Iraq, further crippling reconstruction.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: arlingtonva; cameltoueg; civiliancontractors; contrack; contrackintl; contrackintlinc; contracts; egypt; karimcameltoueg; minoritybusinesses; naguibsawiris; orascom; rebuildingiraq; sawiris; takethisjobandshovit; telecom; telecoms; toueg
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1 posted on 12/22/2004 2:12:31 AM PST by RWR8189
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To: RWR8189
Karim Camel-Toueg, president of Arlington, Va.-based Contrack

Hmmmm....

2 posted on 12/22/2004 2:14:42 AM PST by Petronski (A suitable case for treatment.)
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To: Petronski

Why the "Hmmmmm . . .?"


3 posted on 12/22/2004 2:19:04 AM PST by leadpenny
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To: RWR8189

Wonder what the dems would say if Haliburton pulled the plug.


4 posted on 12/22/2004 2:20:30 AM PST by Cobra64 (Babes should wear Bullet Bras - www.BulletBras.net)
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To: leadpenny

I can't help but wonder if Karim is muslim and, if so, if he has some kind of ulterior motive in publicizing a retreat from Iraq.


5 posted on 12/22/2004 2:20:45 AM PST by Petronski (A suitable case for treatment.)
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To: Petronski

Contrack is the American arm of an Egyptian Businessman named Naguib Sawiris, whose main venture is a telecom company called ORASCOM.

http://www.57357.com/BuildingFuture.asp

http://www/internationalreports.net/middleeast/egypt/2001/orascom.html

Tangled Web, Huh?


6 posted on 12/22/2004 2:35:38 AM PST by shibumi ("In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit." - John Galt)
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To: Petronski

Camel toe??


7 posted on 12/22/2004 2:38:05 AM PST by Recovering_Democrat (I'm so glad to no longer be associated with the Party of Dependence on Government!)
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To: shibumi

SORRY!!!

http://www.internationalreports.net/middleeast/egypt/2001/orascom.html


8 posted on 12/22/2004 2:40:38 AM PST by shibumi ("In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit." - John Galt)
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To: Recovering_Democrat

LOL!


9 posted on 12/22/2004 2:49:27 AM PST by investigateworld (( You may spel-chek at your option ))
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To: Recovering_Democrat

Try not to think about it.


10 posted on 12/22/2004 3:04:43 AM PST by Petronski (A suitable case for treatment.)
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To: RWR8189

Based on what they were getting accomplished, I don't think they'll be missed.
More opportunity for Haliburton.


11 posted on 12/22/2004 3:40:55 AM PST by somemoreequalthanothers
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To: somemoreequalthanothers
More opportunity for Haliburton.

Why is this important to you? And why aren't the CeeBee's doing this work?

12 posted on 12/22/2004 3:45:47 AM PST by The Duke
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To: Petronski
Click here, FWIW since I'm not sure about the website's leanings, for a little backround on Contrack.
13 posted on 12/22/2004 3:48:23 AM PST by mewzilla
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To: The Duke

Why? The CB's couldn't even touch the enormity of the work done by KBR....LOL...


14 posted on 12/22/2004 4:12:47 AM PST by Eagle Eye (3/5 Got theirs. And then some.)
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To: Eagle Eye

Why don't they get illegal aliens to do the job that Americans don't want to do? Oh this is Iraq they don't have a border with Mexico./sarcasm


15 posted on 12/22/2004 4:17:36 AM PST by daddyOwe
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To: RWR8189

The other branch of service:

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/few.html


16 posted on 12/22/2004 4:18:13 AM PST by dakine
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To: Recovering_Democrat

Camel toe??

Ok, you started it................

start posting the pics...............


17 posted on 12/22/2004 4:20:29 AM PST by WhiteGuy (The Constitution requires no interpretation, only enforcement.)
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To: Recovering_Democrat

Wouldn't you know it? There's a cameltoe.com


18 posted on 12/22/2004 4:43:38 AM PST by snopercod (Bigger government means clinton won. Less freedom means Osama won. Get it?)
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To: Petronski

an ulterior motive in walking away from a 325 million dollar gig?

not too many businesses do that to send a message (that one could send AND keep the work)

just a thought


19 posted on 12/22/2004 4:57:26 AM PST by dmz
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To: Cobra64

Hell, I wonder what freepers would say.


20 posted on 12/22/2004 4:57:52 AM PST by dmz
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