As Chaos Reigns Supreme In Baghdad, the U.S. Has Cause To Celebrate

Thank 'GOD' The Oil Wells Are Secure!

I'll stay off bandwagon of conquering army.

The sudden U.S. victory in Iraq illustrates what has long been obvious: Military spending of $350 billion a year buys a lot of firepower. I'm not sure last week's events have clarified anything much beyond that.

But the pro-war lobby, strutting and preening in its bloodstained moment of glory, would have us believe that this conquest proves the rightness of its cause.

The justification repeatedly put forward by Washington in the months leading up to this war — removing the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction — is now little more than a curious footnote.

Even so, as Iraq tumbles into chaos and lawlessness — with the only really well-protected sites being U.S. military stations and the offices of Iraq's former oil ministry — opponents of the war are being told to admit they were wrong and get on the bandwagon of the conquering army.

That's one bandwagon I'll gladly take a pass on.

The Toronto Star

Welcome aboard the Iraqi gravy train

Congratulations to all the winners of tickets to take part in the greatest rebuilding show on earth

Terry Jones

Sunday April 13, 2003

The Observer

Well the war has been a huge success, and I guess it's time for congratulations all round. And wow! It's hard to know where to begin.

First, I'd like to congratulate Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) and the Bechtel Corporation, which are the construction companies most likely to benefit from the reconstruction of Iraq. Contracts in the region of $1 billion should soon coming your way, chaps. Well done! And what with the US dropping 15,000 precision-guided munitions, 7,500 unguided bombs and 750 cruise missiles on Iraq so far and with more to come, there's going to be a lot of reconstruction. It looks like it could be a bonanza year.

Of course, we all know that KBR is the construction side of Halliburton, and it has been doing big business with the military ever since the Second World War. Most recently, it got the plum job of constructing the prison compound for terrorists suspects at Guantanamo Bay. Could be a whole lot more deluxe chicken coops coming your way in the next few months, guys. Stick it to 'em.

I'd also like to add congratulations to Dick Cheney, who was chief executive of Halliburton from 1995 to 2000, and who currently receives a cheque for $1 million a year from his old company. I guess he may find there's a little surprise bonus in there this year. Well done, Dick.

Congratulations, too, to former Secretary of State, George Schultz. He's not only on the board of Bechtel, he's also chairman of the advisory board of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, a group with close ties to the White House committed to reconstructing the Iraqi economy through war. You're doing a grand job, George, and I'm sure material benefits will be coming your way, as sure as the Devil lives in Texas.

http://www.observer.co.uk/worldview/story/0,11581,935649,00.html

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