Why did Whitewater get so much more news coverage than Halliburton's fraud and war profiteering?

Question

http://democrats.senate.gov/dpc/dpc-new2.cfm?doc_name=inv2

1) Halliburton billed taxpayers $1.4 billion in questionable and undocumented charges under its contract to supply troops in Iraq, as documented by the Pentagon’s own auditors.

2) Parsons billed taxpayers over $200 million under a contract to build 142 health clinics, yet completed fewer than 20. According to Iraqi officials, the rest were “imaginary clinics.”

3) Custer Battles stole forklifts from Iraq’s national airline, repainted them, then leased the forklifts back to the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) through a Cayman Islands shell company — charging an extra fee along the way.

4) Halliburton allowed our troops in Iraq to shower, bathe, and sometimes brush their teeth with water that tested positive for e. coli and coliform bacteria. One expert has said that the troops would have been better off using the highly polluted Euphrates River. Halliburton has admitted that it lacked “an organizational structure to ensure that water was being treated in accordance with Army standards and its contractual requirements.”

5) Halliburton served the troops food that had spoiled or passed its expiration date. Halliburton managers ordered employees to remove bullets from food in trucks that had come under attack, then saved the bullets as souvenirs while giving the food to unwitting soldiers and Marines.

6) Halliburton charged taxpayers for services that it never provided and tens of thousands of meals that it never served.

7) Halliburton double-charged taxpayers for $617,000 worth of soda.

8) Halliburton tripled the cost of hand towels, at taxpayer expense, by insisting on having its own embroidered logo on each towel.

9) Halliburton employees burned new trucks on the side of the road because they didn’t have the right wrench to change a tire — and knew that the trucks could be replaced on a profitable “cost-plus” basis, at taxpayer expense.

10) Halliburton employees dumped 50,000 pounds of nails in the desert because they ordered the wrong size, all at taxpayer expense.

11) Halliburton employees threw themselves a lavish Super Bowl Party, but passed the cost on to taxpayers by claiming they had purchased supplies for the troops.

12) Halliburton chose a subcontractor to build an ice factory in the desert even though its bid was 800 percent higher than an equally qualified bidder.
13) Halliburton actively discouraged cooperation with U.S. government auditors, sent one whistleblower into a combat zone to keep him away from auditors, and put another whistleblower under armed guard before kicking her out of the country.

14) Halliburton sent unarmed truck drivers into a known combat zone without warning them of the danger, resulting in the deaths of six truck drivers and two soldiers. Halliburton then offered to nominate the surviving truck drivers for a Defense Department medal — provided they sign a medical records release that doubled as a waiver of any right to seek legal recourse against the company.

15) Halliburton’s no-bid contract to rebuild Iraq’s oil infrastructure was the worst case of contract abuse that the top civilian at the Army Corps of Engineers had ever seen. She was demoted after speaking out.

16) Under its no-bid contract to rebuild Iraq’s oil infrastructure contract, Halliburton overcharged by over 600 percent for the delivery of fuel from Kuwait.

17) Halliburton failed to complete required work under its oil infrastructure work, leaving distribution points unusable.

18) Iraq under the CPA was like the “Wild West,” with few limits and controls over how inexperienced officials spent — and wasted — millions of taxpayer dollars.

19) Cronies at the CPA’s health office lacked experience, ignored the advice of international health professionals, failed to restore Iraq’s health systems, and wasted millions of taxpayer dollars. The political appointee who ran the office had never worked overseas and had no international public health experience.

20) Administration officials promoted construction of a “boondoggle” children’s hospital in Basra, which ended up more than a year behind schedule and at least 100 percent over budget.

Answer 1

Because the Republicans are ruthless and have no ethics. They would stop at nothing to try to discredit and destroy Bill Clinton, and they are especially free with the tax payer's money to do their dirty work. Haliburton relocated to Dubai to escape the inevitable investigations and criminal charges which they could have faced.

Answer 2

The bombings in the MIddle East have been horrific and the Americans serving in the military commit suicide more than fatalities on the front line. What is going on with our miltary over there to come back in such mental conditions? How can the bombings and the political conflicts within the walls of others nations not cause much bitterness? Could that be why we don't get the news or see any video of these continuing occurences? I wouldn't watch those reports long either. There was a Facebook post today that says "Darkness cannot drive out Darkness, only Light can do that." NY loves B. This world needs a MLK, Jr. to combat this international darkness with light. The international policies since WWII have created havoc and new alteratives need to be found and implemented. My husband had been a marathon runner for years. One of my favorite vacation spots is Boston. I love the mannerism, location, nice summers and all around atmosphere. I am not surprised at the interaction of individuals coming to assist Monday. We have a great country and wonderful citizens that need to live in peace. Terrorist always pick a place where people throughout the world will be. 9/11, WTC had a great deal of people from other nations, as well.

Answer 3

Sounds to me like you do not like Haliburton. How do you feel about Dick Cheney? I once worked for Parsons. It was on a chemical plant project in the Louisiana delta. They were good to work for, but they have to show a profit to remain in business. So does Haliburton. In point #1, if the charges were undocumented, how did YOU find this out? In point #2, do you actually believe what the Iraquis tell us? In point #3, Custer Battles did not steal anything. They were bought for a good price. The leaseback thing is normal in business and it is a good way to do business. Having a shell company in Grand Cayman is also good business. Corporations can avoid taxation if based there. Tax avoidance, unlike tax evasion , is legal and a good thing. I will not bother going over everything that you claim. I doubt the accuracy of what you say. You most likely have a hardon for big business and will make any outlandish claim to discredit what they do.

Answer 4

Because there were folks with a lot of money that hated Clinton. Whitewater was the only "scandal" they could come up with. Odd too cause the Clinton's actually lost money. The Whitewater investigations were aided by rich Republicans to keep it alive and it became a "fishing expedition" to try to find anything else that was a political hindrance. AND NO I DIDN'T VOTE FOR CLINTON EITHER TIME!!!

Answer 5

Let me ask you a question, even if these things were true, why exactly are we relying on out side companies to supply, feed, equip and assist our military?

Could it possibly be because BILL CLINTON raped, pillaged and burned the entire infrastructure of the military while he was in power like the Huns taking a roman city?

That the money we now have to spend on other companies to do the job the military once did, to belong to the military but got spent on social well fare programs and bulking up a weak economy during Clinton's reign?

you do realize before Clinton was in office the military did almost everything it's self and when he left office the military had to rely on contracts with out side companies...

I don't see you throwing a fit about that.

You want to blame some one for outsourcing our military you can point your finger at Bill Clinton.

Answer 6

I would have to say that is because of Rupert Murdock and his ownership of the media with a right winged slant. The Bush Administration being in the White House didn't hurt Cheney's cause either. I say it is all treasonous and they should be tried for war crimes in Hague.

Answer 7

Anyone notice, the left never said a word about halliburton, when Clinton gave halliburton a no bid contract in the Balkins.

How ya think Cheney got rich ??? Clinton signed his pay checks.

But ya better watch it, George Soras and Moveon.org will be all over you for whining about Halliburton, now that Soras owns most of it.

Answer 8

Well said. I think it is also disgusting that 5 times as much time and money was spent investigating Whitewater as was spent on investigating 9-11. what the hell is wrong with the priorities of this country/???

Answer 9

It benefited the Republicans in power at the time to attempt to discredit Clinton with Whitewater. It benefits them not to explore the depths of the Halliburton fraud. They only want dirty laundry aired when it isn't theirs.

Answer 10

For all these Halliburton allegations, has anyone been indicted, convicted or impeached?