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Politics : PRESIDENT JOHN FORBES KERRY -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E who wrote (90)	3/7/2004 11:10:31 AM
From: PartyTime	Respond to of 1017

news24.com www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1494665,00.html Iraq contracts coming to pals 07/03/2004 17:42 - (SA) Baghdad - The US office managing rebuilding funds in Iraq will start awarding $5bn worth of contracts this week, a senior US official said on Sunday, to firms from countries that supported the war effort. "We anticipate that the first of those will probably be awarded sometime this week. Most likely is that the first of the contracts are going to be the programme management contracts," the official told reporters in Baghdad. The US Congress has earmarked $18.4bn for reconstruction in Iraq, almost one third of the 55 billion dollars the World Bank estimates will be necessary to get the war-torn country back on its feet. The official said the Programme Management Office (PMO) would allocate mostly construction contracts but that it was important to have the management contracts start early. "That will of course help those contractors be able to start getting in place and getting organised, to give them a little step ahead of the construction contractors," he said. Much fanfare The $18.4bn Iraq fund was unveiled with much fanfare by Washington in October but Iraqis say it has had little real impact as unemployment remains high and living standards low. Two separate deals worth $1bn have already been awarded to the US Army Corps of Engineers to rebuild Iraq's oil sector as part of a $12.4bn US package earmarked for construction. A further $6bn is being spent on non-construction schemes that are open to bids from all countries regardless of their war views, according to the PMO. The fund will be managed by the Pentagon at least until June 30, when the US-led coalition is due to transfer sovereignty to an as-yet undetermined Iraqi authority. Edited by Trisha Shannon **************** Bush pals deal-making in Iraq 30/09/2003 10:45 - (SA) Print article email story Related Articles # Bush seeks $87bn, UN aid # Iraq's price tag at $20bn # US battles resistance fighters # 'US to blame for Iraqi chaos' # 'Iraq will be your Vietnam' # US to monopolise Iraq deals? # Shell wants 'legit' Iraqi authority # US calls for Iraq oil bids Washington - A company that was created to help clients take advantage of business opportunities in Iraq is made up of businessmen associated to President George W Bush, his family and his administration. New Bridge Strategies says it will "seek to expedite the creation of free and fair markets and new economic growth in Iraq, consistent with the policies of the Bush administration". The firm is headed by Joe Allbaugh, Bush's campaign manager in 2000 and director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency until March. Other directors include Edward Rogers Jr, vice chairman, and Lanny Griffith. Both were assistants to the first President George Bush and now are closely linked to the White House. 'Might be a middleman' New Bridge President John Howland said in a story on The New York Times website that the company did not intend to seek any US government contracts itself, but might be a middleman to advise other companies that seek taxpayer-financed business. The main focus would be to advise companies that seek opportunities in the private sector in Iraq, including licenses to market products there. The company's existence was first reported in The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress. Cross-pollination Howland said the company was not trying to promote its political connections. He said that although Allbaugh, for example, had spent most of his career in the political arena, "there's a lot of cross-pollination between that world and the one that exists in Iraq today." Bush is seeking congressional approval for $20.3 billion to rebuild Iraq, part of an $87 billion package for military and other needs in Iraq and Afghanistan. As part of the administration's post-war work in Iraq, the government has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to American businesses. Administration officials have said all future contracts will be issued only as a result of competitive bidding. New Bridge Strategies was created in May and recently began full-fledged operations, including opening an office in Iraq, the Times said. Bush pals deal-making in Iraq 30/09/2003 10:45 - (SA) Print article email story Related Articles # Bush seeks $87bn, UN aid # Iraq's price tag at $20bn # US battles resistance fighters # 'US to blame for Iraqi chaos' # 'Iraq will be your Vietnam' # US to monopolise Iraq deals? # Shell wants 'legit' Iraqi authority # US calls for Iraq oil bids Washington - A company that was created to help clients take advantage of business opportunities in Iraq is made up of businessmen associated to President George W Bush, his family and his administration. New Bridge Strategies says it will "seek to expedite the creation of free and fair markets and new economic growth in Iraq, consistent with the policies of the Bush administration". The firm is headed by Joe Allbaugh, Bush's campaign manager in 2000 and director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency until March. Other directors include Edward Rogers Jr, vice chairman, and Lanny Griffith. Both were assistants to the first President George Bush and now are closely linked to the White House. 'Might be a middleman' New Bridge President John Howland said in a story on The New York Times website that the company did not intend to seek any US government contracts itself, but might be a middleman to advise other companies that seek taxpayer-financed business. The main focus would be to advise companies that seek opportunities in the private sector in Iraq, including licenses to market products there. The company's existence was first reported in The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress. Cross-pollination Howland said the company was not trying to promote its political connections. He said that although Allbaugh, for example, had spent most of his career in the political arena, "there's a lot of cross-pollination between that world and the one that exists in Iraq today." Bush is seeking congressional approval for $20.3 billion to rebuild Iraq, part of an $87 billion package for military and other needs in Iraq and Afghanistan. As part of the administration's post-war work in Iraq, the government has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to American businesses. Administration officials have said all future contracts will be issued only as a result of competitive bidding. New Bridge Strategies was created in May and recently began full-fledged operations, including opening an office in Iraq, the Times said. http://