Monday, June 15, 2009

Haliburton KBR

Are Contractors Above the Law?
Former Halliburton Subsidiary KBR Insists It Is Not Liable for GI's Death
By Daphne Eviatar 8/3/08 11:26 PM
Baghdad, Iraq (army.mil)
In January of 2008, Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, was electrocuted while showering in his Baghdad barracks. His death prompted last week’s congressional report concluding that defense contractor KBR, (until a year ago a subsidiary of the oil services giant Halliburton) was well aware that the electrical system in Maseth’s complex was faulty. An accident like this, the report found, was bound to happen. But this report also now raises a larger and thornier question about military defense contractors: can they be held legally liable for their actions – or inactions? Will anyone be held responsible for Maseth’s death?"
Eviatar, D (2008) 'Are Contractors Above the Law?' Washington, The Washington Independent, March 3 2008

There was even a House of Representatives report on the incident
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (2008) 'New Information about the Electrocution of Staff Sergeant Ryan Maseth' Washington, United States House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, July 30 2008

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A series of civil lawsuits against defense contractors KBR and its former parent company Halliburton claims the companies endangered the health of U.S. troops and contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan by unsafely burning massive amounts of garbage on U.S. bases.
Levine, A (2009) 'Halliburton, KBR sued for alleged ill effects of 'burn pits'', Washington, Pentagon, April 28 200

Business and human rights has over 50 cases of alleged human rights abuses involving Halibuton KBR.

Halliburton expresses it own view towards humabn rights by having a cursory mention of human rights on one of their web pages, where they state that "Halliburton’s belief in the dignity, human rights, and personal aspirations of all people as the foundation of our culture of business excellence....We have long addressed our belief in human dignity, human rights, and fairness in our employment practices...
Halliburton’s Code of Business Conduct, its business values, and culture are influenced by, and reflect a fundamental respect for human rights and freedoms. "
Halliburton (2009) 'Human Rights Policy Statement' Houston, Halliburton

The extent to which this is enacted in practice is worth reviewing

"KBR Got Bonuses for Work that Killed Soldiers
The Department of Defense paid former Halliburton subsidiary KBR more than $80 million in bonuses for contracts to install electrical wiring in Iraq. The award payments were for the very work that resulted in the electrocution deaths of US soldiers, according to Department of Defense documents revealed today in a Senate hearing. More than $30 million in bonuses were paid months after the death of Sgt. Ryan Maseth, a highly decorated, 24-year-old Green Beret, who was electrocuted while taking a shower at a US base in January 2008. "
Scahill, J (2009) 'KBR Got Bonuses for Work that Killed Soldiers', New York, Nation, May 20 2009, Link

Huge number of resources at HAlliburton Watch.org

Book on the subject:
Halliburton's Army: How a Well-connected Texas Oil Company Revolutionized the Way America Makes War: The Long, Strange Tale of a Private, Profitable, and Out-of-control Texas Oil Company (Hardcover)
Chatterjee, P (2009) 'Halliburton's Army', Nation Books, New York link blog description

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