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Editorial: Iraq rebuilding - connections help companies cash in Houston Chronicle April 20 ... Now that the sounds of the war are fading, the clink, clink of U.S. business interests in Iraq is clearly audible. The U.S. government's concern for U.S. profits, it turns out, is at least as strong as its French counterpart. Highly evident and troubling today, the swift revolution of doors between Washington and the corporate world evokes President Eisenhower's warning about the dangers of the military-industrial complex. Houston-based Halliburton, run by Vice President Dick Cheney until he became George W. Bush's running mate, was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers to put out Iraqi oil fires, perform emergency oil field repairs and clean up spills and pollution. ... The big plum went to the Bechtel Group, a construction behemoth based in San Francisco. Competing in a Pentagon invitational tournament, Bechtel won the right to bill as much as $680 million over 18 months rebuilding Iraq's roads, utilities and other infrastructure. Aside from its substantial campaign contributions to both parties, Bechtel's most visible link to the Bush administration is George Schultz. A longtime Bechtel director, Schultz was secretary of state during the first Bush administration and chairs the advisory board of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq. Having encouraged the taxpayers to underwrite much of the recent destruction in Iraq, Schultz now wants the taxpayers to pay his company to make repairs. ... Perhaps these two companies got the job because they are the best qualified. But the fact remains that the companies with the best political connections won, and those without such connections lost. ... LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -