War & Disaster Profiteering

At least 232 civilians working on U.S. military and reconstruction contracts have been killed there, many in violent but largely overlooked slayings, according to a report issued to Congress several weeks ago, but the death toll actually could be far higher. Read More

At least 90 Private Military Companies are involved in the business of war and killing innocent people by operating in 110 countries worldwide, says a report by journalist Nasir Mahmood. Read More

A group of 13 anti-nuclear activists occupied the European headquarters of US arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin,in Brussels, in protest against the company's close links with the Bush government, and specifically its production of nuclear weapons and weapons ued in the war against Iraq. Read More

William Taylor, a U.S. diplomat who oversees Iraqi reconstruction efforts, said the Iraq's violent insurgency creates a "security premium," gobbling up money that otherwise would have been spent to provide clean water, electricity and sanitation for Iraqis. Read More

Today, though, the major threat on Baghdad's notorious airport road may no longer be snipers, insurgents or suicide bombers. What drivers most need to fear: trigger-happy security contractors. "Civilian contractors fire indiscriminately." Read More

The Rock is just one part of the complicated balancing of government, military and private interests all across Iraq every day. On one side are U.S. intelligence officers warily declassifying information. On the other are contractors seeking access to sensitive data to do jobs once done by soldiers: protecting VIPs, transporting goods and guarding vulnerable targets. Read More

The Justice Department is in a difficult position because identifying the Coalition Provisional Authority as a U.S. entity could make the government legally responsible for the CPA's actions. On the other hand, "it's not a very attractive position to say, 'If you stole U.S. money, you're liable. But if you stole Iraqi money, the U.S. government just doesn't care.' " Read More

With the U.S. Army stretched by the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon plans to spend $100 million to hire private security guards to protect its bases in Germany. Read More

Former Boeing official, Michael Sears, was sentenced to four months in prison for deceiving the government by offering a job to a Pentagon official while negotiating a $23 billion defense contract. Sears, 57, also was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine and perform 200 hours of community service. Read More

Richard Jones, a former ambassador to Kuwait and deputy of the Coalition Provisional Authority who has been linked to the Halliburton Iraq contract inquiries, has been selected by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as her new coordinator for Iraq. Read More