Business As Usual? (Halliburton in Iran)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6982444/site/newsweek/

Only weeks before Halliburton made headlines by announcing it was pulling out of Iran—a nation George W. Bush has labeled part of the “axis of evil”—the Texas-based oil services firm quietly signed a major new business deal to help develop Tehran’s natural gas fields.

Halliburton’s new Iran contract, moreover, appears to suggest a far closer connection with the country’s hard-line government than the firm has ever acknowledged.

The deal, diplomatic sources tell NEWSWEEK, was signed with an Iranian oil company whose principals include Sirus Naseri, Tehran’s chief international negotiator on matters relating to the country’s hotly-disputed nuclear enrichment program—a project the Bush administration has charged is intended to develop nuclear weapons.

There are few matters more sensitive for Halliburton than its dealings with Iran. The company, formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, last year disclosed that it had received a subpoena from a federal grand jury in Texas in connection with a Justice Department investigation into allegations that the firm violated U.S. sanctions law prohibiting American companies from directly doing business in Iran. (U.S. firms are barred from doing direct business in Iran, but under a confusing quilt of federal regulations, their foreign subsidiaries may do so as long as they operate “independently” from U.S. management.)

[underthedome]

1. What the hell is going on

So there is a law that allows coporations to do business with sanction countries (like Iran) through their subsidies as long as those are independently run without an American on that companies actual board, unbelievable.

So the Halliburton subsided that is doing business with Iran would actually be legal under U.S. law except it appears that it is not being independently run but has direct links with Halliburton calling at least some of the shots.

A. These loop holes are a god damn joke.

B. Halliburton is doing fucking business with part of the "Axis of Evil" they don't even deny it. The Bush administration and its friends are publicly raping our soldiers from behind while they get shot at, limbs blown off, and killed.

The blind loyalty that Republican lapdogs have towards team Bush is so blatant I rather stare at the sun and burn my eyes out. They throw a fit when Nightline honors the fallen soilders in Iraq but disregard the criminal activity Bush 'N buddies are doing/allowing.

But hey, they've got bumper stickers that say "I support the troops" so it's cool.

[airfoil]

2. Indeed

A. These loop holes are a god damn joke

That they are.

B. Halliburton is doing fucking business with part of the "Axis of Evil" they don't even deny it. The Bush administration and its friends are publicly raping our soldiers from behind while they get shot at, limbs blown off, and killed.

It wasn't just Bush. Clinton also used Halliburton and no-bid contracts as needed in Kosovo. Halliburton appears to be the corporate equivalent of a tow-truck. To someone that doesn't understand what a tow-truck does, they might note that they see them at every accident and thus decide the tow-truck is the reason the accident happened.

But as a general rule, it's tough not to despise those that benefit across the board from suffering.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

3. Old news...

... to those of us that enjoy researching. Look and you will find references to Halliburton's Cayman Islands "subsidary" having a fourth floor office in downtown Tehran.

[Supersedeas]

4. there's Professor Condi diplomacy and CEO Cheney diplomacy

Hot Air plus Oil = War for Oil

[LinuxInsurgent]

5. LIARS

Halliburton lied to the American people to protect its nefarious reputation...and now they keep doing business with our "enemies".

Is this not enough to deal a Enron-death blow of credibility destruction on Halliburton?

How is it that Halliburton continues to thrive when Enron went down purely on its lost credibility with shareholders and American citizens?