<p>Okay Laura Bush asked for help. I am very glad. Seriouslly.</p>
<p>But have I missed Cheney? What is his role going to be? He is VP, and he should be going through the south where the President can’t.</p>
<p>You can imagine I don’t like the man much, but, even I think he should be visible, going into the hurricane area, giving support</p>
<p>Maybe he is, but I haven’t seen it, maybe I missed something</p>
<p>cgm…careful…the spelling in your title might attract the …Grammar Nazis…might want to edit that ;)</p>
<p>I was hoping you had the answer, and I did correct it</p>
<p>Thanks ;)</p>
<p>According to one news reporta few days ago, he has been on vacation in Wyoming and was due back in Washington shortly.</p>
<p>If not on vacation I presume he’s at Haliburton headquarters helping them to draft the no bid contracts for rebuilding the Gulf Coast.</p>
<p>ARGGGGhhhh… I can’t take it anymore</p>
<p>At least we know Halliburton is fair and isn’t in it for money…</p>
<p>Sigh</p>
<p>They already got a contract</p>
<p>They have done SO well in Iraq, can’t wait for here</p>
<p>Vice President Cheney was planning on visiting Canada regarding sources of oil production. It seems that all the people who complain about the high gas prices won’t let us drill in ANWAR where there are vast oil reserves. So the VP has to go to Canada to see if they can increase their production. He cancelled his trip due to the Hurricane.
<a href=“http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050904.wcheney4/BNStory/International/[/url]”>http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050904.wcheney4/BNStory/International/</a></p>
<p>Why isn’t someone checking on oil prices here? That would be helpful</p>
<p>We talk all about looters, but look at gas prices…that should be his job as well</p>
<p>Canadians favour nationalizing gas resources, companies: poll</p>
<p>MONTREAL (CP) - Almost half of Canadians wanted to see petroleum resources and oil companies nationalized as fuel prices hit record levels, a new poll suggests.</p>
<p>Is that why he was going? Just wondering.</p>
<p>Nice catch, razorsharp. I think some people here need to get their news from sources other than the NYT or the Democratic Underground.</p>
<p>I knew he was going to Canada. And I knew why. And I knew that last week. It was interesting, cause that was really all I could find out. </p>
<p>But when a disastor happens, wanted to know where he was. When did he stop his vacation…</p>
<p>By RENATO GANDIA
Today staff
Wednesday August 31, 2005
Fort McMurray Today<em></em>The White House confirmed Tuesday afternoon that American Vice-President Dick Cheney is coming to visit Fort McMurrays oilsands on Sept. 9.
The vice-presidents visit to Fort McMurrays oilsands facilities will be a component of the trip, which will provide the opportunity to discuss energy security and available resources, White House spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride, told Today Tuesday.
A day before coming to the Fort McMurray region, Cheney will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan in Calgary.
They will discuss a number of issues that are important to our countries, including our strong relationship, McBride said.
The spokeswoman declined to comment on what specific issues will be discussed by Cheney and McLellan.
Alex Swann, spokesman for McLellan, said when the deputy minister invited the vice-president last year she asked not simply to visit Canada but Alberta and the oilsands.
So energy is going to be the focus of the discussion of the whole visit. Naturally, because of (McLellans) role as the minister of national security, she will update him on what Canada is doing to help secure North America. Given the current situation she will be raising the softwood issue, Swann said.
Michael Walker, executive director of Fraser Institute, told Today Cheneys visit all started as a private trip to visit friends.
Its a private trip and then I suggested that he visit the tarsands, Walker said.
The government got hold of the information and made a public event out of the visit, he said.
Walker will hold a private banquet for the Cheney on Sept. 8 but he declined to comment about its details.
Its a very private function. The media had made a bunch of speculations about it but I havent talked about it with them. So Im not confirming or denying anything, said Walker.
He confirmed however that Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell are among the invited guests to the banquet.
Walker also said he and Cheney fished together, before Cheney became the vice-president, and that they share a lot of interests.
– rgandia@fortmcmurraytoday</p>
<p>CGM, how about giving this type of posting a rest? </p>
<p>By now we all know you do not like Cheney -to say it mildly. However, the posts about Cheney and Halliburton are getting tiring and annoying. </p>
<p>First, you ought to do a modicum of research and check facts. The issues of no-bid contracts for Halliburton and KBR are very old news. Your comments about how well Halliburton is doing in Iraq are simply dumb. Check the company balance sheet and tell us how profitable those contracts truly are. Then realize that our government does not DO much itself and desperately needs supoprt from the provate sector. Do you know many companies that provide the type of specialized services KBR does? </p>
<p>Since you see to enjoy reporting the botched job of our government officials in Louisiana, you may start to realize the extent of the plight of Halliburton in Iraq. Having to deal with the government and thw military does not seem to be that great of a gift. Their employees and subcontractors are not exactly enjoying a posh job and frequent visits on the beach. </p>
<p>So, what about giving it a rest and quit posting the same “information” on multiple threads.</p>
<p>xiggi:</p>
<p>Your loyalty to an incompetent president and incompetent administration is admirable. Care to explain why Bush has to run to Clinton every time he is in trouble?</p>
<p>Sheesh…I did not vote for Bush…but seriouly, he is not “running” to Clinton, he is using the best names/faces to raise money for the victims.</p>
<p>"Check the company balance sheet and tell us how profitable those contracts truly are. "</p>
<p>This is a new one. I didn’t realize financial reporting policies are putting Helliburton’s (spelling deliberate) contracts on their balance sheet. </p>
<p>Truthfully, anyone who knows accounting would know how little you can learn about the finances of specific contracts. Nonetheless, the footnotes are sometimes informative. In the case of Halliburton, we can learn from the footnotes the following:</p>
<p>"The Balkans
We have had inquiries in the past by the DCAA and the civil fraud division of the United States Department of Justice into possible overcharges for work performed during 1996 through 2000 under a contract in the Balkans, for which inquiry has not yet been completed by the Department of Justice. "</p>
<p>“Nigerian joint venture and investigations
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is conducting a formal investigation into payments made in connection with the construction and subsequent expansion by TSKJ of a multibillion dollar natural gas liquefaction complex and related facilities at Bonny Island in Rivers State, Nigeria. The United States Department of Justice is also conducting an investigation. TSKJ is a private limited liability company registered in Madeira, Portugal whose members are Technip SA of France, Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V., which is an affiliate of ENI SpA of Italy, JGC Corporation of Japan, and Kellogg Brown & Root, each of which owns 25% of the venture.
The SEC and the Department of Justice have been reviewing these matters in light of the requirements of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). We have produced documents to the SEC both voluntarily and pursuant to subpoenas, and we are making our employees available to the SEC for testimony. In addition, we understand that the SEC has issued a subpoena to A. Jack Stanley, who most recently served as a consultant and chairman of Kellogg Brown & Root, and to other current and former Kellogg Brown & Root employees. We further understand that the Department of Justice has invoked its authority under a sitting grand jury to obtain letters rogatory for the purpose of obtaining information abroad.”</p>
<p>There’s a LOT more stuff like this, and this is only in a quarterly report.</p>
<p>Gee Xiggi, great bunch of folks you’re defending.</p>
<p>Simba, nice to read your post. From all our past discussions, you may remember that I am mostly trying to identify the bigger picture through a series of anecdoctes. As everyone, I do let my own individual bias often get the better of me. I am, however, not on a crusade to defend George Bush through thick and thin. While I applaud when is administration does not shun away from tackling very challenges, I can not look beyond the arrogance and ineptitude. While I do not think it would have done amy good, I wish that Dubya had left Crawford last Friday and hit Florida a few hours after the storm hit, and then followed its path through the coastal area. I wish he would have been the take-care guy we all hope for. But, it was not to be.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the “where is Cheney” posts are malicious. I responded to the first one with an attempt at humor. However, by the sixth or seven similar one, the OP could safely assume we DID get the message. As far as Halliburton and KBR, the rehashing of Cheney’s former affiliation does not serve much purpose. Trying to find a cynical link behind every contract is getting silly. KBR has been a provider of services for the longest time -just check Kosovo under Clinton. Even if the government contracts might help solidify Cheney’s pension plan, it remains that the company is a lot more than its former chairman. There are thousands of people who work for the company, and many work under atrocious conditions. Next to the slain soldiers in Iraq, there are many civilians who went to Iraq because it was their job. Without the civilians, the army could not function. The constant bashing of their efforts in supporting the plans of the United States is mostly undeserved. I am quite certain that the employees of Halliburton are there for two reasons: one is to earn a living and the second is to help our country. </p>
<p>While the bashing posts are meant to discredit Bush and his cabinet members, defending the role of Halliburton and its employees is not about about Bush.</p>
<p>Some parts of the world do business just a little bit differently than the good ole USA. Nigeria would certainly be near the top of any such list. If we don’t do business with them either another major country will or these countries will lose some valuable modernization and development.</p>
<p>NMD, would you be kind enough to give your opinion or insights in the way large infrastructure projects are created and developed throughout the world? </p>
<p>It is one thing for the United States to decry the bribing of officials and make it illegal, and it is quite different to see it stopped. Not every country in the world has stringent laws to ban the insidious practices. I am sure that the Eximbank, the USTDA, and our Department of Commerce could fill a couple of a good size libraries with stories about failed efforts to win international infrastructure contracts; and the main common denominator is the impact of bribes and payoffs. </p>
<p>FWIW, the UN report of the Food-for-Oil program is due to be released tomorrow. It should be another eye-opener in international intrigue. Can we assume that Washington will again surface as an innocent and naive participant, especially when compared to Geneva, Paris, Berlin, and Moscow?</p>
<p>This reminds me of an episode. My brother had an acquaintance at Schlumberger, the French oil company, who got fired. His crime? Helping himself to monies that had been earmarked for bribing officials in the Middle East. ;)</p>