Losing my Republicanism

The genesis of this blog began last fall when I readthe Rolling Stone article about Dick Cheney. I was curious because I really didn't know too much about the man besides his work with Halliburton and his dossier as VP the last four years.

In this article, two things that struck me, with a vengeance. Firstly, during Cheney's tenure at Halliburton, the company did business with Saddam Hussein; Muammar el-Qaddafi and the ayatollah of Iran. Secondly, Cheney being on the same ticket as Bush was unConstitutional because they both LIVED in Texas when they ran.

Even though I haven't been registered as a Republican for about 6 years, I felt completely betrayed. I felt rage. I felt like crying.

It so happened that I had lunch that day with my father. He saw I was upset and I told him why. Now, my father and I disagree on politics. He's a diehard Republican who detests "that scum-bag Michael Moore". I was always a liberal Republican. Today, I am a moderate, liberal, progressive, independent. (Meaning I'm not happy with the Democrats either). My dad's reaction was unconcerned and he replied to my anguish, "Well, American companies did business with Japanese before WWII."

However, this wasn't before the war. This was after the 1990 "Gulf War", and, after the UN and United States laws against doing business with Iraq or Iraqi companies. Not only that but Cheney has never served in the armed forces (unlike my father, who's a 1960s-era army veteran). Between 1963 and 1966, Cheney received five deferments. The only time he's ever deigned to answer a question in the media about why he didn't serve he said, "I had other priorities."

After work, I did some research about Halliburton's business dealings under Cheney. (I'll do a separate blog on the UnConstitutional comment made in the Rolling Stone article).

What I found inspired me to write a letter to the editor of our newspaper. Of course, this was never published. So much for having a liberal media.

This is my letter.

"While campaigning this year [2004], Dick Cheney has been saying that Iraq and Saddam Hussein have ties to terrorists, both Al-Quaida and to 9/11 hijackers. However, before he became vice president, Cheney had no compunction about doing business with Saddam Hussein or other alleged terrorist regimes.

As CEO of Halliburton (1995-2000), Cheney had contracts with Iraq, Libya and Iran. Never mind the fact that President Reagan imposed an embargo against Libya in 1986 because of alleged ties to terrorists. Never mind the UN imposed sanctions on Iraq beginning in 1990. Never mind that in March 1995, President Clinton signed an executive order that prohibits "new investments (in Iran) by U.S. persons, including commitment of funds or other assets." That same executive order also restricts U.S. companies from performing services "that would benefit the Iranian oil industry. Violation of the order can result in fines of as much as $500,000 for companies and up to 10 years in jail for individuals."

Undeterred, Cheney urged Congress in 1996 to ease sanctions against Iran. During a trip to the Middle East in that same year, he also told some U.S. businessmen that Congress should ease sanctions in Iran and Libya to foster better relationships with those countries.

Halliburton directly violated US and UN sanctions by doing business with Iraq, Iran and Libya. Not only did Cheney profit from these deals, he may also have inadvertently funded terrorist activities and helped those countries develop weapons of mass destruction by selling Iraq and Libya oil equipment that can be used for developing nuclear weapons.

After Bush and Cheney were sworn into office in 2001, their administration decided it would not punish oil and gas companies that invest in Iran or other countries suspected of sponsoring terrorism, including Syria and Libya. How convenient.

We the people need to look beyond the rhetoric and look objectively at the actions of our president and vice president. Where do their loyalties lie? What master do they really serve? Do they really have the best interests of the American people in mind? "

Here are some links to information regarding Cheney and his dealing Iraq, Iran and Libya (these were my sources).

Misc. Dick Cheney and Halliburton links from Mass and indy media outlets

"The Nation" article "Cheney's Lamest Excuse Yet"

The above article makes more excellent points regarding Cheney's time at Halliburton. "Halliburton, the top oil services corporation in the U.S., filled its coffers with Iraqi money during the heyday of the Oil for Food program. When Cheney's was Halliburton's CEO, the company did not collect vouchers; rather, its subsidiaries took advantage of the opening created by the "Oil-for-Food" program to cut deals with Saddam Hussein's government that allowed it to take money directly from Iraq. During 1998 and 1999, Halliburton's Dresser Rand and Ingersoll Dresser Pump subsidiaries signed contracts to provide roughly $73 million in oil production equipment and spare parts to Iraq.

The services provided by Halliburton's subsidiaries during the period when Cheney was chairman and chief executive officer of the Dallas-based company helped rebuild Iraq's oil production and distribution infrastructure. That work, which got Iraqi oil flowing, was, of course, necessary for the implementation of the "Oil-for-Food" program -- and, presumably for the abuses about which Cheney is now so concerned.

Under Cheney's leadership, the contracts obtained by Halliburton subsidiaries were among the most substantial awarded any U.S. firm doing business with Saddam Hussein. But they were not as ambitious as the company would have liked. A scheme to have Halliburton subsidiaries repair an Iraqi oil terminal that had been destroyed during the 1991 Gulf War was blocked by the U.S. government because it was determined to violate the sanctions regime.

Might Cheney have been unaware of the Halliburton Iraq tie -- as he tried to claim in one 2000 interview? Not likely. James Perrella, former chairman of Ingersoll Rand told the Washington Post that based on his knowledge of how Halliburton and its subsidiaries worked, Cheney had to have known. "Oh, definitely," Perrella said of Cheney, "he was aware of the business." "

Those aren't the only reasons to distrust Dick Cheney.

While serving as a Republican from Wyoming on Capitol Hill, Cheney combined what the Rolling Stone article called "a moderate demeanor with a radical agenda." His congressional voting record includes:

In 1986, he was one of only twenty-one members of the House to oppose the Safe Drinking Water Act.

He fought efforts to clean up hazardous waste and backed tax breaks for energy corporations. (Hmmm, after the last four years and secret energy commissions this isn't too surprising.)

He repeatedly voted against funding for the Veterans Administration. (So who really supports the troops?)

He opposed extending the Civil Rights Act.

He opposed the release of Nelson Mandela from jail in South Africa.

He voted for cop-killer bullets.

When appointed to head the Defense Department under President Bush Senior, Cheney pushed to turn many military duties over to private companies and began moving "defense intellectuals" with no military experience into key posts at the Pentagon. People like Paul Wolfowitz, who later masterminded much of the strategy that George W. Bush has pursued in Iraq. As VP in the current administration he undercut the position of Colin Powell, one of the Republican's I respect.

Can anyone explain to me why any Veterans, that is - those with actual military experience, support these people?

Especially since we went to "war with the Army we have, not the Army you might want or wish to have" (Thanks Mr. Rumsfeld!) and don't give our troops the weaponry or armament that they might need. Then by cutting veteran's benefits and then later, by saying "mission accomplished" and cutting veteran's wages back down to peace-time wages.

Cheney isn't the only one who's profiting from the administration's current Iraq war. A recent article in the LA Times acknowledges that a member of the Bush family also has profited from work in Iraq.

"The Iraq ( news -web sites ) war helped bring record earnings to St. Louis-based defense contractor Engineered Support Systems Inc., and new financial data show that the firm's war-related profits have trickled down to a familiar family name — Bush.

William H.T. "Bucky" Bush, uncle of the president and youngest brother of former President George H.W. Bush, cashed in ESSI stock options last month with a net value of nearly half a million dollars.

"Uncle Bucky," as he is known to the president, is on the board of the company, which supplies armor and other materials to U.S. troops. The company's stock prices have soared to record heights since before the invasion, benefiting in part from contracts to rapidly refit fleets of military vehicles with extra armor.

William Bush exercised options on 8,438 shares of company stock Jan. 18, according to reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ( news -web sites ). He acknowledged in an interview that the transaction was worth about $450,000. "

Another part of the same article says, "William Bush was named to the board of ESSI in 2000, eight months before his nephew was elected president of the United States.

In an interview Tuesday, the uncle said he decided to cash in the options because they would soon expire.

"The deadline was coming up, and we put in a bid on a house in Florida," William Bush said. He said he declared in advance to the company president his intentions to exercise those options.

Asked whether he was troubled by the fact that the company had earned significant revenue from the military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan ( news -web sites ), the president's uncle said he would "prefer there was no business in Iraq. Unfortunately, we live in a troubled world." ..."

It's ironic that in my Bible reading today, I read this passage, Mark 7: 6-7: "Well, hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."