GOP lobbyists hope their ties pay off in Iraq

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Pigs at the trough

By Thomas B. Edsall and Juliet Eilperin
The Washington Post


WASHINGTON — Some of Washington's top Republican lobbyists are counting on ties to the Bush administration, the congressional leadership and the Iraqi provisional government to turn the embattled country into a major new profit center.

"It's like a huge pot of honey that's attracting a lot of flies," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

The opportunities — and risks — of doing business in Iraq are far more varied than in traditional Washington lobbying. One alliance of Republican lobbyists, New Bridge Strategies, whose interest in Iraq has earned considerable attention because of its close ties to the Bush administration, is gearing up to seek distribution rights for major U.S. companies producing everything from grain to auto parts to shampoo.

-more-

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001758316_iraqgop04.html

[lovedems]

1. It's the expansion of "Crony Capitalism"

My heart goes out to those poor people of Iraq. They are being restructured via corporate greed. We all know that when corporate greed takes over, the little guy doesn't matter. It will be interesting to see how many of Bushco.s "friends" are taken care of and make money off the ridiculous war. There must have been more to it than oil!

[Cappurr]

2. Its fine to feel bad for the people of Iraq

But what about the people of the US? We are the ones paying so Bechtel and its ilk can make billions of dollars. There has got to be something that can be done about this outrageous rip off of taxpayers.

[Gman]

3. This, my friends, is what this whole thing is all about

The right to have exclusive distribution rights in a nation that has unlimited wealth from oil. The price for such rights is how much money you give to the RNC, the C(RE)EP, the RCCC and the RSCC.