War To Continue As Planned

Rumsfeld told the world that the "insurgency" in Iraq would probably last another 10 years. It is clear from other news that the Bush administration is planning to continue just as they started. Concerns about civil rights, human rights, or international law mean nothing apparently. Congressional and public appeals to close Guantanamo mean nothing. Not only that, the same "players" are getting the benefits of doing more of what we are doing.

Kim Sengupta of the Independent UK (6/27/05) notes that Abu Ghraib expanded as violence sweeps Iraq. He notes that there are almost twice as many prisoners being held in Iraq now (10,783), than there were last June (5,435). But Abu Ghraib is not the only facility being expanded.

Halliburton has received a new contract worth $30 million to expand Guantanamo. If all of the "options are exercised," the total contract at Guantanamo for Halliburton is $500 million. What exactly are they planning at Guantanamo that could take another half a billion dollars in construction? Perhaps Bush thinks that is a bargain since the new U.S. embassy in Iraq is projected to cost $1.5 billion.

This is not the first, nor likely the last Guantanamo contract for Halliburton. In 2000, Halliburton got a $58 million contract for Guantanamo that became a >$84 million by 2004. Guantanamo is becoming a much of a cash cow for Halliburton as Iraq is.

Supposedly, the number of detainees held at Guantanamo are going down. What is the purpose of expanding the facility at a cost of $500 billion?