Lounsbury: Iraq: Mobile Phone III

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December 24, 2003

Iraq: Mobile Phone III

Well, I just caught this report from two days ago (22 Dec) in FT.

Iraq approves mobile licences despite probe
By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington and Arkady Ostrovsky in Moscow
Published: December 22 2003 20:19 | Last Updated: December 22 2003 20:19
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1071251728695&p=1012571727172

To quote in extenso for the non-subscribers:
The Iraqi ministry of communications on Monday approved licences to roll out mobile phone services despite a US government investigation into the awarding of the contracts. A Department of Defense spokesman said another branch of the US government had launched a full investigation into the bidding process for the licences won by three Middle Eastern consortia: Orascom Iraq, Asia Cell and Atheer.

Justice, my dears, Justice.

Orascom stinks to high heaven, as I noted prior, Orascom, an effectively insolvent entity should never have gotten into a bid, let alone won one as the lead.

Well, told you all first.

A government official close to the Coalition Provisional Authority, the US occupying administration in Iraq, last week told the Financial Times that this investigation could lead to criminal charges being brought.

My, my Justice is going to be very busy in this region, with my deal, this affaire. Wonder if they need a consultant on this (hah.)?

.....
"The FT reported last month that the Pentagon inspector-general was undertaking a preliminary inquiry into the mobile phone deals. This followed allegations that CPA officials and the Iraqi minister of communications had received kickbacks.

Haider al-Abadi, Iraq's communications minister, signed the two-year licences on Monday after three months of wrangling over the details. Mr Abadi said the signing of the licences proved there was no corruption. The CPA and Mr Abadi have denied any wrongdoing.

The signing proved there is no corruption? Well, in the fairy tale land where the pre-fooled suck up every piece of shit the DoD serves on a plate for them, that might fly.

The inspector-general has also referred the matter to an allied government.

GB.

The White House is also understood to be concerned about the actions of Mr Abadi who several government officials say was responsible for the delay in approving the licences, which were announced in October.

Surprise....

The investigation comes as the Pentagon investigates charges that Halliburton, the Houston-based oil services company, overcharged the US government for fuel imports into Iraq. The CPA has also delayed the bidding process for $18.6bn (?15bn) in contracts to rebuild Iraq.

In other matters, on horse trading.
Mr Putin said on Monday that the investment by Russian companies in Iraq could reach $4bn - a figure that coincides with the size of Lukoil's planned investment in the western Qurna oil field signed under the previous government of Saddam Hussein. In exchange, Mr Putin appears to have offered to write off 65 per cent of Iraq's $8bn debt.

Not much of a climb down, 65 percent, so it looks like CPA-Iraq is learning to cave a bit even if the morons back home are trying to idiotically ban companies not from the
coalition of the terminally gullible, and the terminally bribable. Morons' game, where politics rather than good economic and business sense drives decision making. And of course the droolingly stupid among the pre-fooled squeel on about patriotism.

December 24, 2003

Iraq: Mobile Phone III

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