Posted on Tue, Sep. 30, 2003

New firm with Bush ties consults on Iraq business

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - A company that was created to help clients take advantage of business opportunities in Iraq is made up of businessmen associated with President Bush, his family and his administration.

The connections drew criticism Tuesday from Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, who called for an independent oversight board to ensure that Iraq reconstruction money is doled out fairly.

New Bridge Strategies, on its Web site, says it will "seek to expedite the creation of free and fair markets and new economic growth in Iraq, consistent with the policies of the Bush administration."

The firm is headed by Joe Allbaugh, Bush's campaign manager in 2000 and director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency until March. Other directors include Edward Rogers Jr., vice chairman, and Lanny Griffith. Both were assistants to the first President Bush and now are closely linked to the White House.

"This is an administration of the insiders, by the insiders and for the insiders. This is just further evidence of it," Edwards, a senator from North Carolina, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Vice President Cheney's Halliburton has more than billion in Iraq reconstruction contracts and we now find out that Bush's campaign manager, Joe Allbaugh, who just left government, has set up a business to procure business contracts on Iraq."

New Bridge President John Howland said in a story published in Tuesday's editions of The New York Times that the company did not intend to seek any U.S. government contracts itself, but might be a middleman to advise other companies that seek taxpayer-financed business. The main focus would be to advise companies that seek opportunities in the private sector in Iraq, including licenses to market products there.

The company's existence was first reported in The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress.

Howland said the company was not trying to promote its political connections. He said that although Allbaugh, for example, had spent most of his career "in the political arena, there's a lot of cross-pollination between that world and the one that exists in Iraq today."

Bush is seeking congressional approval for .3 billion to rebuild Iraq, part of an billion package for military and other needs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As part of the administration's postwar work in Iraq, the government has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to American businesses.

Administration officials have said all future contracts will be issued only as a result of competitive bidding.

New Bridge Strategies was created in May and recently began full-fledged operations, including opening an office in Iraq, the Times said.

ON THE NET

New Bridge Strategies: http://www.newbridgestrategies.com

Iraq investors told: you've got to have friends

By Douglas Jehl in Washington

October 1, 2003



A group of businessmen linked by their close ties to President George Bush, his family and his administration have set up a consulting firm to advise companies that want to do business in Iraq.

New Bridge Strategies is headed by Joe Allbaugh, Mr Bush's campaign manager in 2000 and the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency until March. Other directors include Edward Rogers and Lanny Griffith, lobbyists who were assistants to president George Bush snr and now have close ties to the White House.

At a time when the Administration is seeking congressional approval for $US20.3 billion ( billion) to rebuild Iraq, part of an $US87 billion package for military and other spending in Iraq and Afghanistan, the company's website says: "The opportunities evolving in Iraq today are of such an unprecedented nature and scope that no other existing firm has the necessary skills and experience to be effective both in Washington, DC, and on the ground in Iraq."

The site calls attention to the links between the firm's directors and the current and previous Bush administrations.

The president of the company, John Howland, said it did not intend to seek any US government contracts itself, but might be a middleman to advise other companies that seek taxpayer-financed business.

The main focus, Mr Howland said, would be to advise companies that sought opportunities in the private sector in Iraq, including licences to market products there. The existence of the firm was first reported in The Hill, a congressional newspaper.

Mr Howland said the company was not trying to promote its political connections. He said that although Mr Allbaugh, for example, had spent most of his career "in the political arena, there's a lot of cross-pollination between that world and the one that exists in Iraq today".

As part of the Administration's postwar work in Iraq, the Government has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to US businesses. Those awards, some issued without competitive bidding, have included more than $US500 million for troop support and extinguishing oil field fires to Kellogg, Brown & Root, a subsidiary of Halliburton, which was headed by Dick Cheney from 1995 until 2000, when he left to seek the vice-presidency.

Administration officials, including Paul Bremer, the top US official in Iraq, have said that all future contracts will be issued only as a result of competitive bidding.

The New York Times



This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/30/1064819931257.html