Lynn C. Woolsey: “in their public speeches about the war in Iraq, President Bush and Vice President Cheney often invoke the notion of…”

“in their public speeches about the war in Iraq, President Bush and Vice President Cheney often invoke the notion of sacrifice and responsibility. They insist that every American support their war in Iraq, and those that do not are labeled un-American, traitors, even treasonous. According to this model, then, it follows that the White House would encourage patriotic, trustworthy companies to carry out the reconstruction of Iraq's war-torn infrastructure, their schools and hospitals, public buildings, roads and more. But that is just not happening. Halliburton, which has been awarded reconstruction contracts left and right, does not seem terribly motivated by Bush and Cheney's notion of sacrifice and responsibility. Perhaps all those no-bid contracts have gone to their heads, or perhaps Halliburton is still reeling from the fumes of the millions of gallons of gasoline it has been contracted to import into Iraq, one of many hefty contracts specifically coordinated by Dick Cheney's office. You may recall that Vice President Cheney is the former CEO of Halliburton. The problem is that, once again, the Vice President has lied to the American people about his involvement with his old employer, an employer that still pays him nearly $200,000 each year in deferred salary and with whom he holds nearly 500,000 company shares.”