One of the truly disgraceful media fixations since America invaded Iraq five years ago has been to blame all the world's problems on energy contractor Halliburton while making it clear that Vice President Dick Cheney used to be its Chief Executive Officer.
Despite it being almost eight years since Cheney resigned his position with the contracting giant and sold all of his stock, Halliburton-obsessed press members continue to implicate the Vice President in any bad news concerning his former company.
On Sunday, the Associated Press made such a nefarious connection in the very first paragraph of its article concerning water problems in Iraq (h/t NBer FastEd):
Dozens of U.S. troops in Iraq fell sick at bases using "unmonitored and potentially unsafe" water supplied by the military and a contractor once owned by Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, the Pentagon's internal watchdog says.
Notice something interesting? In this instance, not only was Cheney being tied to a company he no longer works for or has stock in, but the entity that supplied the water in question is no longer owned by Halliburton.
Although the AP alluded to this fact, it never specifically informed readers that Halliburton fully divested itself from KBR almost exactly a year ago, as reported by Bloomberg February 27, 2007:
Halliburton, the oil field services provider, said yesterday that it would complete its separation from KBR Inc. by offering current stockholders the remaining 81 percent stake in KBR, its former subsidiary.
Regardless of the fact that the Vice President no longer owns any stock in Halliburton, and Halliburton no longer owns KBR, the AP continued to pound this connection:
Halliburton is the oil services conglomerate that Cheney once led. Congressional Democrats long have complained that KBR has benefited from its former ties to Cheney.
As one can plainly see, media members love to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon when it comes to Vice President Cheney and Halliburton.
Photo illustration via CBSNews.com.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
















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In Other Shocking News
March 9, 2008 - 14:03 ET by allanfIn other shocking news, reports say that AP Reporter LARRY MARGASAK, was withing 100 miles of a child rapist. He denies any connection to the crime or to child pornography.
Adding to growning suspicion, LARRY MARGASAK has not returned Newsbusters calls.
Well they have it on the
March 9, 2008 - 14:10 ET by motherbeltWell they have it on the word of a contractor in Iraq, whose brother-in-law is married to the cousin of a guy whose secretary's son has a girlfriend whose father's boss used to work for Halliburton, back when Cheney had stock in the company....
Well, its a comforting template that they hold on to, like a teddy bear...anything goes wrong, just yell Cheney!! Halliburton!!
Yeah, AP, whatever gets you through the night....
And the AP also had this to
March 9, 2008 - 21:30 ET by true_texanAnd the AP also had this to report:
"My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious."
af, mb, tt... You all
March 9, 2008 - 21:35 ET by bigtimeraf, mb, tt...
You all have me ROFLMAO!
Good job....you about said it all.
mb -
March 9, 2008 - 23:33 ET by drillanwrWell, its a comforting template that they hold on to, like a teddy bear...anything goes wrong, just yell Cheney!! Halliburton!!
Always reminds me of those scenes in the "Lord Of The Rings" movies where the pitiful creature Smeagol / Gollum would go into verbal, slobber-filled, guttural regurgitations and choking spasms of, "GOLLUM! ... GOLLUM! ... GOLLUM!!!"
When you men get home and face an anti-war protestor, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend because she knows she’s dating a pussy… ~ Attributed to General Tommy Franks
This feeds the conspiratists
March 10, 2008 - 12:47 ET by mattmEver wonder why so many people can believe things like 9/11 was a Bush plot, and that he lied about WMD, and this and that and the other thing...all without the least bit of proof?
It's because the Liberal media, and the Democrat Party lend credence to the conspiratists by using accusations of lies and corruption for political gain.
It's not just the Zeitgeist freaks or the Extreme-Left that engages in this crap. It's the mainstream press, like the AP and the Networks, and it's the DNC Leadership and high ranking Democrat politicians, including their two top contenders for the presidency.
This may seem like just an annoying example of bias, but it is insidious and extremely dangerous.
The Chickens Are Coming!
March 9, 2008 - 14:17 ET by rammingspeedPeople are more aware than ever (thanks to entities such as NewsBusters) that the MSM is not only in the tank for democrats, and hates Bush & Cheney et al, but that they're are getting dirtier and even more stupid with their cheap shots.
This is one of the more childish examples, but they all add up.
As Malcolm X once said, "Chickens coming to roost never made me sad, it always made me glad."
What a truly disgraceful
March 9, 2008 - 14:21 ET by Richard RomanoWhat a truly disgraceful tactic -- the AP should be completely ashamed of itself.
Double Standard
March 9, 2008 - 14:34 ET by Del DolemonteA Democrat President named Bill Clinton gave Halliburton no-bid work during his war of choice in Kosovo. The "objective" press yawned.
But that's chump change compared to Democrat President Lyndon Johnson, who climbed into bed with KBR way back in 1936. Until her death last year, his widow was still a Director of the firm.
A Democrat President named
March 9, 2008 - 14:48 ET by motherbeltA Democrat President named Bill Clinton gave Halliburton no-bid work
during his war of choice in Kosovo. The "objective" press yawned.
That's right Del, they had no problem with Halliburton and KBR back then. And even when they started having a fit over it with Bush and Cheney, they never addressed reason why the contract was no-bid... there simply weren't any other companies in the US that had the wherwithal and experience to do the job they wanted done.
The Media
March 9, 2008 - 14:51 ET by StencewThe media....often wrong but never in doubt....no wonder their ratings continue to tank!
Vice President Cheney a Verb and Halliburton
March 9, 2008 - 14:54 ET by third eyeWhen it comes to Foriegn Affairs reporting, the media worked out a formula years ago. It goes like this this; Vice President Cheney, a Verb and Halliburton. Qualify with unfounded inuendo thatll be forgotten about before it can be fact checked, and repeat.
third eye
March 9, 2008 - 15:27 ET by Free Stinkerthird eye - I think you're on to something here.
Good catch! ;-)
Pledge to not support RINOs ever again!
I'll bet you a beer I can!
March 9, 2008 - 19:03 ET by BacchusIt's a game they play now. "Six Degrees of Separation." The game involves finding the links between something and Kevin Bacon,...er, that's something bad and Dick Cheney. Wanna play?
Well let's look at the
March 9, 2008 - 16:00 ET by rbosqueWell let's look at the Clinton body count....
1-James McDougal - Clinton's convicted
Whitewater partner died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary
confinement. He was a key witness in Ken Starr's investigation. 2 -Mary Mahoney
- A former White House intern was murdered July 1997 at a Starbucks Coffee Shop
in Georgetown . The murder happened just after she was to go public with her story of
sexual harassment in the White House. 3-Vince Foster- Former White House
councilor, and colleague of Hillary Clinton at Little Rock 's Rose Law firm.
Died of a gunshot wound to the head, ruled a suicide. 4- Ron Brown - Secretary
of Commerce and former DNC Chairman. Reported to have died by impact in a plane
crash. A pathologist close to the investigation reported that there was a hole
in the top of Brown's skull resembling a gunshot wound. At the time of his
death Brown was being investigated, and spoke publicly of his willingness to
cut a deal with prosecutors. The rest of the people on the plane also died. A
few days later the air Traffic controller committed suicide. [If you care to
learn more, read Ron Brown's Body,-- Brown and his son were shysters of the
first magnitude and the book provides many details Re: why his death was most
propitious for the IB. Those familiar with Air Traffic Control will not be surprised
of the findings/possibilities.] g 5- C. Victor Raiser II- Raiser, a major
player in the Clinton fund raising organization died in a private plane crash in July 1992.
6-Paul Tulley - Democratic National Committee Political Director found dead in
a hotel room in Little Rock , September 1992. Described by Clinton as a "Dear
friend and trusted advisor". 7-Ed Willey - Clinton fund raiser, found
dead November 1993 deep in the woods in VA of a gunshot wound to the head.
Ruled a suicide. Ed Willey died on the same day his wife Kathleen Willey
claimed Bill Clinton groped her in the oval office in the White House. Ed
Willey was involved in several Clinton fund raising events.
8-Jerry Parks -Head of Clinton 's gubernatorial security team in Little Rock . Gunned down in his
car at a deserted intersection outside Little Rock . Park's son said
his father was building a dossier on Clinton He allegedly threatened to reveal
this information. After he died the files were mysteriously removed from his
house.....
Yes there's more. Does that mean Hillary is guilty of murder? According to the left's own logic....yes.
The Media
March 9, 2008 - 18:10 ET by Rebelwont report that fat rat Michael Moore owes stock in Hallibuton and that George Soros also owes stock in Halliburton.they lie about Dick Cheney but cant seem to report about the fat rat and soros.
Never vote for Byrd
Noel, You would love the
March 9, 2008 - 18:27 ET by jcrapes4Noel,
You would love the group of friends I have:) The group think minus me and the Mrs is. The Iraq war was for OIL. Their reasons are quite simple. At the beginning of the war one of our first steps was to secure oil fields, and Bush and Cheney are oilmen. I almost started ww3 by stating I don't believe in conspiracy theories:)
I feel your pain...at lunch
March 9, 2008 - 20:36 ET by Xango AnnieI feel your pain...at lunch today, I had to listen to 3 men at a nearby table..2 were huge libs and the other is a conservative..it was almost too much to bear. the libs said that the consevative is brainswashed and will not look at the facts. hard headed(everything of course, that explains them, perfectly to a tee) yammering on and on about Bush and lying about WMD, him stealing the election, ad nauseum..It so happens that I know where one of them lives, so I am going to compile...a packet of info..and mail it to him..with no return address of course.this is going to drive him nuts..think I will keep it up until after the election..Heh!!!
XA... LMAO! Good for
March 9, 2008 - 21:00 ET by bigtimerXA...
LMAO!
Good for you...You do just that...it will be too funny...poor guy may wake up and smell the coffee or be scared shiteless.
Nice idea,
March 9, 2008 - 22:48 ET by FastEdtry getting some DNC letterhead and make it look like they want him to know the facts but he should continue to lie about it. He will then be anofficial DNC operative!
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
Most computer print
March 9, 2008 - 23:36 ET by drillanwrMost computer print shops/programs do a real nice job of creating letterhead ... I'm thinking paper with a faint watermark ...
Good idea, FastEd!
When you men get home and face an anti-war protestor, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend because she knows she’s dating a pussy… ~ Attributed to General Tommy Franks
This is despicable to the
March 9, 2008 - 18:53 ET by bigtimerThis is despicable to the nth degree...
Implying that it is big bad Cheney's fault for dozens of troops falling ill from contaminated water that has exactly zilch to do with him in any way shape or form is one of the worst examples of printing these evil-minded leftists will go to.
When of when are they going to be held accountable.
Cheney was right when he was referring to Adam Climber(sp) from the NYTs...they are arseholes...with an obvious agenda, unfortunately they count on the people reading this to not know the real facts.
Disgraceful.
Now, AP, run this to be fair!
March 9, 2008 - 21:39 ET by Mica the MagnificentAP - Former president Bill Clinton, who pardoned Marc Rich, the man who evaded $48 million in taxes and was charged with 51 counts of fraud and also ran illegal oil deals during the 1979-1980 hostage crisis, campaigned for his wife early today.
Why am I always asked the first question? - Hillary complaining again, this time at her own press conference.
Let's see if I have this
March 9, 2008 - 22:38 ET by RESTLESS 1Let's see if I have this straight.
Cheney divests himself of Halliburton three years before he could have made any profit from it with regards to the war in Iraq.
Pelosi champions letting HIV sufferers become eligible for medicaid before it turns to full blown AIDS, thus potentially profiting through her investments and her husband's ties to a pharmaceutical company.
I have heard ad nauseum about Cheney's ties to Halliburton, yet the only thing I have seen about Pelosi's conflict of interest is Motherbelt's post earlier today. Shouldn't that be the other way around?
It's like a broken record -
March 10, 2008 - 08:13 ET by YahooWatcherHalliburton, war for oil, tax cuts for the wealthy, Iraq, waterboarding, etc. etc.
I don't even listen any more, I just laugh.
Water problem was caused by the military
March 10, 2008 - 10:16 ET by CobraManJust who's at fault here? I know it's not KBR. The AP states that "It was impossible to link the dirty water definitively to all the illnesses, according to the report." This means that, even after years of repeated testing and studies, the actual cause of the various illnesses are still unknown.
So, who's to blame? The AP admits that the report places blame solely on the military itself and not on KBR when it states that "The report said the event at Ar Ramadi could have been prevented if KBR's reverse osmosis units on the site had been assembled, instead of relying on the military's water production facilities." In other words, this whole situation could have been avoided had the military actually used the equipment provided by the contractor.
The report states that the military didn't follow it's own sanitary standards and didn't treat the wastewater it received from KBR treatment facilities before reusing it, didn't use KBR's filtering equipment even though such equipment was available on base, didn't bother to test it's own water supply prior to use, and quite possibly caused it's own troops to become ill. But who does the AP blame? KBR, Halliburton, and Cheney.
Link
March 11, 2008 - 11:09 ET by CobraManSorry, here's a working link!
Link