Contractors Wanted: Who Can Keep their Mouths Shut, Are Open to Travel, No Accounting Skills Needed

from today's Senate Democracy Policy Committee forum on Iraq, chaired by Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota

BARRY HALLEY, FMR. WORLDWIDE NETWORK SERVICES AND CAPE ENVIRONMENTAL EMPLOYEE: It was clear to me that once you knew the right people in Iraq, projects could be created with little emphasis on contract performance.

One example: I knew of a road project that CAPE had been awarded for $7 million. No roads were built or modified. The contracting process that existed at the time was flawed from the beginning, when the RFP was submitted, to the performance of contract oversight.

When I was working at CAPE, I also became aware, even though CAPE was being paid by the U.S. government to provide housing and food for its employees, CAPE employees were signing in and eating at a KBR facility.

This meant that CAPE was being paid by the government to feed its employees, but the employees were eating for free at KBR. KBR was billing the government for three meals a day that it served to the CAPE employees. The government was paying for twice the amount of meals provided.

When I brought up the double-billing to management at CAPE, the employee laughed at my concerns and told me he hoped this would not be noticed.

My numerous complaints to CAPE management about the operations in Iraq finally came to a head in August 2004. As I tried to leave my room on a Friday night, I encountered an armed guard outside my door, who told me to remain in my room.

I woke up on a Saturday morning and saw... armed security personnel standing in my room, pointing their weapons at me.

I was held until Monday morning, given a letter from the construction manager at CAPE ordering me to return to the U.S. immediately. I was attacked and beaten. A good friend of mine rescued me with his armed security guards.

While I was planning my return to the United States, I received death threats, picture of my family -- I received a picture of my family, which I took to be a threat against my family.

Since my return to the United States, I've suffered serious medical problems as a result of the beating. And my medicals have not been paid by the insurance company.

There are very tight connections between many people in Iraq, as it was my experience that the contractors protect each other in Iraq.

The lack of oversight that allowed waste and fraud to run rampant in Iraq -- and it's true that Iraq is referred to as the Wild West, and that's for good reason. Anything seems to go in Iraq, and most are powerless to prevent it.