US May Allow French Firms to Bid on Iraq Contracts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is leaning toward reversing policy and allowing French firms to bid for prime contracts on some of $18.6 billion in reconstruction projects for Iraq (news - web sites), U.S. officials said on Thursday.

The Bush administration was also considering allowing all countries to bid on the next round of contracts, one official said, a move that would totally abandon President Bush (news - web sites)'s previous stand that only nations whose troops risked their lives in Iraq with American soldiers would be eligible.

U.S. officials, who asked not to be named, said they did not expect a decision or announcement about French firms for several weeks, adding that something could derail the emerging consensus within the administration.

(snip)

Bush effectively punished war opponents like Canada, France, Germany and Russia a month ago by banning them from bidding on the lucrative reconstruction projects. He said he was restricting contract bids to countries that risked lives in Iraq and "that's what the U.S. taxpayers expect."

U.S. officials have since privately acknowledged that the decision to bar some countries from the contracts was a public relations disaster and a self-inflicted wound and they have been looking for a way to repair the diplomatic damage.

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&e=2&u=/nm/20040116/wl_nm/iraq_usa_contracts_dc

Halliburton subcontracted Siemens from Germany, and now the French will get to roll out for some quid pro quos.

(via every possible neocon in existence) that only war support would equate to contracts...

I still hold a small option on "bait and switch" though. Tenders will require a real quick turn around (I've heard 30 days?) so unless countries have offers ready to go...ooops, you missed the deadline.

that's my bet