UK firm closes Baghdad airport in row over unpaid bills

gatorboy

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Sat Sep-17-05 04:58 PM
Original message

UK firm closes Baghdad airport in row over unpaid bills

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1772817,00.html

The US military intervened to keep Iraqi troops out of Baghdad International Airport today after a British security company grounded civilian flights to force the Iraqi Government to settle six months of unpaid bills.

The London-based Global Strategies Group has looked after security at the airport, Iraq's main link to the outside world, since June 2004, but the $4.5 million-a-month contract it agreed with the now defunct US Coalition Provision Authority has lapsed.

Global closed the airport this morning after lengthy negotiations on the contract failed to produce any payments. Its move infuriated the Government, which said it was sending in troops to take over the airport and get flights moving again.
(snip)

So once again, it has to be asked: Where did the billions sent to Iraq for rebuilding and getting Iraq back on it's feet go?

The Republicans are bickering about spending billions on American hurricane victims, but still have no trouble sending billions more overseas for the "growth of democracy". Yet an Iraqi airport can't afford to stay open.

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GreenPartyVoter

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Sat Sep-17-05 05:03 PM
Response to Original message

1. Yikes

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tocqueville

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Sat Sep-17-05 05:27 PM
Response to Original message

2. September 09, 2005

old news

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mourningdove92

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Sat Sep-17-05 05:30 PM
Response to Original message

3. Baghdad's airport reopens after one-day closure over pay

Baghdad's airport reopens after one-day closure over pay

Baghdad's airport reopens after one-day closure over pay
Click to enlarge photo
BAGHDAD (AFP) - Baghdad International Airport reopened after a one-day closure over a pay dispute between the government and a London-based firm which provides airport security.

The company said it had accepted payment of half of its dues.

"We have reopened the airport ... No one has the authority to shut down the airport," Issmat Amer -- the chief advisor to Transport Minister Salam al-Maliki -- said Saturday.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/10092005/323/baghdad-s-airport-reopens-day-closure-pay.html

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Tom Yossarian Joad

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Sat Sep-17-05 05:32 PM
Response to Original message

4. It's all about the money.

Ain't privatization grand?

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MaineDem

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Sat Sep-17-05 05:32 PM
Response to Original message

5. Again??? (nt)

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