Stars & Stripes letter: “KBR = Keeping Bush Rich”

The following letter writer, a contractor in Kuwait, is critical of those critical of contractors, like those who work for Kellogg, Brown and Root. I'd never heard of the “KBR = Keeping Bush Rich” slam, so I assume it's written on latrine doors in Kuwait and beyond, scrawled among the graffiti found on US bases in Iraq as reported by Stripes several months ago:

Here I sit, cheeks a-flexin'
'Bout to make another Texan

The truth is getting out.

*********************

Criticism not productive

I’ve read and heard on more than one occasion remarks directed at contractors in the Mideast that border on derogatory in nature without proper context, balance or without any effort to figure out what the real story is. These sorts of things tend to feed wider falsely held perceptions and outright mischaracterizations.

For instance, here at Camp Buehring, I overheard a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel (someone who you’d think might have better judgment?) say that the reason one works for a contractor in the Mideast is because they weren’t qualified to work anywhere else.

This is completely and totally ignorant of reality. There are plenty of us who have served long, honorable, notable careers in the active U.S. military who are now retired. I served 22 years.

There exists any number of motivations for choosing to work here, from financial and love of travel, to the patriotic, but working in this environment is strictly voluntary. Many have made deliberate choices (and sacrifices) to assist our U.S. military brethren, to contribute to the cause in some way, and a great number of contractors have died alongside soldiers. Most contractors take great pride in achieving the goal of providing world-class support to the U.S. and allied forces.

Legitimate criticism is warranted. Remarks such as the one above, or such things as “KBR = Keeping Bush Rich” are not productive nor connected to reality, and only serve to illustrate the ignorance and intellectual dishonesty so prevalent in today’s dialogue.

John Gamash
Camp Buehring, Kuwait

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=36074

I went to a panel discussion last week on privatizing America's foreign policy. Two of the speakers were a pair of documentary film makers who made a PBS Frontline film "Private Warriors" They said there's a lot of resentment and friction between soldiers and the private contractors.

Here's dialogue between two branches, back in the hot summer of 2004:

One Marine wrote, “U.S.M.C. — time to take over the mission. Sorry Army, you suck.”

A soldier replied, “Be my guest you loser, Take this job, so I can go home.”

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=140&article=26275&archive=true

but he offered nothing of substance to refute the claims that Iraq is nothing but a boondoggle waged to engineer maximum war-profiteering. More flag-waving nonsense.

I've excerpted comments from a July 11, 2004 Stripes article on the graffiti topic:

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=140&article=26275&archive=true

Another soldier wrote his rant on the war, spelling out ideas of hidden business interests behind the reasons the government gave for invading Iraq.

“The $150 billion could have been used for our own country — on poverty, job creation, the deficit, energy research and education. The list is endless. You may think I’m anti-American, but you’re wrong. I’m an American patriot questioning our government. America will be heard and wash its hands of this war, and realize it was all in the name of money and oil.”

<cut>

Something as deep as “Patriotism is asking the question why, and demanding the answer,” is followed by “Steal from AAFES, it’s easy!”

<cut>

But heartfelt sentiments often met crass responses.

“Why did my fellow Marines die over here? When I think about it, there is really no pressing threat coming from Iraq.”

The answer: “Because George Bush asked them to die and they were dumb enough to do it. It’s our job, get over it.”

Wow, simply fucking, wow.

My favorite is when a military friend told me that MREs stood for "Meals Rejected by Ethiopians". This contractor has to learn how to take some ribbing. Even WHEN it's connected to reality. As "KBR" is.