Understanding the Enemy

[Foozle]

"Carlyle pulls out of Iraq debt recovery consortium"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/internatio...327956,00.html

The Carlyle Group, a large investment firm linked to US and British politicians, has pulled out of a scheme to recover billions of dollars from Iraq, following the publication in the Guardian this week of documents detailing the secret proposals of a consortium with which it was involved.

Carlyle published a withdrawal letter yesterday sent to other members of its consortium.

The consortium offered a confidential deal to use its political influence to collect a $27bn (آ£15bn) debt owed by Iraq to Kuwait, despite US pleas for debt forgiveness from other countries.

"Bush special envoy embroiled in controversy over Iraq debt"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story...326037,00.html

"Read the James Baker documents"
These letters accompany our story about Bush special envoy James Baker's controversial role. Click on the links below to read the documents.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/page/...326396,00.html

Gosh, and for a minute there I thought it was all about the greed...

[Jerico]

Scratch my balls and I'll scratch yours, pal...

Top Bush fund-raisers enjoy an array of perks

[When Clinton did this, everyone screamed he was selling the White House. Bush does it, no one even notices. Even the damn article was tucked away in Kentucky paper, even though it was written by an AP journalist. And I personally think Bush's actions are far more nefarious and nepostistic.]

By Sharon Theimer
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON - One-third of President Bush's top 2000 fund-raisers or their spouses were appointed to positions in his first administration, from ambassadorships in Europe to seats on policy-setting boards, an Associated Press review found.

The perks for 246 "pioneers" who raised at least $100,000 also included overnight stays in the White House and at Camp David, parties in the White House and at Bush's Texas ranch, state dinners with world leaders and overseas travel with U.S. delegations to the Olympics and other events, the review found.

Top fund-raisers say the real charm of the rewards was getting the chance to rub elbows with the president.

"All of us in politics, we've done so many parties and receptions, it's old hat to us," said David Miner, a North Carolina textile executive and state lawmaker who helped raise more than $100,000 for Bush in 2000. He was rewarded with invitations to the White House, the vice presidential mansion and Bush's ranch.

"But knowing that here's the commander-in-chief, the most powerful man on the face of the earth, and you have this first-name-basis with him, that's very special," Miner said.

For some, the chance to mingle with the world's power brokers came in the form of diplomatic appointments. At least two dozen of the 2000 pioneers or their spouses became ambassadors, mostly to Europe.

Howard Leach, a California agribusiness investment banker and former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, went to Paris. Lobbyist Peter Terpeluk went to Luxembourg.

At least 57 contributors or their spouses were named to agency positions, advisory or decision-making committees and boards or to U.S. delegations.

James Langdon, a Washington lawyer, was named to the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, which advises Bush on intelligence-gathering and counterintelligence. Langdon also was among guests at a state dinner honoring the president of Poland, has stayed overnight at Camp David and has served on Bush's energy transition team.

Hersh Kozlov, a New Jersey lawyer, was appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiation, which advises Bush on trade agreements. Texas lobbyist Roger Wallace joined the Inter-American Foundation board, which provides development grants to Central America and the Caribbean.

Etc and so on... For the full article http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldle...n/10220313.htm