<HTML>In a message dated 3/25/2003 5:19:32 PM Eastern Standard Time, dhenwood@panix.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I'm mildly shocked that it was a no-bid contract. They're not even trying to keep up appearances. Shameless, totally shameless</BLOCKQUOTE> They did point out that the contract had to go to a company that had the appropriate 'security clearances'. Hell, Halliburton got all those taken care of during the first war with Iraq. Equally shameless, of the 7 contracts given out without a bidding process, none are going to UK corporations, so much for being allies. Separately, WorldCom is negotiating a no-bid communications contract in Iraq (they have a name-only office there). Then there's Richard Perle's and Global Crossing.</HTML>