Have You Been Watching This Trial?
I have to say that for the past few days I have focused less on the Casey Anthony trial and have been really watching the trial involving the military contractor KBR. Basically this is a quick version of events. An American woman was hired as a clerical worker and sent to Iraq. While there she claims she was so violently raped that her breast implants were crushed. In addition, when she reported the rape, her employers locked her in a trailer without food or water until she managed to convince one of her guards to let her use a phone. She called her dad who called a Congressman and she was released. A rape kit she had been given by an Army doctor disappeared with crucial evidence missing and she has been harassed by her employers while trying to bring the suit. It is so painful to watch and makes you wonder what the company has been doing to women who are not Americans. They deny everything, but the evidence is really strong. I don't understand why they did not settle this case for millions because they are getting slammed everyday in court. This is the company Dick Cheney was the CEO of right?
38 comments:
My heart goes out to her and others who may have been victims as well. This is very sad and hopefully, justice is served.
OMG, that is sickening!
Why isn't there more media coverage of this trial?
I agree with Montana. Someone in the media needs to spread this horrible event all over the national news outlets.
i am not a democrat, but am not a republican apologist either...dick cheney has a sweet face and disposition, but the man is evil. i'm leery of anything he's behind.
aspartame anyone?
Even more disgusting is according to ABC News, her rapists were fellow contractors! God be with her.
Here is link...
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/jamie-leigh-jones-claims-iraq-rape-employer-held/story?id=13884264
I agree with MM. What the hell is that?!
Cheney was the C.E.O. of Halliburton -- or, at least, he and a bunch of the other Death Eaters were in charge. I don't know if this is still the case. I still have nightmares sometimes that we're mired in the Bush administration again, and Cheney is just a person I don't like to think about or research so I'm not even going to wiki it, sorry.
Anyway.
In the U.S., we're living during a time when it's considered taboo to remotely criticize the military at all. If you question their motives and tactics (and the unGODly money it costs to supposedly protect our country), you're labeled some sort of soldier-hater, or an unpatriotic ingrate. People tend to toss out statements like, "well, you should go to Afghanistan and dodge bombs and landmines and see what's it's like!" But I don't particularly *want* to blow people up, nor do I personally condone it. I just can't.
There have been waaaay too many innocent Afghani kids murdered just for the hell of it. Or for the barbaric sport of it, or just because they were in the way. I mean, not everyone in the military is some sort of brawny, saintlike hero. There are definitely some sadistic people in that bunch, and I'm POSitive that the good ol' boy, protect-your-bros-and-screw-the-hos mentality is pervasive, revered, and protected.
I'm glad this woman didn't settle for a lump sum. She is SO BRAVE. By taking her case public, she's helping ensure that this kind of behavior is less likely to ever be shrugged away or condoned again.
No, Cheney was head of Halliburton. KBR is Kellogg Brown Root. Similar, but not the same.
"[Sen. Al] Franken offered an amendment to the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill that would withhold defense contracts from companies like KBR "if they restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery and discrimination cases to court." It passed the U.S. Senate, 68 to 30, in a roll-call vote."
How the FUCK do those 30 sleep at night?!
KBR's former parent company is Halliburton
Bush and Cheney made a fortune off that war and the lives of our soldiers...makes me sick.
I can't believe I hadn't even heard of this today. How fucking AWFUL. And I agree with Kate - how do some people sleep at night??
Wow. While horrifically disgusted by the people participating in any single part of this atrocity, I am incredibly impressed and admiring of the courage and conviction that woman has to persevere. What a testiment to her character, strength and gumption. Bravo to her, she's done more than David v. Goliath. I hope she is innundated with nothing but love, support and accolades from here on out. And, BRAVO to her dad; thank God she called him, thank God he moved mountains to save his daughter.
Contractors and soldiers are not the same thing. Please do not lump them in together. Soldiers get 25K a year to get shot at and kill people they don't really want to in order to protect and defend their fellow citizens because they promised to.
Contractors make 6-figures exploiting the misery of war.
Somewhat off-topic - but has anyone seen Buried starring Ryan Reynolds about an employee of a contractor in Iraq? Really something else.
@Fawn-Newn -- the near-worship of our military still disturbs me (and those soldiers making paltry pay *did* volunteer to do so), but I acknowledge your point about the difference between the people in the trenches and contractors.
@Rocket Queen -- I'm a deeply claustrophobic person. The last movie to give me legit nightmares was The Descent, and the one movie still I've seen of Buried nearly gives me hives whenever I see it.
Is there ANY action that takes place outside of a coffin?
I'm a woman in construction, and because of this case, I haven't applied for any position at Halliburton or KBR (I believe that KBR is the parent company).
To put that in perspective, I was unemployed for going on 18 months when they started advertising for my exact specialty at a high salary. And I haven't thought twice about my decision.
It's been all over the non-mainstream news sources. I would advise people to look for those sources ANYWAY, not just because of this case.
And it's OBVIOUS why it hasn't been mainstream, isn't it? I mean, come on... :(
@Ida - no, it all takes place in the coffin. But I learned a lot about how contractors are treated in war-ravaged countries during and after it. It's not all sunshine and paychecks, people. And I promise most are not making 6 figures, though I suppose it depends on how long they're there. Who do you think hires the contracting companies? The extreme danger of the environment is why they're paid well.
PS - I also saw the Descent. I had nightmares for weeks, and I DON'T get scared by those types of movies.
She's basically lucky to be alive, and the tortured her and locked her in a room, and she had to call her father from a Middle Eastern Country to save her? And these were Americans who did this to her? They need to be shot and left for dead in the desert of Iraq.
RQ - Their is a Descent 2, think it's better than the first one.
@Sylvia - oh my gosh. I don't think I could handle a second one!!
Yeah, I think Kellogg Brown and Root is a subsidary of Halliburton. Cheney was CEO of Halliburton over a decade ago. so, brilliant point, Enty. There is nothing better than an afternoon non sequitur.
Awful, awful situation and I'm glad she's getting her day in court. Should never have been allowed to happen and the cover up was just egregious. KBR was a subsidiary of Halliburton that got sold off in the mid 2000s, not sure if before or after this incident, sounds like after. KBR/Halliburton are not military people by the way, in case that's not totally expressly obvious (which it is). It says a lot when people are so eager and willing to criticize the military . . . . Also, some people just have Cheney on the brainy, like he literally haunts their dreams. Sleep tight, kids, everything's just GREAT now that Cheney's gone.
@Amartel -- "KBR/Halliburton are not military people by the way"
I'm assuming you've heard of the military-industrial complex? Needless to say, KBR/Halliburton has been an active participant.
Sounds horrible and I can't say I'm surprised, but from what I've heard from down range is that all the contractors the soldiers see are sitting in their air conditioned offices while they use local 'subcontractors' to do the actual labor hence the bad wiring, etc that's resulted in the deaths of several soldiers. So no, they don't earn six figures.
Hoping this lady gets justice b/c that crap is just wrong.
I read about this woman's story when it was first reported in 2005. I'm so happy to hear that there's even a possibility that she and other women might get some kind of retribution or some semblance of justice. I just assumed it would be ignored and covered up, just like the daily similar stories that take place in military organizations are now. It was heartbreaking to read her story and I applaud her bravery. Only one of the seven men who participated has admitted guilt. With any luck, he will name others for a reduced sentence. 6 years and counting...let's hope!
Why is this story not on the news instead of the stupid Casey Anthony trial. This one affects thousands of people - women and men in the army/defense contracting businesses, whereas the Casey Anthony schlock is just a sad story about a little girl who was killed with no impact on the rest of us.
Sad how our media works, eh?
@Daydreamer - That's the way contracting works in the states too, but the guys in the office are supposed to be ensuring the quality of the work. Subcontractors provide the cheap specialized labor, especially in overseas work. The reason Dubai has been able to build their huge crazy buildings is because they pay the laborers something like $2 a day and have no safety regs in place. It's sad.
The guys I know that went to work in Iraq for Bechtel and some of the other big boys were making in the 6 figures (right out of school), but that was back in 04/05, when the green zone was very small and people were still being kidnapped regularly.
I almost took a job in Iraq with KBR in 2004. They were going to pay me $100k a year to be an HR Coordinator. I think the pay was actually $30k a year and the hazard pay (called uplift) was $70k. I actually did the training at their processing facility in Houston (it's a suite of rooms in what used to be an old Montgomery Wards store in a rundown mall and we were told that it was a "place of interest" to the Al Qaeda which made me feel just great). They were hiring for all sorts of positions (drivers, HVAC, plumbers, IT specialists and food handlers) and the people going over there ranged in age from 18 to in their 70's.
That poor woman. I can't believe this isn't getting coverage.
According to this abcnews article, KBR split from Halliburton in 2007, so after this situation. Hopefully, more news places will pick this up now that the trial has started.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/jamie-leigh-jones-claims-iraq-rape-employer-held/story?id=13884264&page=2
Enty and readers: I recommend everyone watch the documentary, HOT COFFEE, to put this case in its proper perspective in terms of the legal system and so-called "tort reform." It will give you a new perspective on the meme of "greedy trial lawyers" and "frivolous lawsuits." Not that they don't exist - of course they do!! And they ARE a problem!! But this documentary will show you that there is another, very important side to the story...and this woman's nightmare is part of that.
(Steps down from soapbox.)
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