People seem to forget that many government defense contracts are let either “no bid” or “limited bid” and go to favored contractors, often at inflated prices. While our allies should pay their fair share (and many do), comparing them to what we spend is not fair if we spend too much for the same items.
If you remember, during G. W. Bush’s Iraq war (with Cheney as VP) Cheney’s former company’s subsidiary, Haliburton KBR, vastly over-charged the US government for their support of troops under a no-bid contract. When the over-charges (first one of $160 million dollars for meals not served, sending convoys out and back, empty both ways, etc.) were announced, the company got their no-bid contract extended before they even agreed to pay back the money.
People seem to forget that many government defense contracts are let either “no bid” or “limited bid” and go to favored contractors, often at inflated prices. While our allies should pay their fair share (and many do), comparing them to what we spend is not fair if we spend too much for the same items.
If you remember, during G. W. Bush’s Iraq war (with Cheney as VP) Cheney’s former company’s subsidiary, Haliburton KBR, vastly over-charged the US government for their support of troops under a no-bid contract. When the over-charges (first one of $160 million dollars for meals not served, sending convoys out and back, empty both ways, etc.) were announced, the company got their no-bid contract extended before they even agreed to pay back the money.
Fair is fair, except when it is not.