2 in House Question Halliburton’s Iraq Fuel Prices

Two senior Democratic congressmen are questioning whether Halliburton is overcharging the United States government in the procurement of gasoline and other fuel for Iraq, which is now importing oil products to stave off shortages.

”Halliburton seems to be inflating gasoline prices at a great cost to American taxpayers. The overcharging by Halliburton is so extreme that one expert has privately called it ‘highway robbery,’ ” the letter said.

Halliburton has charged the government $1.62 to $1.70 a gallon for gasoline that could be bought wholesale in the Persian Gulf region for about 71 cents and transported to Iraq for no more than 25 cents. The fuel was sold in Iraq for 4 cents to 15 cents a gallon….

Iraq, which has the third-largest oil reserves in the world, is producing at roughly half its prewar level of about 2.5 million barrels a day.

Remember, Halliburton is IMPORTING oil into Iraq.

“Highway robbery” or “war profiteering”? Halliburton (Dick Cheney’s company) is making a fortune in restoring Iraq’s oil production; in the meantime, they’re making another fortune selling IMPORTED oil at a loss to Iraqis. Sweet deal. mjh