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The Halliburton Agenda: The Politics of Oil and Money
The author of the bestseller The Iron Triangle untangles a web of political back scratching in one of the world's most powerful companies
Halliburton-a Texas oil-field company Dick Cheney ran before he became Vice President-has courted controversy for the better part of the twentieth century, but only recently has it received intense media scrutiny. In The Halliburton Agenda, Halliburton and its subsidiaries form the foundation of a fascinating story of influence peddling and behind-the-scenes political maneuvering that has only increased in momentum over the last decade-culminating in a firestorm of problems arising as soon as Cheney took office.
This intriguing book shows readers where Halliburton has been doing business and with whom-topping the list so far are Iran, Iraq, and Libya. It also reveals how this juggernaut of a corporation has engaged in a cycle of profits that begins by selling products and services to potential terrorist states, contracting with the federal government during times of war against those states, then gaining valuable rebuilding contracts to help repair those states. It will also show how a Halliburton subsidiary, Kellogg Brown & Root, has become an indispensable part of the U.S. military, so much so that the two are indistinguishable at times.
Halliburton is one of the first American companies to recognize the importance of aligning itself with powerful politicians, heavily contributing to campaigns, then cashing in on lucrative government contracts. Engaging and informative, The Halliburton Agenda carefully explores the arc of the company's success, its use of political affiliation, and the scope of its international business.
Halliburton-a Texas oil-field company Dick Cheney ran before he became Vice President-has courted controversy for the better part of the twentieth century, but only recently has it received intense media scrutiny. In The Halliburton Agenda, Halliburton and its subsidiaries form the foundation of a fascinating story of influence peddling and behind-the-scenes political maneuvering that has only increased in momentum over the last decade-culminating in a firestorm of problems arising as soon as Cheney took office.
This intriguing book shows readers where Halliburton has been doing business and with whom-topping the list so far are Iran, Iraq, and Libya. It also reveals how this juggernaut of a corporation has engaged in a cycle of profits that begins by selling products and services to potential terrorist states, contracting with the federal government during times of war against those states, then gaining valuable rebuilding contracts to help repair those states. It will also show how a Halliburton subsidiary, Kellogg Brown & Root, has become an indispensable part of the U.S. military, so much so that the two are indistinguishable at times.
Halliburton is one of the first American companies to recognize the importance of aligning itself with powerful politicians, heavily contributing to campaigns, then cashing in on lucrative government contracts. Engaging and informative, The Halliburton Agenda carefully explores the arc of the company's success, its use of political affiliation, and the scope of its international business.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 28, 2018
For me as a Halliburton employee, I was shocked in some interesting facts about Halliburton and KBR.
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In general, this book is story-tell style. Starts from the the early years of the two companies, since Erle and his wife founded Halliburton and Brown and his wife founded KBR, both were fighters and smarts, leaving this behind, the author start his criticism against Halliburton since the company privatized military and government industry.
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Halliburton starts the worldwide invasion by cementing wells technology when it used to be called HOWCO, then it became strong enough to engaged directly with federal contracts like LOGCAP, heavy infrastructure, Mohole, etc..
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The big turn was made when Cheney became the CEO, he made things more deep and worthy with the other countries' government like Libya and Iraq.
.........
It is not easy for me to write a clear review as I defined this book under; Policy-Economy-History book, three big main factors used in this book to give an explanation about how big companies related to US govt. played well patriotic game in the world in spite of all big massacre and struggling phrases from time to time. But; at the end of the day, this is how politics work!
.......
In general, this book is story-tell style. Starts from the the early years of the two companies, since Erle and his wife founded Halliburton and Brown and his wife founded KBR, both were fighters and smarts, leaving this behind, the author start his criticism against Halliburton since the company privatized military and government industry.
........
Halliburton starts the worldwide invasion by cementing wells technology when it used to be called HOWCO, then it became strong enough to engaged directly with federal contracts like LOGCAP, heavy infrastructure, Mohole, etc..
.........
The big turn was made when Cheney became the CEO, he made things more deep and worthy with the other countries' government like Libya and Iraq.
.........
It is not easy for me to write a clear review as I defined this book under; Policy-Economy-History book, three big main factors used in this book to give an explanation about how big companies related to US govt. played well patriotic game in the world in spite of all big massacre and struggling phrases from time to time. But; at the end of the day, this is how politics work!
January 10, 2013
This book gives a more detailed account of the history of Brown & Roots than Halliburton. The author, Dan Briody, have extensively oriented his research in establishing a link between the fortune of a group of Texans contractors and the political machine in Washington D.C. More to the point, personal relationship between contractors and politicians who have control over public funds may raise ethical questions over accountability of public servants in regards to the management of the taxpayers money. The last chapter of this book raised serious issues about the activities of former government officials within the private sector that might help undermine, or influence their former employer policies.
January 16, 2022
Interesting book for anyone wishing to leverage political patronage for a big paycheck.
April 25, 2023
Fast and easy read
April 15, 2025
could not put this one down. very eye opening to the military industrial complex that is so going on today.
March 18, 2011
Suite 8F
Project Mohole aka "Rathole"
Kennedy says to Lyndon after the 1960 election, "Now, Lyndon, I guess we can dig that tunnel to the Vatican." To which Johnson replies, "Okay, so long as Brown & Root get the contract."
Since the Cold War reduction of military force in 1989 U.S. has been engaged in a succession of smaller shorter, but fiercely contested wars around the world. Kuwait, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.
The contract that was developed out of Brown and Root's report is now know simply as LOGCAP and has been called the "mother of all service contracts" It has been used in every American deployment since its awarding in 1992, at a value of 7 billion dollars and counting. Structured as a cost-plus contract, or in contract legalese a cost-reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.
Code of Federal Regulations, which dictates the terms of all Federal procurement under Chapter 1, section 48, subsection 9.5, are the organization conflict of interest rules. The Code of Federal Regulations, is to prevent "the existence of conflicting roles that might bias a contractors judgement; and prevent unfair competitive advantage." Allowing a contractor to bid on a contract it designed would constitute an unfair advantage.
Project Mohole aka "Rathole"
Kennedy says to Lyndon after the 1960 election, "Now, Lyndon, I guess we can dig that tunnel to the Vatican." To which Johnson replies, "Okay, so long as Brown & Root get the contract."
Since the Cold War reduction of military force in 1989 U.S. has been engaged in a succession of smaller shorter, but fiercely contested wars around the world. Kuwait, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.
The contract that was developed out of Brown and Root's report is now know simply as LOGCAP and has been called the "mother of all service contracts" It has been used in every American deployment since its awarding in 1992, at a value of 7 billion dollars and counting. Structured as a cost-plus contract, or in contract legalese a cost-reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.
Code of Federal Regulations, which dictates the terms of all Federal procurement under Chapter 1, section 48, subsection 9.5, are the organization conflict of interest rules. The Code of Federal Regulations, is to prevent "the existence of conflicting roles that might bias a contractors judgement; and prevent unfair competitive advantage." Allowing a contractor to bid on a contract it designed would constitute an unfair advantage.
June 1, 2015
I had no idea the correlation between Lyndon Johnson & Halliburton. I think this book started with this rags to riches scenario which is great but then it turns into this corrupt conglomerate which is a shame. How Cheney gets involved & ends up in politics is no coincidence. Although the middle of the book can be a bit boring & it drags on for a few chapters, the piece of how Cheney fits into it all & his connection to Johnson was a surprise to me since I didn't know much about our former VP. I feel like the more I read the more I despised him, not that I needed much of a reason though. It's such a shame how a company that was started by someone so long ago who had all the goals of becoming successful finally does so & gets his company to make lots of money but then it all goes to the corrupt & evil world of people such as Cheney. The things that Halliburton started doing & how they ended are very different along with how they go about their business, just so shady. It really helped to see the intricate details of how this ensued although not the most pleasant of circumstances either.
September 20, 2007
buku ini gw baca karena Pak Ongki nyuruh gw ngerangkum...gw jadi tau kekuatan multikorporasi...
trus gw jadi kenal Alvin Wirtz
trus gw jadi kenal Alvin Wirtz
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews