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Bekijk Volledige Versie : Britse bedrijven hebben £1.1 miljard verdiend aan de oorlog in Irak



Victory
13-03-06, 20:56
UK firms gain pnd 1.1b in dividends from Iraq war
London, March 13

British businesses have profited by over 1 billion pounds (USD 1.8b) since the UK joined the US in invading and occupying Iraq three years ago, according to research published Monday.

A joint investigation by Corporate Watch watchdog and the Independent newspaper said that private security services, banks, PR consultancies, urban planning consortiums, oil companies, architects and energy advisory bodies had all successfully set up businesses in Iraq.

A total of 61 British companies were identified as benefiting by at least pnd 1.1 billion from contracts and investment in Iraq, but the report said the figure could be as much as five times higher because many companies prefer to keep their interests secret.

But UK businesses were seen still lagging behind profits paid to American companies with still many lucrative oil contracts yet to be handed out.

The report found that Britain was playing a crucial and leading role in two fields -- private security and advising on the creation of state institutions and the business of government.

It was estimated that there are between 20,000 and 30,000 security personnel working in Iraq, half of them employed by companies run by retired senior British officers and at least two former defence ministers.

Britons were also said to be involved in restructuring Iraqi ministries and had advised on the 2004 elections and a campaign to promote reconstruction, support for the army and police, minority rights and public probity.

"The presence of these consultants in Iraq is arguably a part of the UK Government's policy to push British firms as lead providers of privatization support," Corporate Watch Spokesman Loukas
Christodoulou said.

Christodoulou accused the UK's Department for International Development of positioning itself as a champion of privatization in developing countries.

"The central part UK firms are playing in reshaping Iraq's economy and society lays the ground for a shift towards a corporate- dominated economy. This will have repercussions lasting decades," he warned.

The company roll call of post-war profiteers includes some of the best known names in Britain's boardrooms as well many who would prefer to remain anonymous.

Among the top earners is the construction firm Amec, which has made an estimated pnd 500 million from a series of contracts restoring electrical systems and maintaining power generation facilities during the past two years.

Aegis, which provides private security, has earned more than 246 million pounds from a three-year contract with the Pentagon to coordinate military and security companies in Iraq.

The findings, it was suggested, showed how much is at stake if Britain were to withdraw its military contingent from Iraq.