Holding Corporations Accountable

The War Profiteers -- it was no secret that businesses gained during wars. During WWII, American businesses made profits from both sides. The degree of the association of war and businesses however, is inseparable today -- today, war is business (and to some degree, business is war). From the contracting of non-combat services (another reference here) and non-combat military missions to having contractors perform military missions for businesses in a war zone. The War Profiteers is an organization of CorpWatch, who's mission it is to counter "corporate-led globalization through education, network-building and activism." While I don't agree with their stance against globalization, I agree with their concerns about corporate interference and corporate wrong-doing. In many cases, Corporations skirt the law, where laws exist, or break laws because of an absence of enforcement -- the fact that Corporations have no morals should come as no surprise -- they're out for profits and will do so at the expense of human life, dignity and the environment. The fact that the leaders of these corporations can willingly bring death and destruction, and not feel guilt is tells a lot. The fact that we in the industrialized nations have nothing to curtail this behaviour is also telling. -- The War Profiteers have created a number of reports to bring attention to the plight of third world countries in face of (mostly) American businesses.

Houston, We Have a Problem [PDF] - this is an alternative annual report for the Halliburton Corporation (see their 2003 Annual Report [PDF])-- an oil and gas services company from the US. The report chronicles Halliburton's military and energy operations, as well as their political connections, around the world. Even if 10% of what the report says can't be denied, it's still scary.

Know Your War Profiteers Card Deck [PDF] - like the US Government's deck of most wanted Iraqis deck of cards, here's a deck of cards of the most wanted in the war against terror -- they have been accused of war for the sake of colonialism. And I have to agree.

Private Contractors and Torture at Abu Ghraib [PDF] - it has been accepted that Iraqi prisoners were tortured by US forces and possibly private contractors. The fact that they may have been terrorists or not became moot -- and it's reasonable to believe that some were just misguided young men caught up furor of a war torn country. The story that a old boy was raped as a female US soldier took pictures is frightening. The Americans were supposed to be heroes. Heroes don't rape and torture. They have something called morals.

(Naj, thanks for the links and the story.)