Indicted Saudi Financier Gets $80 Million US Military Contract

The U.S. military suffered enormous embarrassment when the New York Times reported that a contract to arm the Afghan forces worth nearly $300 million had been awarded to a 22-year-old man, Efraim E. Diveroli, whose vice president was a licensed masseur. It turned out that Diveroli had been supplying the Afghans with defective weaponry and had broken numerous procurement laws. Apparently, the military has not learned their lesson. ABC News reports that they have awarded an $80 million contract to a prominent Saudi financier who has been indicted by the U.S. Justice Department:

The US military has awarded an $80 million contract to a prominent Saudi financier who has been indicted by the US Justice Department. The contract to supply jet fuel to American bases in Afghanistan was awarded to the Attock Refinery Ltd, a Pakistani-based refinery owned by Gaith Pharaon. Pharaon is wanted in connection with his alleged role at the failed Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), and the CenTrust savings and loan scandal, which cost US tax payers $1.7 billion.

The Saudi businessman was also named in a 2002 French parliamentary report as having links to informal money transfer networks called hawala, known to be used by traders and terrorists, including Al Qaeda.

Interestingly, Pharaon was also an investor in President George W. Bush's first business venture, Arbusto Energy.

Comments

[lagunabeach]

12:32 AM on 06/05/2008

As Zanzig writes, BCCI's start-up costs were funded by the CIA. This man who has been indicted by the Justice Dept. for incurring losses of almost two billion dollars of American taxpayer money for the BCCI debacle also has a CIA connection--that deduction is a no-brainer. This same man may be passing money and arms for terrorists according to ABC news.

So, a CIA-related person who may be passing arms and money for terrorists has been awarded an $80 million dollar military contract even though this person is under indictment.. This same man invested in little George Bush's energy enterprise (probably when his father was the director of the CIA back in the day).

Americans are naive. And Americans are suckers. We are being taken for a big ride.

This is big. It's even bigger than the Justice Department. It's probably bigger than our democracy. To prove it just see how far this investigation goes.

[elbzee]

09:04 AM on 06/05/2008

I really, really hate being taken advantage of, being manipulated, being made into a sucker. I mean, I REALLY, REALLY HATE THAT!

[realpolitic]

10:50 PM on 06/04/2008

Well, he was an investor in George Bush's first business misadventure. I mean, one never has enough cyncism to survive this administration.

[xxnounxx]

09:20 PM on 06/04/2008

maybe mr ghaith pharoun can give me back my money he stole from BCCI in london..he is not the only one the us millitary is rewarding contract in millions i know a lot of people who have become millionaires from the american administration war in iraq,and beleive me they also dont want this war to end.as their contract will end.

[RaraAvis17]

08:33 PM on 06/04/2008

For four more years of this crap vote for McCain.

ObAmA 08'

[ProFromOre]

08:57 PM on 06/04/2008

That's right.... McBush loves him some military...

[oregonrain]

07:48 PM on 06/04/2008

Our tax dollars at work ... Good God ! I hope like hell , that this administration gets what's coming to them ,, (meaning ), Impeach these bastards !

[LeftHandedBrain]

06:33 PM on 06/04/2008

Ronald Reagan said "Government is not the solution to the problem. Government is the problem."

He forgot to add "When the republicans are in power!"

[1differentdrummer]

06:29 AM on 06/05/2008

Follow the money.

[hypnus]

06:31 PM on 06/04/2008

"Interestingly, Pharaon was also an investor in President George W. Bush's first business venture, Arbusto Energy."

Yes, very interesting.

[ProFromOre]

08:05 PM on 06/04/2008

You bet, the crime boss Bush always pays his debts. LOL If he invested in a Bush venture, you know it lost money - he's failed at everything in life. He's perfect as a member of the Failure Party.

[zanzig]

11:13 PM on 06/04/2008

You might find it even more interesting that BCCi was originally started with seed money from the CIA

[mgsanfran]

06:07 PM on 06/04/2008

There is obviously a need to re-examine the business ties that the Bush family and Dick Cheney have to middle eastern oil families and companies. As has been previously reported, documented and told, there were some extraordinary reasons behind the decision to invade Iraq, and topple its regime, which were apparently unrelated to any weapons of mass destruction. Of course, I feel like I am preaching to the choir (america)!

[carlgt1]

05:38 PM on 06/04/2008

follow da money -- most likely Cheney & his companies were there getting kickbacks...

[dlbdpb]

05:30 PM on 06/04/2008

Is there no end to this madness????????????????

[elbzee]

09:06 AM on 06/05/2008

OBAMA 2008!
He's our only hope now.

[mediamarv]

05:00 PM on 06/04/2008

Left hand, meet right hand!!

[Economike]

04:51 PM on 06/04/2008

Remember when all politicians worried about was where there next BJ was coming from.

[xmw]

04:42 PM on 06/04/2008

ONE MORE REASON WHY AMERICA HATES WASHINGTON!!

[ProFromOre]

08:56 PM on 06/04/2008

and some of the people reading this attacked Mrs Obama because she said she was finally proud of America. Shame on you...

and you probably ridiculed Rev Wright because he thinks the US is CAPABLE of spreading AIDS. Shame, shame on you...

The Failure Party was given unsupervised control of our country through our collective apathy and indifference - we have another chance, hopefully we'll seize it.

[elbzee]

09:08 AM on 06/05/2008

And one more piece of evidence that Republicans hate Americans and everybody else in the world.

[thisoldbroad]

04:40 PM on 06/04/2008

Am I the only 1 with suspicions that our State Dept & Pentagon are really little sovereign countries?
We don't seem to have any input with them & they don't answer for anything they do.. why is that?
Who is really running them?
How did they get their jobs?
Why won't they produce receipts for their spending?
Didn't we just read that there is over $1 billion missing from the Pentagon budget?
Why isn't anyone serious about finding it?
Don't you agree there needs to be accountability for what they're doing & spending?

OMG! I need an asprin..

[ymax]

06:30 PM on 06/04/2008

Try $12 billions.

This is not funny at all.

Some people in high places have more money that they can spend in 10 life-times.

[thisoldbroad]

08:52 PM on 06/05/2008

holy crap! $12 billion!!!!

[booker52]

04:34 PM on 06/04/2008

This is your government, this is your government on drugs. They are idiots!!!!!