Jamie Leigh Jones Testifies

Jamie Leigh Jones finally gets her chance to tell her story in court.

"One of the firefighter, he handed me a drink. He said, 'Don't worry I saved all my ruffies for Dubai," Jones testified. She says she was drugged with what she believes was a sedative Rohypnol, widely known as a date-rape drug" and also known by the nickname "ruffies."

Jones said she woke up the next morning in her room and discovered she was naked, sore and had bruises and scratches on her thighs and wrists.

She said she had no memory of what happened to her. She said she found (Charles) Bortz in the room with her and he told her that they had sex the night before.

"I was putting the pieces together. I was figuring it out. I knew I had been raped," Jones said as she cried. At one point during her testimony, Jones took a short break to regain her compposure.

The firefighters worked for KBR, which was a subsidiary to Halliburtion. The sexual assault against Jones occurred in 2005. Halliburton and KBR severed ties on April 5, 2007. Jones' civil suit is against Halliburton, KBR and Bortz.

Jones was examined by an Army doctor. Shockingly, the Army gave the rape kit back to KBR. Jones' legal team has never seen the rape kit.

Jones testified to being locked in a trailer by KBR after her doctor's examination.

I'm scared to death. I want my dad. He's my protector," Jones said. "As I'm banging on the door, I say I need to get out of here. I need a phone. I need to contact my dad."

Jones got a phone from KBR employee Jamie Armstrong. The latter saw the Army give the rape kit to KBR. Jones called her father. Jones' father contacted Congressman Ted Poe. Jones was released and treated in the United States for her injuries.

Jones testimony, of her injuries, to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.

Dr. Schultz confirmed that I had been penetrated both vaginally and anally, and that I was "quite torn up down there." She indicated that based upon the physical damage to my genitalia, that it was apparent that I had been raped. She stated that she didn't know if I wanted to hear it or not, but I had "also been sexually assaulted anally." Dr. Schultz took photographs, and completed a form that indicated the bruising on my inner thighs and stomach, and on my wrists. She also took swabs, vaginal combings, and then put the entire kit together in a small, white box. I watched her give this box to the KBR security personnel as I was again turned over to these men.

The security guards then locked Jones in a trailer. Jones wasn't allowed to leave. Apparently, KBR considers being a rape victim a crime.

Jamie Leigh Jones Case Going to Court

Great news: Jamie Leigh Jones is finally getting her day in court.

HOUSTON – Jury selection began Monday afternoon in the case of a Houston woman who says she was raped by co-workers in Iraq when she worked for KBR, a former subsidiary of Halliburton.

The suit was filed by Jamie Leigh Jones against Halliburton and its ex-subsidiary, KBR Inc. Jones says she was raped while working for KBR at Camp Hope, Baghdad, in 2005. KBR and Halliburton, both based in Houston, split in 2007.

Jones has fought for the past six years to get her day in court. She finally had that chance Monday, arriving at the courthouse early with her attorneys at her side.

Jones can only file a civil suit. The Bush administration and Congress placed contractors under State Department supervision. Military contractors are not under the Defense Department. Therefore the the military article code does not apply. That is why Blackwater has been able to break the law in Iraq. Attorney Scott Horton explained the legal failure of the policy.

(1) The Justice Department is effectively not present on the scene, does not have personnel deployed charged with conducting investigations, collecting evidence and making preliminary decisions as to whether incidents are suitable for prosecution. This would require a team of FBI agents with appropriate training, including access to forensic labs and personnel.

(2) The case when first alleged seems to have been treated as an issue related to administration of a contract, rather than a criminal justice matter, triggering only a State Department investigation. But the State Department does not have authority to conduct criminal inquiries or to bring charges.

(3) The Department of Defense was called upon to provide medical expertise, which was a reasonable step. But no guidelines appear to have been available as to how this was done. The alleged surrender of the rape kit by military medical personnel to Kellogg Brown & Root was grossly improper, producing a serious lapse in the chain of custody—and in this case, loss of evidence which cannot be reproduced. It reflects an attitude which I hear constantly when interviewing State Department and Defense Department personnel—namely, that the problem is the contractor’s. Of course, the contractor has an interest in performing its contract and maintaining a good relationship with the contracting agency. The contractor does not have any interest per se in law enforcement. It might well decide to terminate employees it believes are involved in a crime, but beyond that the contractor will, very appropriately, believe that the responsibility for law enforcement lies with law enforcement agencies.

Sadly, the Obama administration has done nothing to change the military contracting rules.

Jamie Leigh Jones Case Goes to Court

I blogged about how arbitration rules would make it extremely difficult for Jamie Leigh Jones to take KBR to court. Jones was gangraped in Iraq by fellow KBR contractors. The company contends they are not liable. The Fifth Curcuit Court has decided to hear the case.

KBR is making to tort argument that Jones signed away her right to take KBR and Halliburton to court.

From the contract Jones signed:

You understand that the Dispute Resolution Program requires, as its last step, that any and all claims that you might have against Employer related to your employment, including your termination, and any and all personal injury claim[s] arising in the workplace, you have against other parent or affiliate of Employer, must be submitted to binding arbitration instead of to the court system.

Facts about the case: the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled Jones was sexually assaulted. Jones received medical treatment for injuries she received in Iraq. The State Department lost photographs and doctor's notes from Jones's rape kit. A lower court ruled Jones was falsely imprisoned by KBR employees. These facts are not in dispute.

Judge Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale came down hard against KBR/Halliburton.

Under these circumstances, the outer limits of the “related to” language of the arbitration provision have been tested, and breached. Halliburton/KBR essentially asks this court to read the arbitration provision so broadly as to encompass any claim related to Jones’ employer, or any incident that happened during her employment, but that is not the language of the contract. We do not hold that, as a matter of law, sexual-assault allegations can never “relate to” someone’s employment. For this action, however, Jones’ allegations do not “touch matters” related to her employment, let alone have a “significant relationship” to her employment contract.

Barksdale wrote that accusations of rape are too serious not to be heard in a court. Arbitration wasn't designed to protect rapists from lawsuits or criminal prosecution. The Fifth Circuit is essentially laughing the KBR/Halliburton argument out of court. The Fifth Circuit ruled Jones is bound to her contract. The Fifth Curcuit ruled only "employment-related claims" fall under arbitration. Jones' sexual assault falls outside the bounds of her contract. KBR/Halliburton argued that Jones's bedroom is considered her workplace. Jones did not sign a contract to get sexually harrassed and assaulted.

Tracy Barker fought to have her sexual assault case heard in court. She lost and was forced into arbitration. Jone's legal victory is significant for women that have been sexual assaulted by contractors. "This is wonderful news, not only for me but for those who have been bound into mandatory arbitrations," Jones told The Associated Press.

Stephanie Mencimer noted that Barksdale is a West Point graduate, Vietnam veteran and staunch conservative. Barksdale was the 2 to 1 swing vote in Jones's favor. The facts of the case are bad when Barksdale rules against a defense contractor.

Jamie Leigh Jones & Arbitration Fairness

Jamie Leigh Jones is taking Halliburton to arbitration. Jones served as a contractor for KBR/Halliburton at Camp Hope. She was drugged and raped by an unknown number of men. Jones' father called Rep. Ted Poe to rescue Jones from her own employers.

"We contacted the State Department first," Poe told ABCNews.com, "and told them of the urgency of rescuing an American citizen" -- from her American employer.

Poe says his office contacted the State Department, which quickly dispatched agents from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to Jones' camp, where they rescued her from the container.

Jones' contract forbids her from suing Halliburton or KBR in court. State Department rules, during the Bush administration, exempts contractors from being prosecuted of crimes committed in Iraq.

Jones was recently interviewed by on All Things Considered how Halliburton is using arbitration. The difficulty with arbitration is employees rarely win against their employers. Information about the rulings is not made public. Arbitration was designed to protect corporations. The little guy doesn't even enter into the equation.

Arbitration is a closed, private process, often with little or no written record. But one state, California, changed its law to require that arbitration results be publicly recorded. Public Citizen staff reviewed 34,000 California cases, and Arkush says the results speak volumes.

"Overall, consumers lost 94 percent of the time," he says.

The arbitration industry disputes that number. But it does not disagree that corporations win more of the time. The disagreement is about whether this is evidence of bias or a reflection that corporations bring stronger cases.

Mike Kelly, spokesman for the National Arbitration Forum — one of the country's largest arbitration firms — says it's the latter.

"You're not going to bring a case that you're going to lose," he says. "Frankly, you're not going to bring a case that you think you have a chance to lose."

A judge ruled Jones is allowed to take her case to court. There are many other female contracters that have been sexually assaulted. Their legal options are less certain.

"Unfortunately, my case is not an isolated incident," she said Tuesday. "With the misuse of arbitration, we have made corporate entities in this country above the law."

Rep. Hank Johnson is sponsoring the Arbitration Fairness Act of 2009. Jones has endorsed the bill. Russ Feingold has introduced an arbitration reform bill in the Senate.


Jones spoke in Washington for the Abitration Fairness Act.



Transcript of Jones' speech.

KBR Admits to Taking Rape Kit

The Pentagon's Inspector General Claude Kicklighter will not investigate the Jamie Leigh Jones case. The reasoning is that the Justice Department is investigating the Jones' allegations she was rape Kellogg Brown and Root employees. Kicklighter's explanation defies logic. The Justice Department has decided long ago not to press charges against KBR.

The Pentagon can not press charges against KBR. Contractors are under State Department supervision. Congress made all State Department contractors excempt from military prosecution. The Bush administration could place contractors under Defense Department management. That would make KBR liable under military law. The administration has shown no desire to change contractor control.

Senator Bill Nelson told ABC News he is "not satisfied" Kicklighter's response.

The Inspector General will investigate the confusing matter of what happened to the rape kit.

In a separate letter, Kicklighter's office said that the State Department had said its security officials had Jones' rape kit in their possession at one point.

The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security told Kicklighter "evidence in the rape kit was collected by a U.S. Army doctor and was later provided to [the Bureau of Diplomatic Security]," the IG's office wrote to Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Alaska, who had asked about Jones' case.

An Army spokesman referred questions about the rape kit to the State Department, which declined to provide new information on the case.

Jones lawyer, Todd Kelly, has yet to examine the rape kit. Former KBR employee Jamie Armstrong told ABC News that an Army doctor gave the rape kit to Halliburton/KBR security personnel. Jones has been vocal about her mistreatment at the hands of Armstrong, when Jones was recovering from her sexual assault in the KBR crate. Armstrong and Jones can hardly be considered pals, which makes Armstrong's statement more damning.

The Inspector General will investigate why the rape kit was turned over to KBR/Halliburton security. Kicklighter is attempting to determine how many more rape kits for given to private contractor security teams. KBR has admitted they had the kit in their posession.

Officials for Houston-based KBR have said the kit was handed over to a company security coordinator and placed in a safe until investigators from the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security — the department's law enforcement arm — arrived three hours later.

Jones testified that she spoke earlier this year with a special agent from the bureau, who was unaware of the rape kit's existence. Eventually, the agent found the kit, but the photographs and doctor's notes were missing, Jones said.

The kit was eventually handed over to the State Department. The kit was handed over to the Justice Department. The State Department did not request the DoJ to prosecute. Now the Justice Department is telling the media they are investigating the case. Even though they can't be bothered to respond to Senator Nelson on the progress of the investigation. The Defense and State Departments refuse to tell Nelson how rapes of female contractors have been reported in Iraq.

Eyewitness Tells ABC News Rape Kit Given To KBR

Conservative blogger Curt at Flopping Aces said he would reserve judgement on the Jamie Leigh Jones case. In the same post he accused Jones of cashing in and refused to believe that Army doctors would hand the rape kit over to Kellogg, Brown and Root. That is some judgement reserving.

I'm sorry, I don't buy that at all. Why in the world would the Army hand over criminal evidence to the company involved in the crime?

The Flopsters will be shocked to learn that that former Jamie Armstrong told ABC News she saw doctors hand the rape kit over to KBR.

On one key point, Halliburton/KBR and Jones agree: the Army doctor who administered a rape evidence kit to Jamie after her alleged assault handed the kit to Halliburton/KBR security personnel. Halliburton/KBR's account did not mention the fate of the rape kit. It noted the company "did not interfere with the State Department's criminal investigation."

There is no doubt that Armstrong was there. When Jones was in the shipping crate, Halliburton/KBR said that Armstrong was the woman that gave food to her.

This recent news makes it harder for KBR to debunk her story. That certainly won't won't stop conservative bloggers from trying. They are so obsessed with defending companies that have nothing to do with conservative values as being tough on crime.

John Conyers and Ted Poe Information Request On Jones Case

John Conyers and Ted Poe have requested the Justice Department give them information on status of the Jamie Leigh Jones case. Jones has gone through State Department channels for two years and has little idea of what (if any action) has been taken on her behave. The Justice Department refused to comment to ABC News about the case. That is hardly a confidence builder.

The Conyers and Poe letter:

December 11, 2007

The Honorable Michael Mukasey
United States Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530

Dear Mr. Attorney General:

We are writing to follow up on the letter sent yesterday by Representative Poe concerning the Department’s response to American Jamie Leigh Jones’ report that she was assaulted and raped by fellow employees of Halliburton/KBR in Baghdad, and that in the aftermath of this assault she was imprisoned under armed guard for over 24 hours without food or water.1

Ms. Jones further states that she was told she would be fired if she sought outside medical care and that the results of a medical examination documenting the alleged rape were given by U.S. Army personnel to KBR security and have now “disappeared.”

This report of criminal misconduct directed against a U.S. citizen at the hands of employees of an American-based corporation working in Iraq at the behest of the U.S. Government, as well as a possible cover-up and destruction of evidence, is deeply troubling.

It also raises broader concerns, which the Judiciary Committee has already been investigating, about the Department’s role in enforcing laws protecting Americans who are working in Iraq.

In addition to the general questions in yesterday’s letter, we ask that you provide answers to the following specific questions as soon as possible, and no later than Tuesday, December 18, 2007:

1. Based on the facts as reported by Ms. Jones, does the Department believe that it has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute in this matter under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2000, 18 U.S.C. § 3261, or section 804 of the USA Patriot Act, 18 U.S.C. § 7(9)? Please explain.

2. Has the Department investigated Ms. Jones’ claims?

a) If not, why not?

b) If so, please describe the course and current status of the investigation and whether it includes the apparent destruction of evidence described above.

c) If so, what offices of the Department have participated in the investigation? Which Assistant Attorney General is responsible for this and other investigations of alleged crimes within the Department’s jurisdiction committed in Iraq?

d) If so, is the investigation limited to events alleged to have occurred in Iraq, or is the Department investigating events that may have occurred in countries other than Iraq, including the United States?

3. ABC reports a statement by KBR that “it was ‘instructed to cease its own investigation by U.S. government authorities ‘because they were assuming sole responsibility for the criminal investigations.”

a) Did the Department issue such an instruction to KBR?

b) If so, please describe the exact terms of the instruction and explain when, why, and by whom it was issued.

c) If not, do you have any information regarding whether any other component of the US government issued such an instruction? Which one?

d) If some other agency issued the instruction, what is the basis for an assertion that an agency of the US Government other than the Justice Department can have “sole responsibility” for all related criminal investigations? Do you agree that the Department should be involved from the outset of an investigation into a serious criminal matter such as this one?

If the State Department's handling of the Blackwater shooting is any indication, they will stonewall. Worse case scenario is the accused will be granted immunity for testimony. That will effectively destroy what little chance there is for procecution.

What is interesting is the rats are jumping ship. Halliburton is trying to pass off accountability on KBR.

Halliburton says it is improperly named in the matter and expects to be dismissed from the case. "It would be inappropriate for Halliburton to comment on the merits of a matter affecting only the interest of KBR," the oilfield services company said in a statement.

The State Department is passing the Jones case off to the Justice Department.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack declined Tuesday to comment on specifics of the case, but he confirmed its Bureau of Diplomatic Security had responded to and investigated the incident. He said the results were turned over to the Justice Department.

The State Department freed Jones from imprisonment at the request of Rep. Poe. Jones details the State Department's bumbling handling on her diary.

February, 2007- I spoke with the state department and was told that my case had still not been presented to the AUSA for prosecution

March, 1, 2007- I contacted the state department and asked when my case would be presented to the AUSA- I was told my investigator was on vacation.

March 16,2007- I was told that my case was sent via FedEx to the AUSA in Florida . I was told that the AUSA was out but would review my case the week of 3/26

April, 25, 2005- I called and asked the state department what the status of my case was or who I could call that would know. I let them know that I was quite concerned since I hadn't heard back from anyone in over a month.

April 26, 2005- The state department told me there s no update. “It is with the AUSA and I will call today but it is my experience that this is the time we want to be patient as their decision is the final one.”

Conyers and Poe are right to question the Justice Department's actions. What needs to be taken into account is why the State Department didn't suspend the contractors involved in the alleged crime and immediately launch an inquiry. A rape case is harder to prove as time elapses. How are we to believe these diplomats can run a country if they can't handle one criminal investigation?

Jamie Leigh Jones

Jamie Leigh Jones told ABC News she was drugged and raped fellow Halliburton/KBR contractors. Jones told 20/20 she was locked in a crate by her assaulters and told not to file charges.

"It felt like prison," says Jones, who told her story to ABC News as part of an upcoming "20/20" investigation. "I was upset; I was curled up in a ball on the bed; I just could not believe what had happened."

Finally, Jones says, she convinced a sympathetic guard to loan her a cell phone so she could call her father in Texas.

"I said, 'Dad, I've been raped. I don't know what to do. I'm in this container, and I'm not able to leave,'" she said. Her father called their congressman, Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas.

Imagine being a father and hearing your daughter say she has been raped and held captive. Jamie's situation is even harder to fathom. Being a woman in a foreign country at the mercy of brutal men.

Welcome to the heart of darkness.

Media reports, Congressman Ted Poe and Jones' father say that she was released because of State Department intravention.

"We contacted the State Department first," Poe told ABCNews.com, "and told them of the urgency of rescuing an American citizen" -- from her American employer.

Poe says his office contacted the State Department, which quickly dispatched agents from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to Jones' camp, where they rescued her from the container.

A Congressman confirmed the story. The Bush administration would be stupid to use the State Department to protect Halliburton and KBR. The State Department granted Blackwater mercenaries, involved in the killings of 17 Iraqi civilians, were granted immunity. The only logical reason for doing this is to destroy the FBI chances of prosecution. People should put pressure on the State Department to make sure that doesn't happen again.

The Army test showed Jones was raped. Why in God's name did Army doctors hand the rape kit to KBR? Any criminal investigation should be done by neutral outsiders. Jones is an American citizen protected under the laws of the United States. KBR is not law enforcement. The Army should have informed the FBI about a civilian rape.

The Justice Department had two years to make a case and did nothing. By all accounts: prosecution should have been a slam dunk. Instead the rape kit was given to the last people that should have posession of evidence and we have no idea if DoJ ever questioned State Deparetment officials. Exactly what does a contractor have to do to warrant the Bush administration's outrage?

The sad fact is the Bush administration put contracts under the State Department. Jones's assaulters are protected from prosecution thanks to the law designed by the State DEpartment.

Other bloggers posting on the story:

Majikthise - KBR employee says she was gang raped by coworkers and detained in Iraq

Matthew Yglesias - It's the Strategy

Jesus' General - The Republican Revolution delivers again

Update: Jamie's journel is at her foundation's website.

July 26, 2005 US/ July 27 Baghdad- I sent several e-mails to management to ask to be moved into a container because I was experiencing cat calls even when I was walking through the barrack to get to the restroom. I received the response that I would be fine if I “go to the spa." There was no spa in Greenzone, Baghdad . I started socializing with some Halliburton/ KBR employees, including approximately four or so firefighters. One of these men prepared me a drink and joked that there were no “rooffies” in it, and handed it to me. After having a couple sips, I passed out. I was drugged.

July 28, 2005 US/ July 29 Baghdad- I awoke the next morning in the barracks to find my naked body battered and bruised. I was still groggy from whatever had been put in my drink. I was bleeding from between my legs and my breast implants were severely disfigured. (I found out later that my attackers tore my pectoral muscles due to the brutality of the attack). One of the men who had raped me was brazen enough to be lying in the bottom bunk of my assigned bunk bed. After getting to the clinic and having a rape kit performed, and pictures taken of my bruising, I was locked in a container with no food, no way to call my parents, and was placed under armed guard by Halliburton. I did not have access to soap, toiletries, a tooth brush, or any of my belongings. I was unable to leave, therefore I was imprisoned. After some time, one of the guards allowed me to use his cell phone out of sympathy. I called my father back in Houston, who quickly contacted Congressman Ted Poe, who then initiated a Congressional Inquiry to get me out of Baghdad . At this point I was in a state of shock, severely traumatized, and was scared for my life.

Jones goes into detail about her frustration with the handling of her case. The incompetence is staggering. The doctor wasn't sure if he could find Jones's rape kit because he has "no idea which rape victum you are because so many young contractor girls were raped after drinking with the guys."

Update: More bloggers have covered the story.

Hullabaloo - The Pirates of Mesopotamia

Fiedoglake Halliburton Slips Just A Little Further Down The Barbarism Slope

Newshoggers - Texas Girl Alleges Gang Rape By Contractors In Iraq

Newshoggers links to conservative bloggers defending Halliburton and casting doubt on Jones's story with no facts to back up their assertions. The fact that a Republican Congressman believes Jones's story is not good enough. Exactly how does Halliburton equal conservatives' tough on crime values?

aTypical Joe - Gang-Rape Cover-Up in Iraq. By U.S., Halliburton/KBR

It looks like her only real recourse is a media-induced public outcry.

The federal govenrment is going to have to be shamed about this. Many Americans associate all Iraqis to terrorists. The Right can't say Jones is a member of Al-Qaeda that got what she deserved. The media will go into overdrive over a young attractive woman in distress. CNN couldn't be bothered to question the WMD intelligence. They are too busy covering Anna Nicole Smith, the Runaway Bride and any young attactive woman that will garner ratings. It is sad that it takes a rape of an American woman to get the media to question the State Department's handling of contractors.

Update: Shakesville has a post on the Jones story and links to other bloggers covering the story.

I left this comment at Shakesville.

The outrage has sparked so fast. What people need to do is lobby Congress to retroactively change the State Department contracting laws. Blackwater, Halliburton need to be held accountable.

Jamie's diary states that an Army doctor told her that there are so many rapes of American woman in Iraq that they would have a hard time finding the rape kit. They ultimately did. There is no telling how many Western and Iraqi women have been raped by military and contractor personal.

Change. the. contractor. law. now.

Update: John Conyers and Ted Poe Information Request On Jones Case

Pajamas Media Embarrasses Itself On Jamie Leigh Jones Story

Jamie Leigh Jones Update

Latest Update Jamie Leigh Jones & Arbitration Fairness

Iraq Contracts

One of the good things about Congress going into control of the Democratic Party is sorely needed oversight. The Congressional hearings into Iraq contracts have begun.

"Profiteering during wartime is inexcusable," said Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan, testifying at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. "This is the most significant waste, fraud and abuse we have ever seen in this country."

Lawmakers and the U.S. inspector general have accused KBR, formerly a division of Halliburton Co., which was once headed by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, of abusing federal rules in record-keeping on the current contract. Nearly $2 billion (€1.47 billion) in overpricing on the contract has been identified by Pentagon auditors and government investigators, lawmakers said.

Houston-based KBR is currently the U.S. Army's sole contractor for providing food and shelter to the military in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait under the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, or Logcap. The Pentagon has awarded more than $20 billion (€14.7 billion) over the last five years for the services contract.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the committee, cited several examples of contract abuse, including KBR allegedly billing the federal government for millions of meals that were never delivered, overstating labor costs by 51 percent, or $30 million (€22.06 million), and purchasing between $40 million (€29.41 million) and $113 million (€83.08 million).

KBR Inc. is making billions and have no competitors. There is no need for them to overchange. They do so out of pure greed. This is all being done with the help of the White House. Vice-President Dick Cheney has been the architect of the Department of Defense using Halliburton.

One businessman with close ties to the Bush Administration tells Mayer, "Anything that has to do with Iraq policy, Cheney's the man to see. He's running it, the way that L.B.J. ran the space program."

It doesn't matter if the government can get better and more affordable supplies from another vendor. It's all about helping contacts. That is how Cheney moved his way up in the world. To his narrow world view; that is the respectful way of doing business. The lack of armored vechicles and other equipment are matters people in his inner-circle are too fearful to tell him about.