The referenced article written by Côme Carpentier de Gourdon does not claim that massive sabotage was performed by Halliburton and those seeking opportunities for real estate speculation. By writing that it does, Morley is either being disingenuous or has difficulty with basic comprehension.

Tens of billions of dollars in lucrative government contracts in addtion to seized real estate provides a compelling motive ... evidence of massive sabotage no, but motive yes. And motive lends legitimacy at least to consider the plausibility of the idea and search for evidence.

Do you think it absurd that FDR knew the Japanese would attack Pearl Harbor, yet allowed the base to remain strategically vulnerable in order to mobilize the American people for the war effort?

We need this newspaper and others to keep on the story of Haliburton. We citizens all knew that the contract to rebuild Louisianna would go to Haliburton. There is no other contractor in the US.(Ha) People need to wise up. Haliburton deals with Terrorist Countries and also steals our taxpayer money.

It is the arrogance that gets to me. The administration (any administration) does not care what it looks like, they do it regardless. Keep reporting, and dig, dig, dig.

I do not want to learn that Louisianna residents were taken advantage of.

It should hardly come as any surprise that people in the rest of the world sometimes entertain crackpot conspiracy theories. After all, we Americans have indulged in them plenty of times ourselves (the international communist conspiracy; the domino effect; Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11, etc.)

I was working in the relief effort at the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana, last week and saw two Halliburton tents outside. What were they doing there? Were they giving jobs to displaced people? Why were they there when FEMA was not? I am with Jackie on this one. It may be that Halliburton is the nearest and best equipped entity to undertake the reconstruction--but there may be much more going on here. Definitely keep digging on this one!

I doubt if Halliburton engaged in sabotage... the levees weren't up to par because of neglect, much like 9/11 happenned due to neglect in airport security (that's when the airlines paid for their own security, and cut corners while doing so). It is unfortunately very typical of America and the American people to not deal with a problem until it blows up in their collective face. We're too busy watching the boob tube to be pro-active about our problems.

Jackie,
Please name some of the other companies that you imply can do what Haliburtont can in NO. What Haliburton has going for it is that it has many company resources to draw from around the world that few other companies can match, has existing Federal contracting vehicles in place that the Gov't can use to fund money to the company, and is experienced handling large jobs.

Actually, I think that the environmentalists are behind the sabotage to ensure that New Orleans and the industrial complexes are not rebuilt. They are hoping that the city is destroyed and the entire delta region is returned to its original condition. How better to end the channelization that has destroyed so much bayou wetlands and coastal wetlands.

As usual when incompetence seems to be too extreme, conspiracy theories abound. Look, its pretty simple. FEMA did not have its act together, DHS did not have its act together (still doesn't). Higher administration officials were on vacation, shopping or otherwise not on the job.

Other areas of incompetence are everywhere in this administration. Here's one that I see happening as I type: Did you know that no more shuttle flights until March? The space station may have to be abandoned in a few weeks due to walls erected against Russian technology sales ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/15/AR2005091502045.html ). As usual an emergency is happening due to neglect and the administration is playing catchup.

And now Bush is saying the Feds are coming to the rescue in the Gulf Coast with a bottomless checkbook and has put the one person who has no ability to manage a rebuilding effort in charge - Karl Rove. Why Rove? Well, he's the political mastermind of disinformation that caps information critical of the administration and glorifies information that reflects well on the administration, and down right makes up information about critics of this administration. As you can see, Bush's priorities are in order:

1) Make the administration look good.
2) Spend any amount of money for #1.
3) Hold no one accountable.
4) Place friends in positions of power.
5) Do not consider competence when putting friends in position of power.
6) Make sure friends in the private sector get the money in #2.
7) Oh yea, spread democracy...

If there is any conspiracy its a conspiracy of incompetence in this administration that is amazing in its levels and so obvious you must wonder how anyone could have been re-elected after demonstrating it so well:

-Surprised by 9/11 indeed.
-Saddam and bin Laden are buddies indeed.
-WMD in Iraq indeed.
-Only need a few soldiers in Iraq indeed.
-Surprised by Abu Graib indeed.
-George Tenet deserves the Medal of Freedom indeed.
-A highway bill that will create jobs indeed.
-No one knew the levees would break indeed.
-Brownie did a hellava job indeed.
-Karl Rove, a political consultant with no experience in city management will be in charge of: "one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen" ... indeed. You can read about this mans checkered past here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Rove and wonder why this man should be be given this job. One can only hope (against hope) that the Republican Congress will make sure he spends the money well.

One final note, if Democrats are "Tax and Spend" liberals and Republicans are turning out to be "Reduce taxes and Spend big" conservatives, which will ever manage to balance a budget? At least the Democrats collect the money they spend, the Republicans just bill it to your children.

Now that you say it- pls take a "good look" to the videos of the WTC towers and some photos taken from the ground level and you will see an explosion taking place on the ground floor!!!!!!

and what about the "plane" crashed in Washington? I have not seen the tail yet! Even the lawn and light poles are intact. Have you seen those photos? This is a new era pal. Open your eyes and heart.

Open your eyes indeed. I saw Elvis on the tube last night standing behind the President after his speech, and, when I replayed the tape backwards, I swore I heard him whispering "Haliburton...Haliburton..."

Come on folks...get a grip. Are you such dolts that it only took 9 posts to get from Haliburton conspiracy theories to 9/11 conspiracy theories? See you later at the moveon.org site!!

This conspiracy theory thing with Halliburton is the most idiotic thing I have heard yet. Halliburton bid for and got (in 2004) some standing contracts to repair certain government facilities and to assist the Corps of Engineers in cerain projects in case of a natural diaster such as a hurricane. Shaw, a LA company, was hired to repair the levees by the Corps.
KBR will repair the pumps, and other companies, such as Bechtel, will do other repairs. For a disaster of this magnitude it will take all of the large and experienced companies to do the job. To suggest that anyone CAUSED Katrina to do that amount of damage is so way-out that it is pure fantasy.

I find it interesting that you'd comment about a "conspiracy theory" with Haliburton deals but fail to mention the other "conspiracy theory."

The one that has the US goverment looking for any enviromental groups that may have sued any states to halt levee work.

--The Clarion-Ledger has obtained a copy of an internal e-mail the U.S. Department of Justice sent out this week to various U.S. attorneys' offices: "Has your district defended any cases on behalf of the (U.S.) Army Corps of Engineers against claims brought by environmental groups seeking to block or otherwise impede the Corps work on the levees protecting New Orleans? If so, please describe the case and the outcome of the litigation." --
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

Of course it more fun to report on news from India than from Mississippi.

Why, in goodness' name, does an accusation of "sabatage" WITHOUT AN IOTA OF EVIDENCE offered by the accuser, even merit discussion.

It is logical duty of the accuser to put forward evidence which give initial credence to the accusation.

Conspiracy theories need no evidence for their followers. Those who believe in them are often incapable or simply unwilling to deal with more complex issues, such as weak levees or, in the case of 9/11, the fact that Islamic militants want to kill Americans.

Katrina has been turned into pork for Halliburton. The funds should have gone to local businesses that would have employed local people at the prevaling wage have gone to Halliburton. Local government has also lost control of these funds.
Military Commanders lost control of their logistics in Iraq, when it was given to Halliburton. With the cost overuns and graft involved with privitization, the military was shorted on proper equipment and men in Iraq.

There are two kinds of people in this world, Tuco. Some dismiss ideas out of hand when they undermine their world view. Others are at least willing to entertain an idea long enough to form a considered opinion. Knowing what we all do about the depths (and heights) of virtue exhibited by us humans, are we really so naive as to believe this (or 9/11 conspiracy) is not possible? I suppose you think Oswald killed JFK? Question, have you done ANY research on ANY conspiracy theory, or do you just accept the 'Major Media's' word for everything?