Another PR coup for Halliburton/KBR

[leejo]

Victim: Gang-Rape Cover-Up by U.S., Halliburton/KBR

I paraphrase: Attractive intelligent woman claims she was gang-raped in Iraq by KBR coworkers.

Very ugly story.

[Kerostasis]

Any word on what she was doing working in Iraq at the age of 19 anyway? I have no love for Halliburton or out-of-country defense contractors, but its somewhat strange that she's managed to come out of this with no evidence of any kind.

[War.mongeR1]

Not saying it couldn't happen, but it could very well be someone looking to make some bucks from a possible lawsuit. I don't trust the drive-by media. Remember the Duke Lacrosse team? Those poor guys got raked over the coals, their reputations ruined, non-stop media coverage, and it ended up being bogus.

[Bommando]

Originally Posted by Kerostasis

Any word on what she was doing working in Iraq at the age of 19 anyway?

Uh, working for KBR / Halliburton by the sounds of it. Maybe she was asking for it? While the article doesn't make reference to her role, it does mention "co-workers" and their request to use internal arbitration, which would indicate all people concerned were employees.

Originally Posted by Kerostasis

I have no love for Halliburton or out-of-country defense contractors, but its somewhat strange that she's managed to come out of this with no evidence of any kind.

While I always reserve judgement of cases like this until more info comes to light, the way you paint this is pretty callous. We'll see where it goes, but assuming it's some kind of scam from the start is pretty rough.

[leejo]

I certainly hope that this woman wasn't raped, but as this story comes to light, it will be difficult to explain away certain pieces as "no evidence of any kind". According to Congressman Poe, the State Department rescued her from "her container". Why was she locked in a shipping container? Was she in fact examined by Army doctors? If so, the rape kit may be gone, but their memories and testimony may still be around. Etc.

Her contract's arbitration clause will probably ensure this never sees the light of day in a courtroom, but I wouldn't be surprised if Henry Waxman, et. al., find another forum for discussing this matter and hauling these alleged rapists into a Congressional hearing to get their faces on cameras everywhere. If they're guilty, good. If not, then hopefully the truth will come out.

[Arf]

Originally Posted by War.mongeR1

Not saying it couldn't happen, but it could very well be someone looking to make some bucks from a possible lawsuit. I don't trust the drive-by media. Remember the Duke Lacrosse team? Those poor guys got raked over the coals, their reputations ruined, non-stop media coverage, and it ended up being bogus.

They didn't get their lives ruined. They graduated and got good jobs. Most of the time these people are just referred to with the generic, "Duke Lacross Team" since nobody can remember their names and definitely don't know what they look like so even if people wanted to discriminate against them they couldn't. Of course the Urban Legend that they're all living in an alley together as pariahs abandoned by a society that wrongfully accused them still persists.

<cough> <cough>

[Kerostasis]

Originally Posted by Bommando

While I always reserve judgement of cases like this until more info comes to light, the way you paint this is pretty callous. We'll see where it goes, but assuming it's some kind of scam from the start is pretty rough.

I wasn't assuming anything. I did, however, glance at some of the comments on the news site that the story was hosted on, and they raised some interesting questions about the story. Its a story with some holes in it. I don't know that that means the story is bogus, there could easily be legitimate answers to those holes that just havent been published yet, but there's definately holes in what we know so far. How does mentioning that make me callous?

[leejo]

Originally Posted by Arf

They didn't get their lives ruined.

IMO anything that gets someone away from Duke is a relatively good thing.

Go Heels!

[War.mongeR1]

The amazing thing about any of this, or so many other stories, is why is it the world's business? I can't stand how these reports come out before anything goes to trial and a verdict is reached. It's sad how people (whether plaintiffs or defendants) are judged by the masses before any evidence has come out, or anything has been in the courts. Where as the legal system we have likes to think that people are innocent until proven guilty, the media almost never seems to give any one the benefit of the doubt.

[Zephyr]

Originally Posted by War.mongeR1

The amazing thing about any of this, or so many other stories, is why is it the world's business? I can't stand how these reports come out before anything goes to trial and a verdict is reached. It's sad how people (whether plaintiffs or defendants) are judged by the masses before any evidence has come out, or anything has been in the courts. Where as the legal system we have likes to think that people are innocent until proven guilty, the media almost never seems to give any one the benefit of the doubt.

This is kind of something I feel the need to QFT...

I mean, I really don't WANT to...but isn't it true more than anything else said in this thread? Our news media needs sensationalist headlines and instead of honest reporting and issues we get our populace infused with the desire for mob judgment...

-Zephyr

[Kerostasis]

Actually, its not quite accurate to say the media doesn't give anyone the benefit of the doubt. They certainly do give someone the benefit of the doubt. They just tend to choose which someone to give it to very early on in the story based on who is more emotionally appealing (which means corporations always lose out to individuals), as opposed to the legal system's view of giving the benefit of the doubt to the accused.

[Arf]

In a statement, KBR said it was "instructed to cease" its own investigation by U.S. government authorities "because they were assuming sole responsibility for the criminal investigations."

Over two years later, the Justice Department has brought no criminal charges in the matter. In fact, ABC News could not confirm any federal agency was investigating the case.

At this point we should note the government doesn't even have jurisdiction in these cases. If the case is ongoing they should be able to identify an investigating agency. If the case has concluded they should report their finding. This is your business because Halliburton/KBR are paid by the American public to represent the nation in Iraq. Therefore it is public business.

Now you people sit here and talk about how this isn't your problem, we should wait until the investigation that may or may not exist concludes. Then we should wait for the court of conflicted interests where the defendants get to decide if they're guilty behind doors where the public isn't allowed. Don't demand a trial, that's like saying they're guilty, we wouldn't want to risk the defendant's name being raked across the coals and the victim isn't our business.

[leejo]

I kinda agree with Arf. This isn't like the Duke case at all. More like the power of the state stomping all over an individual's rights. This isn't some doped up stripper making a wild accusation, it's a US Congressman getting stonewalled about the investigation into his constituent's alleged rape by government contractors while conduction government business.

I for one will be watching this case.

[Rincewind]

Come on. They're fighting globalmegacorp. She doesn't have a chance of getting this to a criminal trial because of the dubious binding arbitration clause (the constitutionality of being able to sign your rights to a trial by a jury of your peers is debate for another thread.. or maybe this one).

This (binding arbitration) is a gross miscarriage of justice and I'm surprised only a few of us see that. The actual crime that globalmegacorp is accused of covering-up/accommodating/participating in is moot for me (in this case it's accused of facilitating and covering up gang rape). The real crime is that there will be no criminal charges and no trial.

[CingularDuality]

Originally Posted by Kerostasis

Any word on what she was doing working in Iraq at the age of 19 anyway?

What kind of question is this?