Halliburton's Super Bowl party for the troops-- now with 100% fewer troops

I'm a fan of classic radio shows, and it's always interesting to hear the stars, circa World War II, take time out from their broadcasts to remind the public of the importance of reducing consumption, making sacrifices, and doing everything possible to make life easier for our troops and strenghten the war effort. It really highlights the absence of any such effort these days. And the real shock is the complete absence of outrage or calls for accountability when it comes to government contractors stealing taxpayer dollars from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and having themselves a grand time with it. Right-wingers love to throw around terms like treason when describing critics of White House policy, but I can't think of a better example than taking food out of the mouths of our troops to throw parties and hand out cash bonuses.

Halliburton Co. executives ordered a big-screen television and 10 large tubs of tacos, chicken wings and cheese sticks delivered to Iraq for last year's Super Bowl, then billed U.S. taxpayers for their party, according to a lawsuit unsealed Friday.

The Houston-based company also defrauded the government by double- and triple-billing for Internet, food and gym services for soldiers, according to the lawsuit by a former employee for KBR, the Halliburton subsidiary that runs dining halls for troops in Iraq.

"The administration is not enforcing the laws against fraud when it comes to contractors in Iraq," said Alan Grayson, the attorney who filed the suit. "When it comes to seeing that the law is executed, the Bush administration is a no-show."

Halliburton denied the allegations, filed under the False Claims Act. Designed to prevent war profiteering, such lawsuits allow citizens to sue on behalf of the government and recover a portion of any damages.

The company did not deny ordering the TV and the food; it set up snack buffets and screenings at military bases throughout Iraq for the 2005 Super Bowl. But KBR noted that its contract allowed the firm to provide recreation and morale-boosting services for its employees and for American soldiers.

I don't have a problem with the company wanting to do something nice for their own employees in Iraq, but literally billions of dollars have gone missing, and Halliburton's defense is to say that they're allowed to throw parties under the terms of the contract-- so why should it affect their bottom line? Just because there's a war on doesn't mean you stop looking out for number one, right?