More so than the president elect, Vice President-elect Richard (Dick) Cheney is familiar with economies and leading business personalities of the Middle East, and more specifically those of the oil-rich Gulf countries.
After serving for years as a congressman from Wyoming, he was appointed in 1988 by President George Bush to serve as the U.S. Defense Secretary. In that capacity, he directed Operation Desert Storm military action against Iraq.
When he left the government in 1989, Cheney went to work in the private sector, and eventually was appointed chairman and CEO of Halliburton Co., a Texas oil company.
Halliburton, which was founded in 1919, is the world's largest provider of products and services to the petroleum and energy industries. The company serves its customers with a broad range of products and services through its Energy Services Group and Engineering and Construction Group business segments.
Its international operates branch offices in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE and Yemen.
Cheney's general approach has been to be sympathetic to oil producing countries. Speaking at the World Petroleum Congress in Calgary, Alberta, earlier this year, he called on the U.S. government to lift economic sanctions against Iran.
"I would hope we could find ways to improve U.S.-Iran relations," he said. "One of the ways I think is to allow American firms to do the same thing that most other firms around the world are able to do now, and that is to be active in Iran."
According to an article appearing on the Internet site Salon.com, "Cheney opposes restrictions on doing business with countries that have an economic boycott against Israel."
In March, an article which appeared in the Financial Times stated that between 1998 and 1999 Cheney, as CEO of Halliburton, oversaw $23.8 million of business contracts that were submitted for United Nations approval for the sale of parts and equipment to Iraq through two Halliburton subsidiaries, Dresser-Rand and Ingersoll-Dresser Pump.
The article stated that the value of the contracts with Iraq by Halliburton's subsidiaries totaled more than any other U.S. company, and that the "vast majority" of the contracts were approved by the UN sanctions committee.
In August Cheney was asked about the deal in an interview with Sam Donaldson, the U.S. television network ABC. He denied that it had taken place.
"I had a firm policy that I wouldn't do anything in Iraq even—even arrangements that were supposedly legal. What we do with respect with Iran and Libya is done through foreign subsidiaries totally in compliance with U.S. law," he said. — (Albawaba-MEBG)
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
