Nov 83: secretary of state (& former Bechtel president) Shutz receives reports of daily chemical weapon use in Iraq. Dec 83: Special Envoy Donald Rumsfeld meets Sadam to discuss possible oil pipeline from Iraq to Jordan (to be constructed by Bechtel). US eventually condemns Iraqs use of WMD, but pipeline talks continue behind scenes until 1985, when deal falls apart because Saddam feels Bectel are overpricing it("Whats the world coming to when you can't trust a politically connected multinational contractor to cut an honest backroom deal with a totalitarian dictator!"). 1988: Bectel secures a contract to build a huge Chemical Plant ("I'm sure he will use this for good and not evil") - Stopped by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. April 2003: Donald Rumsfeld is Secretary of Defense, Saddam is history, Shultz is a board member of Bechtel - now awarded $680 MILLION Iraq reconstruction contract! "= So you see, kids - Good things do come to those who wait! Who says there's no such thing as a happy ending?" Tom Tomorrow. www.tompaine.com/feature.cfm/ID/7577 & www.ips-dc.org