The company said the decision was made after supply trucks protected by U.S. soldiers were attacked Friday by Iraqi insurgents just outside Baghdad, resulting in the death of one employee from Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root. Seven others are missing or held hostage. A soldier was also killed in the incident, and two others are missing.
Privately, company officials expressed concerns about the level of security provided to the convoy. Halliburton’s fuel convoys are protected by U.S. soldiers under the terms of a contract signed in December 2001.
“For the safety and security of convoys, the Army and KBR jointly made the decision to suspend some convoys at this time until additional security efforts can be put in place by the military to provide the new level of security necessary to move supplies into Iraq,” said Wendy Hall, a Halliburton spokeswoman. “KBR is resolved to continue support of the U.S. troops and to fulfill all contract obligations.”
Halliburton’s inability to move freely about the country offers evidence of how the rapidly declining security situation in Iraq — and the military’s reliance on private contractors to supply troops and rebuild the country — could hurt the U.S. mission.
This is not surprising, considering the number of convoys that have been destoyed in the past week or so. It’s likely that the troops around Fallujah especially are running out of fuel for their vehicles, and this heretofore unreported angle is a major consideration in the “ceasefire” the US was practically begging for this weekend.