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Halliburton, KBR Sued for Sickening Iraq Troops

Suit charges contractors supplied spoiled food, contaminated water

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 4, 2008 1:51 AM CST

(Newser) – A lawsuit filed against Halliburton and KBR accuses the military contractors of exposing troops and civilian workers on a US base in Iraq to spoiled food, contaminated water, and toxic fumes from a burn pit, the Military Times reports. The lead plaintiff in the suit said he still has nightmares after seeing a wild dog roaming the base with a human arm in its mouth after KBR dumped medical waste in a trash fire instead of a medical incinerator.

The contractors delivered rotten food up to a year past its expiration date, and ice shipped in a mortuary truck still had traces of putrefied remains, the suit charges. The plaintiff experienced vomiting, cramping, diarrhea, and recurring skin lesions. The Joint Base Balad has been home to 30,000 troops and civilian workers. The suit is demanding compensation, and that contractors be stripped of their profits.

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A lawsuit charges that KBR and Halliburton failed to supply safe food and water to Joint Base Balad in Iraq. (©octal)

Trash pit fire burns near Joint Base Balad in Iraq. (©octal)

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On one occasion, he witnessed a wild dog running around base with a human arm in its mouth. The human arm had been dumped on the open air burn pit by KBR. - Lawsuit filed against KBR and Halliburton

KBR prevented their employees from speaking with government auditors. Any employees that spoke with auditors were sent to more dangerous locations in Iraq as punishment. - Lawsuit filed against KBR and Halliburton

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Halliburton, KBR Sued for Sickening Iraq Troops