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Ear to the Ground

Defense Contractor Jeopardized U.S. Soldiers

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Posted on Mar 27, 2007
night vision
inhs.info

ITT, the premier night vision equipment supplier to the U.S. military, will pay $100 million in fines for violating the Arms Exports Control Act by sending sensitive information to China, Singapore and Britain without permission. The U.S. attorney in charge of the case said American soldiers were the “principal victims of ITT’s crimes.”

Thanks to John Lemke for the tip!


CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN)—The leading manufacturer of night vision gear for the Defense Department has admitted sending classified materials overseas and will pay a $100 million penalty, according to federal prosecutors, who say the actions of ITT Corp. have jeopardized the security of U.S. soldiers.

ITT, based in Roanoke, Va., exported classified or sensitive technical data to China, Singapore and Britain without having obtained authorization from the United States, prosecutors said.

The conviction is the first involving a major defense contractor violating the Arms Export Control Act, prosecutors said.

Saying that American soldiers are “the principal victims of ITT’s crimes,” U.S. Attorney John Brownlee said he has structured the $100 million penalty so that half of the money is spent by ITT to develop a next-generation night vision system and “ensure that our soldiers have the best night vision equipment in the world.”

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By DennisD, March 28, 2007 at 9:32 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

$100 Million -  just another tax write-off for ITT and a little bad publicity that will quickly be forgotten. Multi-national corporations know no loyalty to any country. They trade in dollars and dollars cost lives. That’s a trade-off our world’s corporate masters will take anytime.

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By Rodney, March 28, 2007 at 5:04 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

The real question is How many other weapons or technology is killing our soldiers. We’ll never know.

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By fiskhus jim, March 28, 2007 at 2:50 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

The felonies, murders and other crimes committed in Chile (and in D.C.) by Kissinger and the others were at the request of ITT, too.

Treason for Profit is a GOP tradition.

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By FrostedFlakes, March 28, 2007 at 12:43 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

And this surprises whom? This entire pre-emptive war was for no other purpose than to fatten the pockets of war profiteers. That includes the oil companies, contract security companies, weapon manufacturers, Halliburton, and most assuredly politicians themselves. Fining these criminals does nothing, they have made ten-fold the fines beforehand. I say criminal prosecution for all involved, beginning at the White house.

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By James Yell, March 28, 2007 at 9:56 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

It is an old story and a new story. If it makes profit, it doesn’t get more than a slap on the wrist. Our military is being held hostage to the profits of the oil industry and that is only the tip of the ice berg. Meaningful punishment would be disolving the corporations and putting the assets to public use. If they were doing anything productive, sell the assets to a more honest group. Now that is a thought.

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By Margaret Currey, March 28, 2007 at 8:25 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

When will war not be an option, last night on Charlie Rose he interviewed Madeline Allbright and she knows more about the world than George the man who would be king.

So on and on it goes, this is a capatalist country and GWB is the most corporate/oil president we have ever had, the man’s last two years will be a disaster, if the had any sense he should resign but he will not do that. 

The congress should impeach the Bush Administration and the procedings should start now.

Margaret from Vancouver, Washington

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By vet240, March 27, 2007 at 10:32 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Not good enough. Someone should go to prison for a long time for Supplying potential terrorist groups.

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By Terry Sloth, March 27, 2007 at 8:41 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Sell it there; sells it here, we’re arms merchants will sell it anywhere!

Our loyalty is to our pocket the U.S. military can go F_ _K it!

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By Bert, March 27, 2007 at 8:08 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

“War is a racket”-Smedley Butler, Gen., USMC

http://www.warisaracket.org/

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