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So “the government had absolutely nothing to do with it” had absolutely nothing to do with the truth, other than being the opposite of it. Also, I think it’s fair to say that Cheney didn’t become CEO at Halliburton because of his expertise in oil extraction. It just might have had something to do with his government experience, especially as secretary of defense during the war in the Persian Gulf. Which, in case you didn’t know, is an area of the world that pumps a lot of oil.

And Halliburton did quite a lot of business with countries in that region during Cheney’s tenure as CEO. Countries like Iran and Iraq. Small problem. Federal law prohibited U.S. companies from doing business with the two state sponsors of terrorism. Halliburton circumvented these restrictions by setting up subsidiaries in foreign countries. Such as Halliburton Products and Services, which has its “headquarters” in a Cayman Islands mailbox, and an office in Iran, an Axis of Evil stalwart.

In fact, a company brochure brags about its work on two offshore Iranian drilling contracts, saying that “we are committed to position ourselves in a market that offers huge growth potential.” These deals may very well have been illegal. But for some reason, Bush’s Department of Justice hasn’t pursued the case.

From 1997 through mid-2000, Halliburton subsidiary Dresser Industries sold $30 million worth of water and sewage treatment pumps, spare parts for oil facilities, and pipeline equipment to Saddam Hussein’s regime. Cheney lied about this on ABC’s This Week on July 30, 2000, saying, “I had a firm policy that we wouldn’t do anything in Iraq, even—even arrangements that were supposedly legal. . . . We’ve not done any business in Iraq since the sanctions [were] imposed, and I had a standing policy that I wouldn’t do that.” Cheney’s lie on This Week was no Gore/James Lee Witt whopper, but still.1

Back to Bondsteel 2001, and our show. One of the reasons I love military audiences is that they have a really sick sense of humor. This was their favorite joke:

You know, a lot of Americans were really worried about you guys when we started our action here in Kosovo. In fact, I know that kind of constrained what you could do. And fortunately, there were no combat casualties here. But you’ll be happy to know, since 9/11, Americans are now willing to take casualties here in Kosovo.

They laughed because they knew it was true. Clinton’s intervention in Kosovo, which prevented a genocide, did not have our country’s wholehearted support. Americans did not like the Serbian atrocities they saw on their televisions, but they were in no mood to see our troops take casualties. Certainly not in Kosovo. And certainly not before 9/11.

The bombing campaign was particularly unpopular with certain Republicans, who had no qualms about expressing their objections while our troops were in harm’s way.

The President said if we did nothing, there would be an instability in the region. There would be a flood of refugees, Kosovars would die, and the credibility of NATO would be undermined. Well, Clinton’s bombing campaign has caused all these problems to explode.

House Majority Whip Tom DeLay—May 2, 1999

This is President Clinton’s war, and when he falls flat on his face, that’s his problem.

Senator Richard Lugar—May 3, 1999

I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning. I didn’t think we had done enough in the diplomatic area.

Senator Trent Lott—May 4, 1999

They haven’t prepared for anything in this. And they’re running out of weapons to do it. And frankly, I don’t think Clinton has the moral authority or ability to fight this war correctly.

Sean Hannity—May 10, 1999

Thank God, Republicans are honorable and understand the patriotic value of constructive dissent. Otherwise, during this year’s war in Iraq, guys like Hannity would have gone after any Democrats who were the least bit critical of President Bush.

Um, wait a minute. Here’s Hannity on national television:

Forty-eight hours we’re sending our men and women in harm’s way, and there’s