Comments on: KBR Bans Cell Phones and Silences Rape Victims

By: mw

mw — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:04:07 +0000

My husband works for this company and cell phones are banned! If caught using a cell phone he will be fired and sent home! If you are still using your phone don’t be surprized if it is taken away, but for now consider yourself lucky to still be able to communicate with your family.

By: News & Analysis Of The Ever-Widening Global War Of Terror « Hope2012

News & Analysis Of The Ever-Widening Global War Of Terror « Hope2012 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:34:08 +0000

[...] KBR bans cell phone use, silences rape victims – Feministe 8/8/08 [...]

By: Corporate News Round-Up « Hope2012

Corporate News Round-Up « Hope2012 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:31:38 +0000

[...] KBR bans cell phone use, silences rape victims – Feministe 8/8/08 [...]

By: Cara

Cara — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:18:44 +0000

Kiki — I got the info from the numerous mainstream news sources listed above. If the facts are wrong, you’re going to have to take it up with the reporters.

By: kiki78

kiki78 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:13:25 +0000

Ummm, not quite sure where you got your information that KBR has banned cell phones. I’ve been in Baghdad for 4 years with KBR and haven’t heard of that,and I use mine everyday.You’ve more than likely never been over here so it’s not your fault you don’t know what’s going on.Anyway, we did get a directive form the MILITARY, and when I say “we”,not just KBR, but all other contractors, State Department, and military as well, saying we can’t use the “CAMERAS” on our cell phones being that we are in a war zone,and pictures would pose an OPSEC issue, but we ARE allowed to use cell phones.

By: Henry

Henry — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:04:41 +0000

I’d be interested to see whether this ban applies to American employees in Iraq, or just the local national employees. KBR employs a lot of local nationals in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and local national employees are banned from using cell phones in Afghanistan. It doesn’t have anything to do with stifling whistle-blowers or putting rape victims in danger. It has everything to do with the fact that it’s a security risk to allow local nationals to use their phones while on base, because they might be passing information of coordinating attacks.

Mind you, I can’t speak to KBR’s guilt or innocence in other areas, I’m just familiar with this policy.

By: SunlessNick

SunlessNick — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:18:55 +0000

This is what the embodiment of capitalism is, who cares if someone gets raped? Raped people can still work.

It’s the “but he isn’t really like this, why ruin his good name” line raised to an industrial level. “It’s not what our company is like as a whole, it’s not representative of our work in Iraq, why ruin the good name of that work?” Because if a company shelters rapists, that is what it’s like, and a so-called good name deserves ruining of those are the ends it’s turned to.

Same for the army and LaVena Johnson’s murder.

By: Cara

Cara — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 22:06:33 +0000

Alexa — it’s most likely for the same reason that women join the army despite the high rates of rape there: 1. they are uninformed on the issue or 2. they have no other real financial options.

By: Alexa

Alexa — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 21:58:35 +0000

How could any woman go to work voluntarily for an organization like KBR these days, given all that we know about this organization?

By: Oliver

Oliver — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 21:35:57 +0000

This is what the embodiment of capitalism is, who cares if someone gets raped? Raped people can still work. Unfortunately it looks like a long time before any of this is close to becoming a rare occurance (rape and uncaring/unaccountable business).