US Company Paid Off PM Maliki To Service And Rob Iraqi Military Base

Sallyport Global Services is an American military contractor. It is accused of giving bribes to Iraqi officials including former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to acquire a deal to service the Balad Air Base in Salahaddin. Recently it had been accused of smuggling fuel from that base as well.

 

In 2018 Sallyport’s parent company Caliburn International filed papers with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it might have violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in a deal with the company Afaq. In January 2014 Sallyport won a contract worth $1.1 billion to provide security, training and supplies to the Balad Air Base in Iraq. Before that Sallyport partnered with Afaq Umm Qasr Marine Services. The Daily Beast reported that the company is controlled by Nuri al-Maliki and his son Ahmad al-Maliki and son-in-law Yasser Sukhail al-Maliki were involved as well. Sallyport via Afaq made payoffs to Maliki and his family to gain the Balad contract. The American Justice Department has been investigating this case.

 

Sallyport has reportedly continued with its corrupt practices. Iraq Oil Report ran a story that the company was involved in smuggling jet fuel from Balad. In March 2019 Sallyport ordered 400,000 liters of fuel with no purchase order even though the base didn’t need it. Iraqi sources told Iraq Oil Report that fuel smuggling was a major business out of Balad and that the commanding officer and the commander of the Air Force had to know about it.

 

Since 2003 Iraq has consistently been ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. This is controlled by the ruling parties and officials that use the money to enrich themselves and stay in power. Thus it is no surprise that Maliki may have taken payoffs from Sallyport. Likewise a crooked American company would have no problem with taking part in these activities and robbing the Balad base because they are so prolific.

 

SOURCES

 

Kopplin Zack, McCullough, Irvin, “DOJ Is Investigating Whether U.S. Payoffs to Iraqi Officials Opened the Door for ISIS,” Daily Beast, 2/12/19

 

Otten, Cathy, “Iraq’s failing F-16 program highlights corruption at Balad Airbase,” Iraq Oil Report, 8/12/20