Vice President Cheney’s Hand in the Burma Case

While current U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney was CEO of oil company Halliburton, the company actively opposed the Massachusetts Burma law and provided support and investment to the Yadana pipeline project in Burma. Four oil companies (Total, Unocal, PTT and MOGE) were involved in the pipeline project, which had a history of human-rights abuses at the hands of the Burmese military which provided security for the project. Cheney himself inked a deal to build a pipeline between India and Burma in 1996. Halliburton was a vital member of USA Engage’s campaign to eliminate the Massachusetts Burma law as well as other human rights sanctions legislation such as legislation sponsored by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) to impose sanctions on countries that persecute religious groups. Halliburton submitted an amicus curiae brief against Massachusetts when the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court.