Re: RC: UAE/AERC

["Truman Prevatt, PhD" <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>]

As one who has spent a large portion of my adult life around the USAF and other
assorted elements of the US DOD, Howard is absolutely correct in his description
of "conflict of interest" as pertains to the conduct of our DOD personnel both
civilian and military. Also the same standards pertain to US defense
contractors.  When dealing in foreign markets they are bound by US law on
conflict of interest which puts them at a big competitive disadvantage since the
trading of gifts which is common place in many areas of the world is against US
law for US Aerospace contractors to participate in.  Also under US law regarding
such matters, an appearance of improprierty is in fact a conflict of interest.
This concept has its roots in the concept of a level playing field based on
merit.

So there are different cultures and different standards of conduct in those
cultures. I quite frankly agree that there is a conflict of interest, but I don't
fault the UAE at all. It is the FEI I see being in a conflict of interest.

Should we hold people of other cultures to our standards is an entirely different
question, one each of us has to answer for ourselves.

Truman ( you know there is something quite nice about Air Force blue - could it
be that it is one of the big reason we have the freedom to have this discussion )

PS You know I just happen to have a relative of Paul's horse out in my pasture.

Howard4567@aol.com wrote:If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, poops like
a duck, my guess is

> it's a duck.  When I was in the Air Force (I'm sure y'all love hearing about
> this) they had a saying that if anything you do has even an appearance of
> impropriety than you'd damn well better change what you're doing.  Culture
> differences not withstanding, I think even the UAE might be able to see where
> the perception of conflicting interests might lie.  Maybe one of their
> foreign brokers can try and explain it to them sometime.
>
> cya,
> Howard (I'm still riding the great X 20 grandson of Paul Revere's horse)
>

--
Vertex Engineering, Inc.
Innovative Solutions
Superior Support