Iraqi vendors urged to bid on U.S. contracts.

• Position: WASHINGTON PULSE

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To make it easier for Iraqi companies to score U.S. military contracts over in the war zone, the Pentagon created a database that lists in Arabic all available contract opportunities. Since the joint contingency contracting system" went online a year ago, 5,000 Iraqi firms have earned $400 million worth of business, says Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for...