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Some Carlyle Group investors:
The Bin Laden family (after the 9/11 attacks, this investment was withdrawn. )
George HW Bush
George Soros, invested $100M.
James Baker III
Frank Carlucci, former U.S. Secretary of Defense
Arthur Levitt, former SEC chairman
Louis V. Gerstner, ex-CEO IBM, Chairman of the Carlyle Group
John Major, ex-PM of Britain
Fidel Ramos, ex-President, Philippines
Saudi Royal Family
It's a private investment firm, last time I checked they were the 11th biggest defense contractor in the US (the group supposedly owns 25% of the Area 51 aerospace research and testing facility,) and they get really big returns on investments. Bush isn't the owner, he's a partner, and they have enough prior defense contracts that they would have a good shot at getting Iraq contracts without connections to Bush. I would consider calling the Bush connection a conflict of interest, but I wouldn't say there's a conspiracy behind it.
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