Answer to Chris Ullman
Dear Chris,
I am really glad that you appreciate our website in English. Was the french version so hard to understand ? If so, you should have asked the french team of Carlyle Europe...
Anyway, it seems that you haven't understood the reasons why we wanted to "stop" Carlyle in Europe. Let's explain it in simple words...
Let's see what you wrote..."There are a number of inaccuracies"...
YOU said : "Your reasons for wanting to "stop" us, whatever that means"
- Sorry to use "Stop" ; we haven't found less letters to make it easier to understand...
YOU said : "former President Bush is no longer affiliated with The Carlyle Group, as noted on our website."
- as noted on our website, we have reported this event. Ooops...I am so sorry. This brief was in french...(october 21 st , 2003)
YOU said : "current President Bush is not an advisor and never has been...no legitimate news outlet has even implied this."
- we agree that your current president Bush ("junior" in Old Europe) is not an advisor of Carlyle. We have just noticed (tell me if it's wrong) that he joined the Caterair board ; Are you sure that Caterair has no links with the Carlyle Group ?
YOU said : "Henri Martre is no longer affiliated with The Carlyle Group."
- we agree on that one too. He was an adviser though...
YOU said : "Carlyle has had no role in the Iraq war...a company we partly own, United Defense, makes some weapons and vehicles that have been used there."
- Well, when a holding owns companies that are involved in some ways in Iraq, this holding has responsabilities. It is the case for Carlyle. We just asked this simple question : "The role of the Carlyle Group in the recent war in Iraq should be more explained..." Is Carlyle or any fund or any subsidiary of Carlyle involved in Iraq in the past 5 years ?
YOU said : "Our job is to get our investors a good return on their money...we do it ethically. Do you have any proof to the contrary?"
- You just confirmed what we wrote on our website : "Profits for the Carlyle Group come way before social and ethical beliefs." Your job is "to get our investors a good return on their money".
- Let's talk about ethics. James Baker III is "a partner in the law firm of Baker Botts L.L.P. and Senior Counselor to The Carlyle Group" ( www.bakerbotts.com ), so what do you think about Baker Botts defending Saudis against lawyers representing the orphaned families of the 9-11 victims ?
- Finally I won't mention social consequences of your strategy in Europe, we have written enough articles about social issues. So if, one day, you are interested in employment and lays-off caused by the Carlyle Group, you can read these articles.
YOU said : "What effects do our funds have on citizens everyday life? Other than improve the bottom lines of the public pension funds many of them are invested in?"
- First Europeans are not concerned by "public pension funds". Wake up ! We are talking about people living on the other side of this big water plan called Atlantic Ocean. On citizens everyday life, everyday people are loosing their job. Moreover, European citizens lose their control over strategic sectors such as defence for instance.
At least, but not last, YOU said : "If you presented these arguments in a high school debating competition you would be laughed off the stage !"
- High school seems to be the first place that comes to your mind to debate on Carlyle... I would have prefered a financial conference, but OK if you prefer kids... Come to Europe, we will be glad to organize a "debating competition" on Carlyle for you. I wonder which one will be laughed off the stage ? Your vision of business and of society won't be tolerated here.
If you're interested in discussing these issues, please answer me.
Stop Carlyle Staff !
http://stopcarlyle.isuisse.com
stopcarlyle@voila.fr
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