This issue’s BEAST Real Evil Interoffice Document comes from the Carlyle Group, a giant Private Equity firm with huge investments in the defense, healthcare, energy, telecommunications and other industries worldwide. Carlyle, one of our nation’s largest defense contractors, employs a right-wing Government All-star Team, and is located on Pennsylvania Avenue, right between the White House and Congress. Carlyle’s roster of political retirees is a defense contractor’s wet dream, and includes former US President and CIA director George H.W. Bush, former Secretary of both State and the Treasury James Baker, Former British Prime Minister John Major, former Philippines President Fidel Ramos, former head of the FCC William Kennard, head of the SEC Arthur Levitt, Former Director of the Office of Management and Budget Richard G. Darman, and Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer of the World Bank Afsaneh Beschloss. Carlyle has done big business with the Bin Ladens and the Saudi government

Here we have a letter from Carlyle CEO, former CIA spook; and Reagan Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci, to his old Princeton wrestling teammate & current Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Carlucci, along with Clinton Defense Secretary William J. Perry, seek to counsel Rumsfeld on the "Tail-to-Tooth Commission" from BENS (Business Executives for National Security), "a panel of business executives, former government officials and retired military leaders," which proudly declares itself to be "the primary channel through which senior business executives can help enhance the nation's security." The Commission's mission: to "bring world-class business practices to the Department of Defense and reinvest the billions saved in combat capabilities." In other words, finding more money for weapons, and the sellers of weapons. Another initiative spearheaded by BENS is the Prompt Payment Act, which aims to get the Pentagon to give contractors their money in a speedier fashion.

While Carlyle insists that its staff of political heavyweights are on the payroll for their business acumen alone, and that "None of them lobbies his former government colleagues," the proposed SecDef pow-wow in this correspondence clearly indicates an attempt, seemingly successful, to lobby at the highest level. Rummy’s warm reply suggests that perhaps he is thinking of a stint at Carlyle himself when his time in the White House is up.