Latest in Oracle's dirty tricks campaign

I was speaking with some folks in our Washington D.C. office and they gave me scoop on the latest installment of Oracle's Dirty Tricks Tour 2005, an effort by Larry and Company to derail SAP's dominance in Federal government and Department of Defense business. This rather pathetic effort is based on the fact that SAP is a German headquartered company (who knew, if you walked through our Palo Alto campus you might think we were an Indian or Chinese company) and the second well worn observation that German Chancellor Shroeder opposed the Coalition's war in Iraq. Their conclusion is that a German company is therefore no longer fit to provide software to the DoD, go figure.

Now it's one thing to switch from Bordeaux to some domestic wine, but another thing altogether to stop using the software that the military runs their operations on (and I shouldn't have to remind anyone that U.S. military logistics is hands down the best in the world, in no small part because of the technology they have deployed). More to the point, SAP is a global company with almost 6,000 employees right here in the U.S.A., and many of those SAP employees don't have time to consider German politics because they are too damn busy working hard every day building and delivering software applications for the U.S. military, Homeland Security, DLA, and a myriad of other agencies and acronyms.

More troubling about these insinuations is that they obscure the fact that Oracle itself has been selling software to Syria and Iran, 2/3 of the Axis of Evil, through third parties. Oracle has a strong presence in the Middle East through a partnership with Global Technology Services.  Oracle maintains a listed sales contact for Syria, where it closed a major deal with Syria Telecom in 2004. In Iran, Oracle serves the market through a local partner, Basa; it is estimated that Oracle has approximately 5 Iranian customers, with the most publicized implementation being at Esfahan Zobe Ahan, a steel production company. Oracle is a visible brand presence in Iranian newspapers. So if anyone wants to have hearings in Congress to evaluate the patriotic inclinations of software vendors, bring it on.

Link: The Center for Security Policy.

At the very least, the Marines could use help from the Air Force if it comes to blows with Iran. That may only be possible, however, if someone decides our airmen - unlike their Army and Navy counterparts -- should be supported by software that doesn't give Germany a veto.

Comments

[PD Quig]

Actually, Syria was not full-fledged member of the original Axis of Evil (Iran, North Korea, Iraq). They certainly qualify as an honorary member now.

[jeff]

yes, I was incorrect in labeling Syria as an OAE (original axis of evil) member.

[vinnie mirchandani]

Jeff, cannot defend Oracle...but should Germany (and rest of Europe) be a lot more open?...see

http://dealarchitect.typepad.com/deal_architect/2005/09/oracle_sap_and_.html#

[Ramin1963]

I am wondering when I read such an article. I am an IT Specialist from Iram who lives more than 2 decades outside Iran. I am observing the iranian IT market since couple of years. Even when Oracle or SAP does not sell their the product to Iran, the get the copy of that. The iranian graduates from iranian universities are a real high performanced people. Therefore I don`t understand the issue here.
As far as I know, these companies are very normal company. And don`t forget in each corner of Iran you will find a latest copy of all Microsoft oroducts for only 3 US Dollars. What dode it mean, only Microsoft suffers here and not the Iran. The iranian have a big respect to the US people and their civilization. When the have software made in US, they will like also the US.
I hope I could contribute with my lines here.
Regards

[jeff]

Thanks for commenting, it's always good to have a perspective from someone that is a true local.

The issue that inevitably comes into play is the politics and U.S. laws concerned with doing business in Iran for U.S. companies.