In its Q4 2004 earnings announcement today, Halliburton said it was going to wind its existing oil and gas field management contracts down in Iran and would not seek any new contracts, citing a poor business climite. Halliburton executives said they would consider returning if “the investment climate improved in Iran.” I’m guessing they believe that would be 10 minutes behind the Marines. (However, Halliburton also did as expected, and will split KBR off from the company, becoming a pure oil and gas field services firm. It’s KBR, after all, that follows the army around…)