There are about 100,000 government contractors operating in Iraq, not counting subcontractors, a total that is approaching the size of the U.S. military force there, according to the military's first census of the growing population of civilians operating in the battlefield.
The survey finding, which includes Americans, Iraqis and third-party nationals hired by companies operating under U.S. government contracts, is significantly higher and wider in scope than the Pentagon's only previous estimate, which said there were 25,000 security contractors in the country....
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
War, What Is It Good For?
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5 comments:
FDR lives! But I prefer Hoover Dam. I guess that goes back to the whole distinction between nation-building and mass murder.
When did mercenaries become "security contractors"?
Euphemisms belong in the Washington Post and The New York Times, not in a PROGRESSIVE BLOG.
I think, that all future, and sure to come, wars by the U.S. should be contracted out completely to the private sector which could esily full-fill all the regruiting requirements. Not only that, but enermous savings could be realized by utilizing the Global labor markets. You could get a real bang for a buck by just getting your fighters from places like Bangaladesh, Kongo and even some unemployed Afghans could do a heck of a job with the fraction of the present costs.
Anon - Quoting a news article is not the same thing as endorsing what it says.
There we go, Pekka. With the bonus of population control. Ouch.
Although I'm suspicious of calling all government contractors "security contractors", let's assume they are all mercenaries.
Even if some of them have as their responsibility cataloging reburying the remains of Saddam's mass murder.
Mercenaries in our employ would be preferable to private militias accountable to no one. But it is nevertheless a disturbing trend. I trust a Marine private a whole lot more than some retired ground pounder or special operator making bank off the backs of the Iraqi security situation.
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