AP: Private Firms Assist U.S. Military

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031029/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_private_army&cid=540&ncid=1473

In Iraq (news - web sites), private contractors do just about everything a soldier would do. They sling Spam in mess tents. They tote guns along base perimeters. They shoot. They get shot. Sometimes they get killed. And it's not just in Iraq, but around the world — in conflict zones from Liberia (news - web sites) to Kosovo to Afghanistan (news - web sites) — that the United States is putting hired help behind the front lines to ease the burden of its overworked armed forces.

By paying civilians to handle military tasks, the Bush administration is freeing up U.S. troops to fight. But the use of contractors also hides the true costs of war.

Their dead aren't added to official body counts. Their duties — and profits — are hidden by close-mouthed executives who won't give details to Congress. And as their coffers and roles swell, companies are funneling earnings into political campaigns and gaining influence over military policy — even getting paid to recommend themselves for lucrative contracts.

For the civilians handling these soldierly jobs, the risks are high. snip

Contractors' deaths aren't counted among the tally of more than 350 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq. No one is sure how many private workers have been killed, or, indeed, even how many are toiling in Iraq for the U.S. government. Estimates range from under 10,000 to more than 20,000 — which could make private contractors the largest U.S. coalition partner ahead of Britain's 11,000 troops.

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[leftchick]

1. remember the unnamed wounded from the Hotel attack?

There were 4 that were wounded that no one seemed to be able to identify. They were vaguely refered to as CPA "associates" or something like that. Hmmmmm....

[Wickerman]

2. Any friggin thing to avoid accountability

God I hate this administration.

[mojowork_n]

3. "Contractor" is much too large an umbrella term...

"Contractor" describes everything from the ex-spooks and local para-military auxiliaries, fighting in the jungles, in places like Columbia and Central America... to the quasi-autonomous "military advisors" that helped the Croatian Army re-train their officer corps, and supplied them with aerial intelligence, for assorted ethnic cleansing operations, in the mid-90's... It also covers outfits that have included total bottom-of-the-barrel losers... as in the "contract" military personal/pedophiles reported in this story:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,11816,850107,00.html

http://www.iabolish.com/news/press-coverage/2003/sos02-09-03.htm

Basically, I think they're people doing jobs that the government doesn't want to be officially on the hook for, in one way or the other.

[Beetwasher]

4. MERCENARIES

Why the fuck aren't they just calling them what they are? The US is hiring mercenaries to carry out the dirty work...Yeesh, what's the problem?

[denverbill]

5. This is the big story of this war, IMO.

War, for profit. It's unbelievable really.

[davhill]

6. In the 21st Century the State has become nothing

but a money conduit for corporations. Policy is decided by corporations and implemented by corporations to achieve the goals of corporations. The era of government is dead.

[mbperrin]

7. What's REALLY scary is how

little time has been needed to make the switch!

[htuttle]

8. The essential act of war is destruction...

... not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labour. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent. Even when weapons of war are not actually destroyed, their manufacture is still a convenient way of expending labour power without producing anything that can be consumed.
...
And at the same time the consciousness of being at war, and therefore in danger, makes the handing-over of all power to a small caste seem the natural, unavoidable condition of survival. War, it will be seen, not only accomplishes the necessary destruction, but accomplishes it in a psychologically acceptable way. In principle it would be quite simple to waste the surplus labour of the world by building temples and pyramids, by digging holes and filling them up again, or even by producing vast quantities of goods and then setting fire to them. But this would provide only the economic and not the emotional basis for a hierarchical society.
...
-- Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism, Emmanuel Goldstein via George Orwell, 1984

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. And I thought the military was proud to call themselves Republicans.

Who's going to tell them they're being co-opted?

[goforit]

10. Remember they can be hired by anyone!!!!

The scarey thing is that you may come find out that
your the next target!!

[Snazzy]

11. I bet they have a non-disclosure death benefit

AP provides such fine pointers for further investigative journalism--they are hinting at a much bigger story here, like they often are. And that's their best--and correct--journalistic function, I think, as The Wire Service People. Get some facts, get 'em out the door quick. Done deal.

The problem is that so rarely does anyone in US media pick up on anything anymore, in any meaningful way. With the exception of a couple of folks well known around DU, the investigation is dead. All stories must be served on a platter. Change some words, add one or two new facts, or, better yet, distort the AP provided ones, and voila! another day of covering your sorry make-believe-free-press ass. Mission accomplished, Bud Lite time. (ugh)

With that rant so happily set-free: I would wager that the # of dead mercs and Halliburton misc. stooges must be high. Just not being reported--unknown to media. At least the DOD has an obligation to tell us about dead GI's. Companies don't.

I add this: I recently saw a termination agreement from Bremmer's former (?) company, an HR firm. About 30 pages of nearly impenetrable lawyer-speak. Highlight was a payout fund for agreeing to not bring suit. Bet it's about the same for dead dudes in Iraq. Family wants the payout, keep mouth shut.

Don't know, but, like I said, I'd bet that's the deal. Rest assured we will find out in 20 years or so. So we got that working for us.

--Snazzy

Gunga ga gunga ga ga gunga galunga.

(edit typo)