Security firms have 20,000 shadow soldiers in Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/world/2515646

They have come from all corners of the world. Former Navy Seal commandos from North Carolina. Gurkhas from Nepal. Soldiers from South Africa's old apartheid government. They have come by the thousands, drawn to the dozens of private security companies that have set up shop in Baghdad. The most prized were plucked from the world's elite special forces units. Others may have been recruited from your local SWAT team.

But they are there, racing about Iraq in armored cars, many outfitted with the latest in high-end combat weapons. Some security companies have formed their own "Quick Reaction Forces," and their own intelligence units that produce daily intelligence briefs with grid maps of "hot zones."

Far more than in any other conflict in U.S. history, the Pentagon is relying on private security companies to perform crucial jobs once entrusted to the military. In addition to guarding innumerable reconstruction projects, private companies are being asked to provide security for the chief of the Coalition Provisional Authority, L. Paul Bremer, and other senior officials; to escort supply convoys through hostile territory; and to defend key locations.

The cost of this partnership is soaring. By some recent government estimates, payments to security companies could claim up to 25 percent of the $18 billion budgeted for reconstruction, a huge and mostly unanticipated expense that could delay or force the cancellation of billions of dollars worth of projects to rebuild schools, water treatment plants, electric lines and oil refineries. The initial estimate was 10 percent.

more

[Malva Zebrina]

1. Bush's private armed forces

This is really dangerous. I suppose we just have to accept it eh? or be targeted for assassination for questioning the furhrer/Caesar

[saigon68]

14. Thugs, Criminals and Hooligans

Responsible to no one for unbridled vicious conduct.

[bloom]

16. yep

I was thinking, also, how they do all this stuff and WE are upset about it - but they are counting on our being powerless to do anything.

[rooboy]

2. Gee...

I wonder how many intensive care slots in US hospitals will be taken up by these guys...

[KansDem]

4. There doesn't seem to be much "gray area" for these guys...

Either you return from "duty" with a pocket full of $1,000 x (the number of days there), or you leave your burned, mutilated body dangling from a bridge.

Perhaps many of these "civilian contractors" will never see the inside of an ICU.

(edited for spelling)

[LeftHander]

13. 20K @ $3K per day

$1000 for the contractor assume markup so $2000 for the security firm...
that makes $3000 per/day per mercenary...


20,000 X $3000 = $60,000,000/day of your tax payer dollars to buy soldiers for hire.

No wonder the 84 billion dollars went fast....

[saigon68]

15. They seldom "Make It" to the hospital.

We won't go any further

[bobthedrummer]

20. They are in a volatile market

after all and their benefits include huge insurance policies.
But the for profit nature of mercenaries until recently was seen in US military hospitals where our wounded GI's were CHARGED FOR THEIR MEALS by these MERCENARIES. Fortunately, as outlined in this Stars and Stripes article, that foul policy is gone, and GI's that had paid these MERCENARIES will be reimbursed.

Mercenaries are ultimately harmful to our troops, they are scummy parasites of war.:grr:They do not swear an oath to defend the US Constitution, just to make the big bucks, and they CHOSE to do this, fuck them, they are state sponsored terrorists, aren't they?

Wounded GI's get free hospital meals
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=21368

[saigon68]

21. Their Presence sometimes provokes a lot of Heat

Sometimes the Natives are so impressed, they break out a barbecue to Welcome them.

[gandalf]

3. Kind of self-contracting

While Bush sen. invests via Carlyle in the defense sector, Bush jun. boosts just that sector by his friendly policy of liberating countries. In some years he will inherit the fortune his daddy made.

But that observation is old news, naturally.

[maddezmom]

5. goes hand and hand with: Bush Plans Aid to Build Foreign Peace Forces

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22637-2004Apr18.html

[Spazito]

6. I don't get how any money that has been allocated for...

reconstruction can be legally used to pay mercenaries. The money should be coming out of the defense budget not the reconstruction monies, imo. Oh, wait, given that 700 million was illegally taken from the Afghan reconstruction monies and used for the invasion of Iraq I guess my question is moot.

[maddezmom]

7. looksn like they are trying to get Congress to support it

<On Capitol Hill, a Democratic staff member with a Senate committee -- one of the few in Congress who has been briefed on the initiative -- predicted it will receive broad bipartisan support. Several independent analysts also welcomed the initiative.>
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22637-2004Apr18_2.html

[indepat]

8. The Republican Congress will never require an accounting: they too

make a mockery of our Constitution.

[tinanator]

9. surprise, surprise, surprise surprise!

well golllllliiiiiieeeeeeee.

[bobthedrummer]

10. These mercenaries are actually helping Osama Bin Laden and our

taxes, under the administration of George W. Bush aka The War President are paying for these Dyn Corp rent-a cops whose actions reinforce and grow anti-Americanism, worldwide-and directly endangers our US military-which wasn't supposed to be so misused as it has been during Rumsfeld's tenure as head of DoD under The War President.

Look at Dyn Corp as a campaign contributor, they have the contract to train the Iraqi police force and instead it's incapable of preventing attacks and defections or much of anything else.

Campaign Contributions of Post-War Contractors (MERCENARIES)
http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/resources.aspx?act=contrib

And look where our taxes are going as a result of the failed Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive war and all that PNAC stuff as well-America fought against militarism and fascism in two world wars and defended the US Constitution not PATRIOT ACT, look where our taxes go-to mercenary thugs, goons, and crooks hired by The War President aka George W. Bush:grr:

Post-War Contractors Ranked by Total Contract Value in Iraq and Afghanistan
http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/resources.aspx?act=total

[seemslikeadream]

12. revenues exceeding $1 billion -- minority business enterprise

SMI is 100% owned by the Aleut Corporation, an Alaskan native corporation, and is a certified minority business enterprise.

The CSA partners currently have projects at a dozen OCONUS locations where they provide technical training, base operating support, supply services, logistics and infrastructure support, transportation, and environmental support. The three companies have a combined global workforce of 7,000 employees and revenues exceeding $1 billion.

http://csakuwait.com

[cosmicdot]

40. listed in post-war contractor list: Alexander, Deborah Lynn $168,625

was this competitively bid?
was she a 'sole source'??


Deborah Lynn Alexander

In June 2002, USAID awarded $168,625 to Alexander to work as field program manager of the agency's Office of Transition Initiatives in Afghanistan. The 48-year-old Alexander was based at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, where her main task was to manage reconstruction efforts outside of the Afghan capital. Her contract with USAID expired in August 2003. Previously, Alexander went on a State Department mission to help register voters in Bosnia. She is a graduate of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.


http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=ind&ddlC=72

[gottaB]

11. link to full five page article

from a post in GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1435909#1436038

[seemslikeadream]

17. Ex-military commandos armed with M4 rifles

An Iraqi Sunni Muslim insurgent celebrate in front of a burning US tanker after it was attacked with rocket-propelled grenade (RPG)

WASHINGTON : Ex-military commandos armed with M4 rifles are fighting insurgents in Iraq as part of a private contracting force, many of them hired by the US-led coalition, raising some deep concerns.

About 15,000 personnel from private military firms (PMFs) were operating in Iraq, making them more numerous that even the biggest US ally, Britain, estimated Peter Singer, author of "Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry."


At least 30 to 50 had been killed in action, he wrote in a report for the Internet news magazine Salon.com.

Among the companies, Singer said, Erinys was charged with guarding Iraqi oil fields, while Northrop Grumman subsidiary Vinnell, MPRI and Nour USA had been training and equipping the new Iraq army.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/80768/1/.html

[Dover]

18. Why don't we simply address our tax checks to the corporations

who are employing these mercenaries, and who will profit?

[seemslikeadream]

19. U.S. should not use private security as surrogate soldiers

It’s wrong for these groups to perform U.S. military functions. It may make these tasks more dangerous than they would be if under military control, and it conflicts with the notion of a military that is supervised, through the chain of command, by elected authorities.

Members of these groups cannot access the same intelligence that the military uses; the security of that data could be breached. In a hostile insurgency, such information can be life-saving. Would intelligence that only the military had have prevented what happened to those four men at Fallujah? That’s unclear, but a commander sending them into such a dangerous place would want the best information available, and that’s just not what a private company can offer.

Do these troops obey the codes of conduct that we expect of U.S. forces, and have adequate, up-to-date training to handle dangerous situations? There is no outside, public review to assure that, and Blackwater, for one, will not describe its training at all. Are they fully briefed on the current rules of engagement, and to what extent are they bound by them? Having armed men in a war zone who are not directly under the control of military authorities can be a potential threat not only to our troops, but to our nation’s overall strategic goals in Iraq.

Employment of these private groups also sends the wrong message. As we struggle to persuade Iraqis to abandon private militias and embrace the ballot box, they see U.S. private forces in plainclothes rolling through the streets, not answering to local authority.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/news/opinion/8452940.htm

Bechtel: fails to fulfill its contractual obligations to delivery potable water in Iraq

o On April 5, Public Citizen called for an investigation of Bechtel’s failure to provide adequate water services to Iraqi citizens. Bechtel Group Inc., one of the lead contractors in the reconstruction of Iraq, has failed its contractual mandate to develop essential water delivery and sewage disposal, according to information Public Citizen forwarded to the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). A copy of the letter sent to DOD Inspector General Joseph E. Schmitz is available at: http://www.citizen.org/documents/bechteliniraq.pdf

Private commandos shoot back on the Iraq firing line
A company spokesman, Chris Bertelli, said the group had 450 people in Iraq, most armed with the 5.56 mm M4 rifle. Employees there - many ex Navy SEALs or Army Rangers - were restricted to rifles of a calibre up to 7.62 mm.

"Almost all of them are weapon-carrying," Mr Bertelli said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1089777.htm

[tom_paine]

25. King George must have his Hessians

He needs them because they help him lie about casualties.

[leanings]

22. Yes sir, by God, fire all those low lifes!

We can find 20,000 infantrymen to replace them somewhere! Then, considering the 10 to 1 ratio of support troops to combat infantrymen, we just have to come up with another 200,000 soldiers to keep them fed, supplied and mobile. That shouldn't be any problem, right?

Anybody feel a draft?

And I'm sure everyone who's aghast at these contractors vehemently opposed the defense cuts that went on under Clinton and Bush I that made them necessary in the first place, right?

[seemslikeadream]

34. Didn't you hear?

Rumsfeld found them and they're already in Iraq. How convienant. Just don't let the guys go home unless they are of no use to him anymore.





This guy is the reason for the soldiers deaths this past week.


Even if we have a draft, we cannot get enough men to deal with the Iraqis; several generals have made clear that we'd need over 500,000 men to just police Iraq, and that would be with minimum "resistance." But believe me when I say, we are going to be facing major resistance from here on out. I say this because at this point, the moderate Shi'a and moderate Sunni, and even many of the Kurds are coming out to fight against America--because they realize they are not going to get a democracy of any sort, only an occupation by America and a country run by American puppets, with contracts that have been let that will allow American companies and their friends to keep milking Iraq for decades or longer.

http://www.counterpunch.org/hamod04072004.html

[seemslikeadream]

36. our illegal invasion and occupation

BuzzFlash Reader Contribution

After the grisly scene in Fallujah there can now be no doubt: All civilians are targets because all civilians are potential mercenaries in the service of the occupying forces.

Consequently, until the US and UK revoke and renounce the contracting of mercenaries, more killings similar to the one in Fallujah will occur.

The result will be that as more contractors and civilians die, assistance from legitimate aid agencies, charities, and peace groups will decrease. This hurts the Iraqi people because armies aren’t trained or equipped for nation building and providing humanitarian aid on a large, sustained scale.

It’s essential for the welfare of the Iraqi people that non-governmental organizations and foreign government aid agencies be trusted to work in Iraq. The use of mercenaries blurs the line between civilians and the military and erodes the possibility of trust between Iraqis and westerners -- a state of affairs that endangers the lives of everyone.

The Bush administration neo-conservatives behind our illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq aren’t likely to swear off the use of mercenaries, and thus they’ll continue undermining the lofty goals they allegedly hope to accomplish in Iraq. If their past record and ideology is any indication, the incident in Fallujah will be used as an excuse to retaliate with higher levels of violence -- inevitably inspiring more Iraqis to condone violent resistance.

The neo-conservatives never had to learn the lessons of Vietnam; they probably won’t learn the lessons of what’s happening now.

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION

Mike Kress is an Air Force veteran who spent six months in the Persian Gulf. He lives in Spokane, WA, and serves as vice-chair of the city’s Human Rights Commission. Contact via [e-mail] .
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/04/con04150.html

[Iceburg]

23. The "Coalition of the Bilking" ... what a moral booster.

I can't see any professional military personel (domestic or foreign) wanting to brother-up next to that lot.

[dudeness]

24. what would be the status

of these hired guns if captured?..would they be regarded as POWs and accorded rights under the geneva conventions or are they (like the taliban) considered enemy combatants and afforded no legal rights ie..guantanmo bay?....this question may not be appropriate for this conflict , however, we will see in the future more corporate soldiers plying their murderous trade around the world as each military death scores a direct hit on an incumbent governments popularity.

[saigon68]

26. Their status

Front Row guests at the barbecue

[dudeness]

27. that picture is truly disturbing..

may i ask ..where is it originated from?

[saigon68]

28. From Foreign News sources

We have known for some time that our domestic news sources are censored and controlled by the ruling Elite.

They do not want the SHEEP of America to view this stuff. It might take the SHEEP'S MINDS off the travails of Kobe, Scott Peterson, Michael Jackson or the uplifting experience of watching Pat Robertson or Amerikan IDOL.

The sheep just might get pissed off and vote for the wrong party thus necessitating Martial Law and a Physical takeover by the rulers etc.





http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/photo/2004/04/01/2003117893

[seemslikeadream]

29. dudeness have you seen this, it's excellent

LET AMERICA BE AMERICA AGAIN

STRONG LAND OF LOVE

EQUALITY IS IN THE AIR WE BREATHE

EVERY DEATH CREATES NEW ENEMIES MORE TERRORIST MORE DANGER MORE DEATH

Watch this video
http://www.bushflash.com/pax.html



AND REMEMBER HE IS JUST GETTING STARTED

[leanings]

31. Saigon really seems to get his jollies

from putting it up in every contractor thread.

[seemslikeadream]

37. Well can't find it here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=481111

can't find it here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=488395

can't find it here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=483399

can't find it here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=461209




Oh, here it is.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=456077

Maybe a bit over exaggeration huh?

[saigon68]

39. No leanings, we'll retire the picture

And since you've complained before your point is well taken.

After all the SHEEP can't be deprived of their sleep.

I'm sure with all the highly trained mercenaries (er contractors) running around Iraq, that we'll have plenty of new and exciting barbecue opportunity photos and videos to post in the future.

And as you point out---its old and tired, so if plenty of these big strong men want to lend their help, I'm sure the resistance will oblige.

[Thor_MN]

38. They are illegal combatants.

No ifs, and or buts. They are not covered under the Geneva Conventions, so they are illegal combatants. If they are captured, they have no rights.

[rocktivity]

30. I SAW MILITARY FAMILIES AT FOOD BANKS ON BILL MOYERS LAST NIGHT!

How DARE Bush spend millions of OUR tax revenues overpaying these psychos while the real soliders had to pay for their hospital meals until public outrage changed the policy, while their families have to line up at food banks AND buy their armor? And what's worse, the Bush regime doesn't have to take responsbility for their actions or count their corpses! DEFUND THE MERCENARY PROGRAM NOW!!!!

:headbang:
rocknation

[botchan]

32. Corporate Criminals

"I don't think there are any Russians, and there ain't no Yanks. Just corporate criminals, playing with tanks." --> The Call - The Walls Came Down

[Nlighten1]

33. 20,000 illegal combatants you mean.

Gitmo or bust!

[Insider]

35. incompetent like a fox

it is the new frontier. he refreshed and expanded the MIC. money is flowing like water. all the jobs in the washington post on sundays scream for clearances and military experience. some people are really thriving right now.

war pays for some, and the bush clan has used fact that since world war II.

[Pillowbiter]

41. This reminds me of a Bad Sci Fi story

or a Good Cyberpunk story.

This is a dangerous step towards corporations shucking their nation-state cocoon and becoming entities that answer to no nation.

Imagine, if the corp soldiers are better equipped than our soldiers, wouldn't that be a potentially greater threat to the US than some hopeless Arabs in a busted up pickup truck?

Will future wars be between corporations, not nations?

PB

[seemslikeadream]

42. I think the future is here

Excellent description