Disposable Army, Contractor Deaths Exceed Military Ones

[maryf]

Disposable Army, Contractor Deaths Exceed Military Ones

http://www.propublica.org/article/this-year-contractor-deaths-exceed-military-ones-in-iraq-and-afgh-100923

also at truthout.

Disposable Army
Civilian Contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan
This Year, Contractor Deaths Exceed
Military Ones in Iraq and Afghanistan
by T. Christian Miller

ProPublica, Sep. 23, 11:33 a.m.
More private contractors than soldiers were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent months, the first time in history
that corporate casualties have outweighed military losses on America’s battlefields. More than 250 civilians working
under U.S. contracts died in the war zones between January and June 2010, according to a ProPublica analysis of the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Labor, which tracks contractor deaths. In the same period, 235 soldiers died, according to Pentagon figures.

This milestone in the privatization of modern U.S. warfare reflects both the drawdown in military forces in Iraq and
the central role of contractors in providing logistics support to local armies and police forces, contracting and
military experts said.

Steven Schooner, a professor of government contracting at George Washington University Law School, said
that the contractor deaths show how the risks of war have increasingly been absorbed by the private sector.
Private contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan provide fuel, food and protective services to U.S. outposts — jobs
once performed by soldiers. “It’s extremely likely that a generation ago, each one of these contractors deaths would have been a military death,” Schooner said. “As troop deaths have fallen, contractor deaths have risen. It's not a pretty picture.” This Year, Contractor Deaths Exceed Military Ones in Iraq and... http://www.propublica.org/article/this-year-contractor-... ...
<snip>

“I'm not accusing either the Bush or the Obama administration of intentionally deceiving the public,”
Schooner said. “But when a president applauds a reduction in military deaths but fails to acknowledge the
contractor personnel now dying in their place, someone isn't telling the whole story.”


Or possibly isn't being given the whole story, regardless, the privatization of the military is a huge concern.

[w8liftinglady]

1. it would be too hard to get volunteers to go...see below.

my kid is leaving Nov 1st.-nothing here for him after three tours in The Army..and,yes-Afghanistan.

there is a website based on supporting contractors in war zones.You'll notice most of their info is for veterans of war.

http://www.americancontractorsiniraq.com/

so...folks,think what you want about private contractors-it is one of those revolving door systems-except it's our kids getting killed.

[maryf]

2. it's our kids getting killed

and theirs too, plus they don't dare install a draft...remember Viet Nam...

[w8liftinglady]

3. exactly....they are the true cowards..hidden behind a flag

[maryf]

6. and a corporate logo...

[maryf]

4. also here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9194257

[madokie]

5. No sympathies for the mercenaries from me

the smart thing would be to withdraw

splchk

[w8liftinglady]

7. I agree-that would be the smart thing...and pay these guys a living wage so they...

don't see the need to volunteer.

[w8liftinglady]

8. and,Hell-even Kucinich agrees we need to take care of these guys

http://defensebaseactcomp.wordpress.com/2009/05/07/kucinich-asks-aig-why-it%e2%80%99s-denying-claims-from-injured-contractors-in-iraq/

Kucinich Asks AIG Why It’s Denying Claims From Injured Contractors in Iraq



Kucinich, chair of the domestic policy panel of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, fired off an angry letter <3> to the company, saying that he was “alarmed” by a joint investigation by ProPublica, ABC News and the Los Angeles Times. The investigation <4> found that the troubled insurance giant routinely denied basic medical care such as psychological counseling and even prosthetic legs for civilians injured in the war zone.

Under a federal law known as the Defense Base Act <5>, contractor companies are required to purchase workers compensation insurance for employees deployed to a war zone. AIG dominates the market for such insurance, handling nearly 90 percent of all claims in Iraq. Government audits and inquiries have questioned whether AIG and other carriers charged “excessive <6>” premiums for the insurance. Taxpayers ultimately pay for such insurance as part of the contract price.

“Apparently, AIG is profiting both by charging unreasonably high premiums to contracting firms and by denying or delaying legitimate claims of civilian workers for medical care and other services needed as a result of war zone injuries,” Kucinich wrote <3>.

The findings are “all the more disturbing,’’ Kucinich wrote, given that AIG has turned federal supplicant, with promises of almost $70 billion <7> in taxpayer aid to date. “The Subcommittee is interested in obtaining information from AIG shedding light on why there has been such a high rate of denials and unreasonable delays in processing claims, and why it is reaping such huge profits at taxpayers’ expense,” Kucinich wrote.

AIG did not return a request for comment

[maryf]

22. Off topic, a little, but with Medicare for All

AIG would be kaput, and all injuries covered...

[TBF]

9. Not only would it be smart to withdraw - it would be HUMANE. nt

[madokie]

10. Corporate greed is not a good reason to be killing a bunch of people and destroying their country

in the process. If its not for corporate greed then please someone explain to me what it is the reason we're even there

[maryf]

11. Your explanation is the right one...

all for oil and minerals...plus strategic positioning for the corporate interests again!

[w8liftinglady]

13. you mean...like these guys?

http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/ceou/industry.cfm

Ticker Company CEO Name Year C ompensation (dollars)

AVAV AEROVIRONMENT INC Timothy E. Conver 2009 941,073
AXL AMERICAN AXLE & MFG HOLDINGS Richard E. Dauch 2009 9,721,182
ARII AMERICAN RAILCAR INDS INC James J. Unger 2008 929,413
ARGN AMERIGON INC Daniel R. Coker 2009 877,866
ARM ARVINMERITOR INC Charles G. McClure Jr. 2009 4,263,279
ALV AUTOLIV INC Jan Carlson 2009 1,848,583
BA BOEING CO W. James McNerney Jr. 2009 19,443,472
BWA BORGWARNER INC Timothy Manganello 2009 9,095,493
CAAS CHINA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC Qizhou Wu 2008 100,000
CW CURTISS-WRIGHT CORP Martin R. Benante 2009 7,300,782
DAN DANA HOLDING CORP James E. Sweetnam 2009 4,345,033
DORM DORMAN PRODUCTS INC Richard N. Berman 2009 1,566,265
DCO DUCOMMUN INC Joseph C. Berenato 2009 1,268,780
FSS FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP William H. Osborne 2009 1,941,249
FDML FEDERAL-MOGUL CORP José Maria Alapont 2009 11,225,411
FRPT FORCE PROTECTION INC Michael Moody 2009 1,947,163
F FORD MOTOR CO Alan Mulally 2009 17,916,654
RAIL FREIGHTCAR AMERICA INC Christian B. Ragot 2009 695,415
FSYS FUEL SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS INC Mariano Costamagna 2009 513,642
GY GENCORP INC J. Scott Neish 2009 1,227,342
GD GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP Nicholas D. Chabraja 2009 22,022,139
GNTX GENTEX CORP Fred Bauer 2009 1,062,354
GR GOODRICH CORP Marshall Larsen 2009 8,703,163
GBX GREENBRIER COMPANIES INC William A. Furman 2009 1,456,238
HOG HARLEY-DAVIDSON INC Keith E. Wandell 2009 6,363,579
HEI HEICO CORP Laurans A. Mendelson 2009 1,898,681
HON HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC David M. Cote 2009 13,223,161
LDSH LADISH CO INC Kerry L. Woody 2009 1,766,941
LMIA LMI AEROSPACE INC Ronald S. Saks 2008 385,884
LMT LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP Robert J. Stevens 2009 22,996,763
MPX MARINE PRODUCTS CORP Richard A. Hubbell 2009 410,447
MDR MCDERMOTT INTL INC John A. Fees 2009 8,615,311
MLR MILLER INDUSTRIES INC/TN Jeffrey I. Badgley 2009 300,408
MOD MODINE MANUFACTURING CO Thomas A. Burke 2009 1,088,417
MOG.A MOOG INC -CL A Robert T. Brady 2009 1,742,883
NAV NAVISTAR INTERNATIONAL CORP Daniel C. Ustian 2009 8,181,126
ORB ORBITAL SCIENCES CORP David W. Thompson 2009 1,140,609
OSK OSHKOSH CORP Robert G. Bohn 2009 5,740,015
PCAR PACCAR INC M. C. Pigott 2009 4,198,201
PII POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC Scott W. Wine 2009 1,948,514
PRPX PORTEC RAIL PRODUCTS INC Richard J. Jarosinski 2008 311,900
PCP PRECISION CASTPARTS CORP Mark Donegan 2009 7,417,002
RZ RASER TECHNOLOGIES INC Brent M. Cook 2008 566,026
COL ROCKWELL COLLINS INC Clayton M. Jones 2009 7,381,808
SPAR SPARTAN MOTORS INC John E. Sztykiel 2009 1,144,888
SPR SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS HOLDINGS Jeffrey L. Turner 2009 3,091,867
TEN TENNECO INC Gregg M. Sherrill 2009 2,021,349
TXT TEXTRON INC Scott C. Donnelly 2009 5,115,739
TOD TODD SHIPYARDS CORP Stephen G. Welch 2009 539,203
TDG TRANSDIGM GROUP INC W. Nicholas Howley 2009 5,006,110
TRS TRIMAS CORP David M. Wathen 2009 1,648,700
TRN TRINITY INDUSTRIES Timothy R. Wallace 2009 4,241,760
TGI TRIUMPH GROUP INC Richard C. Ill 2009 2,282,362
TRW TRW AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS CORP John C. Plant 2009 22,752,714
UTX UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP Louis Chênevert 2009 20,501,712
WBC WABCO HOLDINGS INC Jacques Esculier 2009 3,790,194
WAB WABTEC CORP Albert J. Neupaver 2009 3,514,072
WGO WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES Robert J. Olson 2009 407,398

[maryf]

16. You got it! Thanks for this list, but don't forget the big one:

XE (formerly blackwater)...

[madokie]

20. Yup, like these guys

[Mimosa]

35. That sucks, Madokie

Most of these people are regular folks who can't find good paying jobs in this economic depression.

I've often wondered if the recession was artificially made so there would be enough people who would join the military and accept employment with the defense contractors. People will do whatever it takes to support their families.

[blindpig]

12. Like the man said...

War is a racket.

These organizations should be disbanded with extreme prejudice, they are the Freikorps of our future.

[maryf]

25. had to look it up

Freikorps from Wiki

"After World War I the term was used for the paramilitary organizations that sprang up around Weimar and fought both for and against the state."

I am fearful that these free corps will be looking for domestic jobs...

(everyday I realize how much I don't know...thanks!)

[Starry Messenger]

14. k & r

[maryf]

18. Thanks, I need the recs...

it seems to be maintaining at 4, hmmm...happens a lot with me. :hi:

[Starry Messenger]

19. Let's kick again.

[maryf]

21. I'm at 5 now

holding... thanks! :)

[TBF]

23. I'd give you +100 if I could -

these wars are not only immoral, they are crippling our economy. Time to gracefully exit and stop the killing.

[maryf]

24. Thanks! Time to exit any which way we can,

hopefully with grace, but at least without any more deaths...My favorite tee shirt says Not one more day, not one more dollar, not one more death, think of how many things that this can be applied to in our battle against the ptb. :fistbump:

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. And the contractor companies..do they collect dead peasant insurance, I wonder?

[maryf]

17. more than likely...

corporations do take out life insurance policies on their workers...wonder if they take them out on "peasants" in other countries too??

[maryf]

26. morning kick...nt

[Angry Dragon]

27. k&r

[CanonRay]

28. I know they are human beings and Americans

but it's real hard for me to get worked up over them. If that makes me an asshole, so be it.

[maryf]

30. I totally sympathize with what you are saying...

the main point is that the military is being privatized, and we aren't being given the truth...those who work for these corporations are looking for work...just like so many who go into the military...

It's a poverty draft no matter how you look at it...and we aren't being told what the true casualty list is...

[SammyWinstonJack]

29. K&R

[w8liftinglady]

31. and a documentary from 2005...on private contractors-we didn't pay attention

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/view/?utm_campaign=viewpage&utm_medium=grid&utm_source=grid

[maryf]

32. Thanks, bookmarked for later!! nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Hmm knowing how this works historically

these wars are quickly becoming too expensive for the private sector. So they will pull back...

[Mimosa]

34. I wonder what the President thinks of this.

I believe our press corps is too passive and/or subservient to ask the right questions. The President hasn't opened himself up to questions about these spook wars anyway.