So we're bringing the troops home, huh?

[Scuba]

All the reports are that the US will be pulling most, or all, of our troops out of Iraq by December 31. Unmentioned are the 64,253 contract personnel in Iraq.


http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R40764.pdf


..snip..

DOD relies extensively upon contractors to support overseas contingency operations. As of
March 2011, DOD had more contractor personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq (155,000) than
uniformed personnel (145,000). Contractors made up 52% of DOD’s workforce in Afghanistan
and Iraq. Since December 2009, the number of DOD contractors in Afghanistan has exceeded the
number in Iraq.

According to DOD, in Iraq, as of March 2011, there were 64,253 DOD contractor personnel in
Iraq compared to 45,660 uniformed personnel in-country. Contractors made up 58% of DOD’s
workforce in Iraq.

From FY2005-FY2010, DOD obligated approximately $112.1 billion on contracts for the Iraq theater of operations...

..end snip..



These numbers don't count the 7,000 mercenaries the State Department had at the time. They also don't count the "TCNs" (third country nationals) that contractors use as virtual slaves.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1492913

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3628233

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1540087



So I guess what we'll have is a privately contracted war, less visible to the People, but no less expensive.

I wonder how much slave runners and slave crew overseers are paid?



Thanks to SKKY and Lasher for their contributions to this post.

[xchrom]

1. Recommend

[panader0]

2. k and r

This needs more exposure.

[Fumesucker]

3. As I was walkin' up the stair

I saw a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
Oh how I wish he'd go away

[tblue]

4. They'll have to stay forever

to protect the interests of the multinationals stealing the Iraqi people's resources. I don't believe the people will ever stop fighting back, and we will label therm "terrorists." And we taxpayers will pay for it!!!!

Is it "terrorism" to attack a foreign power occupying your country?

[bvar22]

6. You know,

if the American people got The OIL,
I could understand it,
not condone it, but understand it.

But The American people do NOT get The Oil and other resources.
The Global Corporations get THAT for FREE.
If we're lucky, the Global Corporations will SELL some of it to us for vastly inflated prices.
The American People only get to PAY for The WARS with our Blood & Money.
The Global Corporations get The LOOT!


You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Scuba]

9. You've now gotten to the root of the problem. n/t

[OnyxCollie]

12. If oil is such a great nation security interest,

why don't we nationalize the oil companies and get rid of the middleman?

[bvar22]

13. That doesn't go over well with the US Ruling Class, Democrat OR Republican.

Saddam had a National Oil Co.

Gaddafi was "studying" nationalizing the Libyan Oil Companies.

Hugo Chavez demanded and received a bigger cut of the Oil profits,
and is in line for some US Freedom Bombs.

"The worst enemy of humanity is U.S. capitalism. That is what provokes uprisings like our own, a rebellion against a system, against a neoliberal model, which is the representation of a savage capitalism. If the entire world doesn't acknowledge this reality, that nation states are not providing even minimally for health, education and nourishment, then each day the most fundamental human rights are being violated."
----Bolivian Reform President Evo Morales

FDR said much the same thing in 1944 with his Economic Bill of Rights.



I agree with you & Evo.


You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[xiamiam]

14. keep us in moment by moment informed of the chaos..cultivate uncertainty

yep..i dont recognize this country..there has always been something to fight against in any era..but crap, they've stolen all the money..and what they haven't stolen, we the people are paying no bid contracts for inflated work...probably forever..since soon enough, they'll have all the money and power..not sure exactly who they is but many republicans and democrats are lackeys for them

[RC]

7. Only if we are the foreign power occupying their country.

[Bluebear]

5. Kr

[rug]

8. Hessians don't count.

[Broderick]

10. We are outsourcing our military

to big business.

[OnyxCollie]

11. K&R. nt