Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld argued wars could still be fought without boosting the number of soldiers by outsourcing just about everything except battlefield gunning.
Under U.S. employ in Iraq, American companies turn profits while operating missile defense batteries, piloting unmanned aerial vehicles and snapping satellite pictures of bombing targets.
The machine-gun toting guards who shadow Afghan President Hamid Karzai and L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Iraq, are private-sector workers, as are those who built and operate the cavernous white mess tent on the base of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Baghdad.
There, a $3 million contract with Kellogg, Brown & Root paid for the tent's construction and the Bangladeshi and Indian cooks who feed 4,000 troops daily. One soldier breakfasting inside the tent, a nine-year veteran, said she's been sent to patrol Baghdad since contractors took her job as a cook.
With Kellogg, Brown & Root handling everything from mail delivery to bug control on U.S. bases in Iraq and around the world, plenty of other soldiers are finding themselves on the front lines.
Peter W. Singer, a Brookings Institution military analyst, estimates there is one contractor for every 10 foreign soldiers in Iraq -- 10 times the private involvement in the Gulf War.
Worldwide, private military companies earn about $100 billion in yearly government contracts, Singer believes. Ninety private military companies are listed on the Web site for the Center for Public Integrity. In comparison, the U.S. defense budget is about $380 billion this year, excluding emergency spending, and is expected to rise to more than $400 billion.
Some of the firms working in Iraq are huge, politically connected conglomerates like Halliburton -- corporate parent of Kellogg, Brown & Root and formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney. Others are little known, like Erinys, a security firm chocked with former South African special forces that will train 6,500 Iraqis to guard oil installations.
In the case of Halliburton, the U.S. government hired the company in Iraq without a competitive bid, after the company recommended itself in a study. Halliburton's Iraq oil services contract, worth $1.59 billion so far, will be extended until December or January. The company reported Wednesday that its government work in Iraq and elsewhere helped boost yearly third-quarter earnings by 39 percent, to $4.14 billion.
posted on November 7, 2003 07:46:50 AM new
Well the U.S. is a capitalist based economy. More profits for contractors means more jobs and a better economy.
He!!, after 8 years in the Navy, my niece has gone to work as a programmer for a defense contractor in Virginia making over $70K a year.
Wish I had had that opportunity.
"Another plague upon the land, as devastating as the locusts God loosed on the Egyptians, is "Political Correctness.'" --Charlton Heston
posted on November 7, 2003 08:37:28 AM new
The jobs you speak of bear are being outsourced to Indian and Sri Lankens the principal laborers for Kellog and Root (a subsidiery of Haliburton) the jobs opening up are for infantryman.
Republican, the other white meat!
posted on November 7, 2003 02:07:18 PM new
My goodness, you mean they aren't hiring Americans for those jobs?? Surely that can't be right...why, it would be positively unAmerican if a company associated with the Vice President wasn't hiring Americans.
___________________________________
In this world of sin and sorrow, there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican. -- H.L. Mencken
[ edited by profe51 on Nov 7, 2003 02:07 PM ]
posted on November 7, 2003 07:26:53 PM new
ov. 7, 2003, 5:20PM
U.S. payrolls see 3rd straight increase
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The nation's unemployment rate dropped to 6 percent in October as companies added thousands of new jobs for the third straight month, new evidence of an improving labor market.
The Labor Department reported today that payrolls grew by 126,000 last month, significantly more than the 50,000 new jobs that economists had predicted. That followed a revised 125,000 new jobs in September, which initially was reported at 57,000.
U.S. companies also added new jobs in August, marking three months of hiring gains following a six-month slump. October hiring occurred across a broad swath of the business landscape, including technical services, temporary employment firms, health care, social work, education and retail.
"We can finally put the nail in the coffin of the jobless recovery," said Ken Mayland, president of ClearView Economics. "We are back on a rising job track."
Wall Street investors cheered the better-than-expected report in morning trading, with stocks moving higher, extending recent advances.
posted on November 7, 2003 07:40:45 PM new
Wall Street investors cheered the better-than-expected report in morning trading, with stocks moving higher, extending recent advances.
Stocks declined in the afternoon giving back earlier gains.
Manufacturing Jobs declined once again. The largest gain was in the number of retail positions which are among the lowest paying and traditionally hire this time of year to accommodate the holiday season. This has not factored in those who gave up looking for work and are no longer considered unemployed. Defense spending also attributes to a rise in employment as much expendable ordinance is being replaced as quickly as it can be exploded. Reservists being called up also opens a number of jobs as replacement workers are hired. If and when troops return there will be an additional strain on the economy as it attempts to reintegrate these veterans into the economic mainstream.
Republican, the other white meat!
posted on November 7, 2003 09:01:42 PM new
Yes, bear, that is even better news. I've been listening to economists on all the different channels today...they all have agreed that things are looking better. Greenspan felt positive too. Few would guarantee this will continue...but there's never been any guarantees. But it sure is a hopeful sign.
Don't let the naysayers get you down. They don't want things to get better then the only issue they'll have is Iraq.
posted on November 8, 2003 08:11:21 PM new
Nov. 7, 2003, 5:20PM
U.S. payrolls see 3rd straight increase
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The nation's unemployment rate dropped to 6 percent in October as companies added thousands of new jobs for the third straight month, new evidence of an improving labor market.
The Labor Department reported today that payrolls grew by 126,000 last month, significantly more than the 50,000 new jobs that economists had predicted. That followed a revised 125,000 new jobs in September, which initially was reported at 57,000.
U.S. companies also added new jobs in August, marking three months of hiring gains following a six-month slump. October hiring occurred across a broad swath of the business landscape, including technical services, temporary employment firms, health care, social work, education and retail.
posted on November 8, 2003 08:47:54 PM new
Bush has had the worst economic record of any administration since the depression. It will take a long time to recover the three million jobs lost during Bush's term.
George Sperling, an economist for the Clinton administration said that even if the number of jobs increased every month between now and the election at last month's pace of 126,000 new jobs, it would still be the slowest recovery in terms of job creation since World War 11.
I hope for the benefit of the millions unemployed now, that this trend continues.
Helen
There are 8.8 million people in the U.S. unemployed today.
posted on November 9, 2003 04:35:26 AM new
Natural disasters are Profit for Contractors! Preventive maintenance of infrastructure is Profit for Contractors. Your point being?
Amen,
Fighting the red demon wherever he/she shows it’s pimpled head,
Reverend Colin
posted on November 9, 2003 06:12:08 PM new
Back then colin, you made the following statement, assuming you were speaking of finding WOMD, which is after all what the claimed search was for; do you still stand by your words?
http://www.vendio.com/mesg/read.html?num=28&thread=166358
“A war is coming.. get use to it. We'll do what we have to.
If he wages a war, and nothing is found he would be committing political suicide.
He, and the people behind him are not fools.
Amen,
God Bless President Bush, “
Reverend Colin “ on Jan 29, 2003 06:23 AM ]
A doctor could spread around syphilis too colin, but the point is that to wilfully spread it around to create business is abominable.
posted on November 14, 2003 07:01:35 AM new
How nice for him;
How comfortable also to have his Special Republican Guards by his side.
Collateral Damage NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/Casualty_Report.asp?CasualtyReport=20031117.txt
BAGHDAD, Iraq – A 1st Armored Division soldier died Nov. 12 at approximately 1:35 p.m. from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device explosion and one other soldier was wounded.
posted on November 14, 2003 07:29:06 AM new
Washington (IWR Satire) - The Bush Administration today released a photo, which they claim proves that President Bush wasn't lying about Iraq's attempt to acquire uranium in Africa in his State of the Union (SOTU) address.
"We knew the Brit's Nigerian data was a bit dodgy, so the President was instructed to keep his fingers crossed during the entire SOTU speech.
posted on November 15, 2003 04:46:04 AM new
I've come to the conclusion; there is no debate with those inflicted with "Defender Of Red Kulture Syndrome". Or, as I like to call them, the DORKS.
Amen,
“Fighting Evil where ever it raises its Red Head.”
Reverend Colin
posted on November 16, 2003 07:00:19 PM new
Colin, evil resides within you.
If you and your president believe that you are pure as snow, free of any contaminants, then you suffer from delusions of grandeur.
In you declaration to war, fight as much as you will, but your victory can not be permanent.
People that fight for their very freedom have little to loose, and so continue to fight ‘fearlessly’.
You and your president have much to loose.
Always looking for an enemy colin.
Do you fear unemployment among your military establishment???
Still stuck on the ‘reds’?
Quick to bear arms against anyone that objects to Pax-Americana in Any way.
No question of right or wrong or justice; it’s just red, white & blue.
Don’t give needless consideration to this child colin, it’s not American, and is on the American list of state sponsored terrorism & may be encroaching on your quality of life.
Sudan is $20Billion in debt to IMF, much of which was to help you in your ‘cold war’.
Don’t worry colin, this freedom fighter won’t be raising it’s head; it’s resting.
You are inflicted with extreme nationalism col’.
Wrap your legs around your hog and enjoy the ride.
God bless Sudan.
posted on November 16, 2003 08:44:27 PM new
State of the Union, 2003
I have not been to Jerusalem,
but Shirley talks about the bombs.
I have no god, but have seen the children praying
for it to stop. They pray to different gods.
The news is all old news again, repeated
like a bad habit, cheap tobacco, the social lie.
The children have seen so much death
that death means nothing to them now.
They wait in line for bread.
They wait in line for water.
Their eyes are black moons reflecting emptiness.
We've seen them a thousand times.
Soon, the President will speak.
He will have something to say about bombs
and freedom and our way of life.
I will turn the tv off. I always do.
Because I can't bear to look
at the monuments in his eyes.
posted on November 17, 2003 03:06:58 AM new
Austy you and Helen wouldn't know sacrifice if it bit you in the azz... Do nothings, but b*tch... must be scaryWorld you people live in... Watch Out! They're coming to get you... bwahahahahah
posted on November 17, 2003 06:06:07 AM new
"Colin, evil resides within you."
Assey,
Sorry you feel that way.
I can see what demons haunt you by reading your dribble.
It tells me your a coward. It tells me the people around you know this. It tells me this board is your only outlet. Here you can hide behind a phoney moniker and bash Democracy. Can you do this face to face with the people around you?
All that you have to do is b i t c h about people on a chatboard? You have nothing to say about the content of the posts but only spend your time delivering juvenile taunts to other posters. You have nothing to say about a child dying of hunger and you have nothing to say about children traumatized, wounded and killed by war.
posted on November 17, 2003 04:42:52 PM new
Colin, you big leather wearing boy with toys, if you had a brain in your head and any hint of honesty, you would be able to realise that people are made up of good and bad.
Like your president, of questionable intelligence, you try to pass yourself off as the divine deliverer, acting in God’s word.
Bash Democracy? Democracy is not what you have.
‘Brave’ colin, hiding behind his faux claim to defender of liberty.
Watch out 12! ‘Red Dawn’ is coming.
Ask not what you can do for humanity but what the exploited masses can do for you.
NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO DIE EACH DAY OF HUNGER: 35,615 (UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimate; based on a posting at http://www.ainfos.ca
Minutes of silence: NONE
Plans for international response: NONE
Plans for saturation media network coverage: NONE
Effect on Stock exchanges: NONE
Alarm level: LOW
Primetime news reports on possible perpetrators of the crime: NONE
[courtesy of Adbusters: Journal of the Mental Environment, Jan/Feb 2002; www.adbusters.org ]
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is it's natural manure. ” Thomas Jefferson
William Carpenter, a member of the Tiger Force unit of the Army's 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War, is shown at Fort Benning, Ga., in this 1966 file photo. Members of the elite unit mutilated and killed hundreds of unarmed villagers over seven months during the Vietnam War, and an Army investigation was closed with no charges filed. Carpenter said he didn't fire his weapon, saying, "Those people weren't bothering anyone."
Sgt. Forrest Miller told Army investigators the killing of prisoners was "an unwritten law."
During the Army's investigation, 27 soldiers said severing ears from dead Vietnamese became routine.
Just continue to use your argument of defending the world against the red peril as justification for all atrocities.
No evil in America, No,… Hell No!
Never a bad word about US atrocities.
Admit nothing colin and 12, it’s you who are the cowards.
