Private Contractors Swell US Force in Iraq

[Winehole23]

US Increasing Force Size in Iraq by Adding Contractors (http://news.antiwar.com/2009/09/09/added-contractors-increasing-overall-us-force-size-in-iraq/) Thousands of Contractors Being Added to Cover for Troop 'Pullouts' Which Still Aren't Happening

by Jason Ditz, September 09, 2009


(http://news.antiwar.com/2009/09/09/added-contractors-increasing-overall-us-force-size-in-iraq/emailpopup/)[/URL]
[URL="http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/09/us-replacing-iraq-troops-with-private-contractors/"]A report by Raw Story’s John Byrne notes (http://antiwar-talk.com/) that despite President Obama’s pledge with withdraw troops from Iraq, the overall force size is actually increasing in recent months, as thousands of new private contractors are being brought in.


http://news.antiwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/iraq.jpgThe Pentagon is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the new contractors, mostly mercenaries from Uganda and Kenya (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/07/AR2009090702242_pf.html), and its estimates involve adding significantly more contractors at the bases to cover for the US pullout. In one example, 900 contractors are to replace 400 soldiers.
This is adding to concern that while the US is pretending to “stand down” in Iraq, it is actually still as active as ever and is just using contractors to do the jobs that were previously done by the American troops. This puts the whole pullout in a different light.


Or it would if the pullout was even happening. Nearly eight months into his administration President Obama has not significantly reduced the number of troops in the nation since taking office, and what was roughly 135,000 when he arrived is now still 131,000 or so, and this number is not expected to change until at least 60 days after the January election (http://news.antiwar.com/2009/09/09/2009/08/30/us-general-claims-iraq-pullout-moving-forward/). So indeed, these thousands of new contractors are “replacing” troops that haven’t actually gone anywhere, and amount to a covert escalation of the overall force operating in the nation.

[SpurNation]

Our "allied" forces. :hat

[clambake]

what do you think, winehole?

maybe they can begin to pay for their countries protection (from itself) at some point.

what a fucking waste. people should remember this the way they remember 911.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

what about the level of blackwater personnel in afganistan? i heard it's more now compared to bush's era.

[Winehole23]

I heard that too, but wouldn't swear to it.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

I heard that too, but wouldn't swear to it.
as far as...........

[Winehole23]

I just mean I think I read something to that effect, but have no particularized recollection of it. It seems believable to me.

[clambake]

are you suggesting that the locals aren't snuggling up to the propped-up leadership in and around kabul?

[Viva Las Espuelas]

I just mean I think I read something to that effect, but have no particularized recollection of it. It seems believable to me.

OE08kwhg9vg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE08kwhg9vg

c5IHTfekm_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5IHTfekm_E

i like the way he hands chuck todd's @ss to him.

[Winehole23]

are you suggesting that the locals aren't snuggling up to the propped-up leadership in and around kabul?Wrong war.

[clambake]

i didn't bring up afganistan.

[clambake]

what about the level of blackwater personnel in afganistan? i heard it's more now compared to bush's era.

[Winehole23]

My bad, clambake. I was stuck on the OP.

[clambake]

My bad, clambake. I was stuck on the OP.

back to iraq.........if these mercs are from (where was it?) uganda and kenya...would that be so different from hiring and training iraqi's?

shouldn't it, at some point soon, be more about who is footing the bill?

[Winehole23]

back to iraq.........if these mercs are from (where was it?) uganda and kenya...would that be so different from hiring and training iraqi's?

shouldn't it, at some point soon, be more about who is footing the bill?We're not getting out of Iraq anytime soon. Pottery barn rule. It's still our mess. We're still gonna pay for it. We'll probably still be there whenever civil war breaks out.

[clambake]

We're not getting out of Iraq anytime soon. Pottery barn rule. It's still our mess. We're still gonna pay for it. We'll probably still be there whenever civil war breaks out.

i agree with that, but we can change the face of the troop.

[Marcus Bryant]

Nobody gives a shit when you die for a C corp.

Anyone get the feeling we're stuck in these two wars, in part, so that the DoD can test out new shit in actual combat operations? Oh, silly me, there I go getting conspiratorial.

Hey, military spending creates jobs. We need jobs now. It's always about that, is it not?

[Nbadan]

It's the old damned if you do and damned if you don't..if we don't leave Iraq it's gonna soak the U.S. into financial oblivion much sooner but if you leave, your looking at Civil War, strong Iranian influence in the area, and probably a reoccupation within a decade - that's the mess Dubya left us..

[Winehole23]

It's the old damned if you do and damned if you don't..if we don't leave Iraq it's gonna soak the U.S. into financial oblivion much sooner but if you leave, your looking at Civil War, strong Iranian influence in the area, and probably a reoccupation within a decade - that's the mess Dubya left us..The strong Iranian influence is already there. Are you familiar with SCIRI and DAWA?

As for the civil war that is probably necessary to cement the de facto partition of the country, let em have it. It's none of our business.

[Winehole23]

i agree with that, but we can change the face of the troop.We need to get the fuck out. Tout suite. Fuck Iraq. Isn't it enough that we wrecked their country and put Saddam out of business? What possible national interest is at stake? We already ruined our rep for being the good guys, so lets not throw any more treasure or armed forces down the toilet.

[nuclearfm]

US Increasing Force Size in Iraq by Adding Contractors (http://news.antiwar.com/2009/09/09/added-contractors-increasing-overall-us-force-size-in-iraq/) Thousands of Contractors Being Added to Cover for Troop 'Pullouts' Which Still Aren't Happening

by Jason Ditz, September 09, 2009


(http://news.antiwar.com/2009/09/09/added-contractors-increasing-overall-us-force-size-in-iraq/emailpopup/)[/URL]
[URL="http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/09/us-replacing-iraq-troops-with-private-contractors/"]A report by Raw Story’s John Byrne notes (http://antiwar-talk.com/) that despite President Obama’s pledge with withdraw troops from Iraq, the overall force size is actually increasing in recent months, as thousands of new private contractors are being brought in.


http://news.antiwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/iraq.jpgThe Pentagon is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the new contractors, mostly mercenaries from Uganda and Kenya (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/07/AR2009090702242_pf.html), and its estimates involve adding significantly more contractors at the bases to cover for the US pullout. In one example, 900 contractors are to replace 400 soldiers.
This is adding to concern that while the US is pretending to “stand down” in Iraq, it is actually still as active as ever and is just using contractors to do the jobs that were previously done by the American troops. This puts the whole pullout in a different light.


Or it would if the pullout was even happening. Nearly eight months into his administration President Obama has not significantly reduced the number of troops in the nation since taking office, and what was roughly 135,000 when he arrived is now still 131,000 or so, and this number is not expected to change until at least 60 days after the January election (http://news.antiwar.com/2009/09/09/2009/08/30/us-general-claims-iraq-pullout-moving-forward/). So indeed, these thousands of new contractors are “replacing” troops that haven’t actually gone anywhere, and amount to a covert escalation of the overall force operating in the nation.

Yeah, I got offered this summer to go with a contractor. OUTRAGEOUS pay. I mean like something most people earn in 10 yrs. It's such a waste of money.

[LnGrrrR]

Yeah, I got offered this summer to go with a contractor. OUTRAGEOUS pay. I mean like something most people earn in 10 yrs. It's such a waste of money.

My friend makes about 180 to 220K per year doing communications work over in Iraq. She was former military.

[NoOptionB]

It's tempting, but the whole Beheading thing is a hell of a deterrent.

[LnGrrrR]

It's tempting, but the whole Beheading thing is a hell of a deterrent.

Yes, which is why they pay so much. :lol

Mortars suck too.

[Wild Cobra]

My friend makes about 180 to 220K per year doing communications work over in Iraq. She was former military.
I had contemplated offering my services to someone. I like being in one place though. Moving all the time was the only thing that really bothered me about being in the military. I like making six figures though.