Sovereign Deed (tm)

[Aphos]

Here is a two part article about a new private security firm (similar to Blackwater) being formed.  It points out some disturbing things about this particular company AND about the trend in privatizing our military.

http://www.michiganmessenger.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=727

http://www.michiganmessenger.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=729

[anthrobabe]

History does repeat--- oh boy

to the highest bidder goes the loyalty of the private bought military!

I agree   

[Aphos]

I find the whole concept of Private Military Contractors (PMCs) to be ludicrous.  I think it is all a result of the Republicans' infatuation with privatization.  I agree with Brayton...what this company is doing SHOULD be the responsibility of the government.

(One should note that Brayton is a libertarian and favors small government.)

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

As much as I despise those mercenaries their existence is partially warranted by the lack of interest of the general public enlisting. Obviously with the money you pay to them you could double the salaries of regular servicemen and it would still be cheaper, but that goes against the profiteering philosophy of the chicken-hawks.

In any case, what do you do when nobody wants to enlist? (and who in his right mind does? They really squandered the support they got after 9-11 with their stupid oil war).

[Sibling Chatty]

There would be more than enough interest in people enlisting in the military if the military wasn't subject to the lunatic whims of the lunatic in the White House.

Even now, there's a pretty heavy interest...and if salaries were better, and they didn't mean a married guy with kids would have to depend on foodstamps and Section 8 housing...

The 'contractors' are rent-a hoodlums in many cases. Yeah, there are some decent guys who go after the money, but--JESUS H CHRIST--the money wasted on these thugs and the liars and jerks that hire them could--I dunno, PAY THE MILITARY BETTER?? Take care of their families?

[Sibling Chatty]

Hey, maybe RON PAUL thinks privatization here is a good idea, too...

[Aphos]

History shows that reliance on mercenaries is pretty foolish.  Of course, BushCo. doesn't believe in history.

[Swatopluk]

Not everyone has the ability of Hamilcar and family. It was not their or their mercenaries fault that all got lost but that of the incompetent profit-oriented politicians at home in Carthage. Those were lucky that the Barkides saved their lazy asses, when they tried not to pay the mercenaries and the disgruntled veterans turned on them. What would happen, if the US relied on Blackwater&Co completely, dissolved the regular army and then some GOPster would decide that it got too expensive and simply not pay the thugs?

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

You know, I tend to support privatization, but I honest lto god think this is a HORRIBLE idea. The armed forces are the ONE thing (ok, not one thing, but one the damn few) should NEVER EVER EVER be privatized. EVAR.
Look what happens when you do that, historically.
The Germans (and the Alans and so on) got bored of listening to Rome and sacked it, and then spent deposing Roman leaders when they got bored again.
Not saying Blackwater and S(T)D are going to sack Washington, but it's never a good idea. Mercenaries get ideas after a while.

[Aphos]

I am not even in favor of the privatized logistics the military is currently using.  That was one of Cheney's (not so) wondrous ideas.  I find the whole idea of the military being dependent on a system NOT under their control to be ludicrous.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

It makes me nervous, frankly.

[Aphos]

A couple of years ago, 60 Minutes was reporting on how much Halliburton was getting for supply contracts with the military.  They reported that Halliburton was getting $20 per meal served in Iraq.

You can not tell me the military couldn't do it cheaper for themselves (and just as efficiently).

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Oh I can. And if Haliburton wasn't in bed with BushCo, I can say that they might have actually looked for a cheap way to do it. Contracting it out to the winner of an auction (You get our business if you have the best price) would be the best idea.
But of course, BushCo is putty in the hands of Haliburton. So they got it, no matter how much money they bled from the government for shitty food.

[Aphos]

While I might see civilians as useful for providing support services at US bases, having civilians provided any sort of services in a combat zone I find ridiculous.  And, if you are going to have soldiers doing that job in a combat zone, you need to have them trained and experienced in doing it as a regular job...which means having them do it at US bases as well.

Logistics is an extremely important part of military operations.  Putting it in the hands of civilians seems like a recipe for an eventual disaster.

[Swatopluk]

Like in the past with the baggage and sutler trains following the army. Wait until they go back to Wallenstein and the army living of the land (thus reducing the logistic needs).