Comments on: Iraq’s Parallel War: War Of The Contractors http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Mon, 28 May 2012 00:18:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Iraq’s Parallel War: War Of The Contractors · New York Articles http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-87031 Iraq’s Parallel War: War Of The Contractors · New York Articles Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:35:11 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-87031 [...] (more…) [...] [...] (more…) [...]

]]> By: Iraq’s Parallel War: War Of The Contractors · Articles http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86820 Iraq’s Parallel War: War Of The Contractors · Articles Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:42:29 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86820 [...] (more…) [...] [...] (more…) [...]

]]> By: Querdenker http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86406 Querdenker Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:52:10 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86406 <strong>Don't blame! Be realistic.</strong> It is easy to mess up another country by voting for this war and a doubtful individual as a president and then say: actually we didn’t meant it like this and now we want to have our troops home so we can blame the private military contractors… After all the "Humanitarian Parasites", called NGO's, have left Iraq is absurd to believe the humanity will fall from the sky. Remember as Condi once trumpeted: “from Baghdad will be a domino-effect to the occupied territories in Palestine. Today we can see what is going on with Hamas and Gaza and must finally realize that this dominos are falling, yes, but in the opposite direction! So all this NGO's which where raising millions from private donations and left Iraq what else have they done then spending this donations for their own administrative work at home on salaries every jobless American could dream off... Don't think that the money they raised in huge money-begging-operations is not a victim of money laundering! Don’t blame! Be realistic.

It is easy to mess up another country by voting for this war and a doubtful individual as a president and then say: actually we didn’t meant it like this and now we want to have our troops home so we can blame the private military contractors…

After all the “Humanitarian Parasites”, called NGO’s, have left Iraq is absurd to believe the humanity will fall from the sky. Remember as Condi once trumpeted: “from Baghdad will be a domino-effect to the occupied territories in Palestine. Today we can see what is going on with Hamas and Gaza and must finally realize that this dominos are falling, yes, but in the opposite direction!
So all this NGO’s which where raising millions from private donations and left Iraq what else have they done then spending this donations for their own administrative work at home on salaries every jobless American could dream off… Don’t think that the money they raised in huge money-begging-operations is not a victim of money laundering!

]]> By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86263 DLS Sun, 17 Jun 2007 22:49:19 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86263 Are you now just discovering something that has been true since official hostilities ended in 2003? Are you now just discovering something that has been true since official hostilities ended in 2003?

]]> By: domajot http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86181 domajot Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:13:24 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86181 While some of the arguments for privatizing in many areas, not just war, are very legitimate, it has always bothered me that no one questions the most obvious result: removing what these private contractors do from view and, to some expent, from government oversight and control. Somehow, they become a law unto themselves. A private citizen is expected to be congnizant of the laws curtailing his behavior. A private citzen acting on behalf of the government is held similarly accountable (in theory, at least). But when it comes to contractors, it seems to be mainly a procedure of handing over the money and a 'see you later'. I was aghast to see the glazed-over eyes and vague responses of contractors operating in Iraq during a Congressional hearing. They seemed genuinely puzzled by questions about how they co-ordinate with local military commanders, regarding rules of engagement, for example. Increasingly I wonder of who, really, is in charge. While some of the arguments for privatizing in many areas, not just war, are very legitimate, it has always bothered me that no one questions the most obvious result: removing what these private contractors do from view and, to some expent, from government oversight and control.

Somehow, they become a law unto themselves. A private citizen is expected to be congnizant of the laws curtailing his behavior. A private citzen acting on behalf of the government is held similarly accountable (in theory, at least). But when it comes to contractors, it seems to be mainly a procedure of handing over the money and a ‘see you later’.

I was aghast to see the glazed-over eyes and vague responses of contractors operating in Iraq during a Congressional hearing. They seemed genuinely puzzled by questions about how they co-ordinate with local military commanders, regarding rules of engagement, for example.

Increasingly I wonder of who, really, is in charge.

]]> By: jdledell http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86149 jdledell Sun, 17 Jun 2007 13:41:19 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86149 One of the issues that really never gets noted much is the tremendous pay disparity between uniform military and contractors performing the same mission. We are talking about a difference of magnitude of $35,000/year versus $175,000. It causes a lot of resentment. An example is my own nephew who is an officer in the IDF Golani Brigade. He makes about 185,000 NIS or a little over $44,000/year. He was offered a job by Hart Security of Britian for a job in Kurdistan for $230,000. He would never tell me the details but in the end he declined although VERY tempted. One of the issues that really never gets noted much is the tremendous pay disparity between uniform military and contractors performing the same mission. We are talking about a difference of magnitude of $35,000/year versus $175,000. It causes a lot of resentment.

An example is my own nephew who is an officer in the IDF Golani Brigade. He makes about 185,000 NIS or a little over $44,000/year. He was offered a job by Hart Security of Britian for a job in Kurdistan for $230,000. He would never tell me the details but in the end he declined although VERY tempted.

]]> By: Davebo http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86104 Davebo Sat, 16 Jun 2007 20:05:53 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86104 You make a good point Rudi. Keep in mind that Halliburton should have been disqualified from landing DOD support contracts since they did the "study" to determine their feasibility. But with a wink and nod Cheney slipped them a nice waiver as Sec. Def. And we're still paying for it. You make a good point Rudi. Keep in mind that Halliburton should have been disqualified from landing DOD support contracts since they did the “study” to determine their feasibility.

But with a wink and nod Cheney slipped them a nice waiver as Sec. Def. And we’re still paying for it.

]]> By: Rudi http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86079 Rudi Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:01:09 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86079 Cheney outsourced the war and CIA interorgations at the start of this administration. He started this during while in Congress and during pappy's administration. Abu Graib and torture are the results. Cheney outsourced the war and CIA interorgations at the start of this administration. He started this during while in Congress and during pappy’s administration. Abu Graib and torture are the results.

]]> By: Iraq’s Parallel War: War Of The Contractors · Kokorec http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86072 Iraq’s Parallel War: War Of The Contractors · Kokorec Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:08:15 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86072 [...] (more…) [...] [...] (more…) [...]

]]> By: Resources and News » Gates in Iraq reconciliation push amid shrine bombings http://themoderatevoice.com/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/comment-page-1/#comment-86063 Resources and News » Gates in Iraq reconciliation push amid shrine bombings Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:25:19 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/society/business/13539/iraqs-parallel-war-war-of-the-contractors/#comment-86063 [...] Iraq s Parallel War: War Of The ContractorsThe Moderate Voice - Did you know that there is an out-of-sight, out-of-mind parallel, life and death battle being waged in Iraq? The Washington Post offers details on this less publicized but surely deadly parallel war: Private security companies, funded by billions of [...] [...] Iraq s Parallel War: War Of The ContractorsThe Moderate Voice – Did you know that there is an out-of-sight, out-of-mind parallel, life and death battle being waged in Iraq? The Washington Post offers details on this less publicized but surely deadly parallel war: Private security companies, funded by billions of [...]

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