US eyes private guards for bases in Afghanistan

[LeighAnn]

Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

WASHINGTON -- U.S. military authorities in Afghanistan may hire a private contractor to provide around-the-clock security at dozens of bases and protect vehicle convoys moving throughout the country.

The possibility of awarding a security contract comes as the Obama administration is sending thousands of more troops into Afghanistan to quell rising violence fueled by a resurgent Taliban. As the number of American forces grow over the next several months, so too does the demand to guard their outposts.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he wants to cut back on the use of contractors that now provide a wide range services to American troops in war zones, including transportation, communications, food service, construction, and maintenance. As recently as February, however, Gates called the use of private security contractors in certain parts of Afghanistan "vital" to supporting U.S. bases. A contract for the work also creates job opportunities for Afghans, he said.

<snip>

The Washington Post reported Saturday that the Army published a notice July 10 informing interested contractors it was contemplating a contract for "theater-wide" armed security.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/464/story/1506588.html

[Dover]

1. The more things change...the more they stay the same. Without significant change in foreign policy

and especially our foreign ENERGY policy (oil/gas/pipeline interests in Eurasia and elsewhere), we will remain overextended and in need of either 'contract soldiers' or a draft (unless a bad economy becomes an effective recruitment tool that fills the ranks).
And that makes for a catch 22. If we DON'T utilize citizen soldiers recruited through our regular military channels then we are left with an even bigger and potentially disasterous 'cancer' as an outgrowth of the ethical and legal issues that arise with 'hired guns'.

Answer - CHANGE FOREIGN POLICY!!!

[Amos Moses]

2. This must be part of the stimulus.

Mercenaries need to eat too, ya know? :patriot:

[Strong Atheist]

15. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[Amos Moses]

18. thanks!

:toast:

[Strong Atheist]

19. Enjoy. It is a great place! nt.

[sutz12]

3. Deja vu all over again...

[Mari333]

4. thats your tax money again folks

paying for these mercenaries
and yet they cannot come up with money to cover health care
same old shit.

[bvar22]

5. Because they worked so well in Iraq !

That Obama......stealing all the good Bush stuff!

[IndianaGreen]

6. If voting changed anything, it would be illegal. --Emma Goldman

Is this is "Change You Can Believe In," I hate to think of the alternative.

The great anarchist writer Emma Goldman, a staunch opponent of the sham that it is representative democracy (as opposed to direct democracy), said it best:

If voting changed anything, it would be illegal.

--Emma Goldman

[No Elephants]

11. ANARCHY NOW!

Well, I'm not really there yet. Give me a couple more months, though.

[formercia]

7. Hiring 'Taliban' security guards

You would thing the US learned their lesson in Viet Nam. Many of these local hires will turn out to be spies for the Taliban.

[ohio2007]

9. Maybe Obama is promising "rewards" in THIS lifetime

Many of those locals hired will have to pay ransom $ to the Taliban to protect their families while they are away from home.

[Solly Mack]

8. k/r

shakes head

[No Elephants]

10. If we still had the draft, use of military for the WOT (or whatever the hell it is we've been doing)

would have been over long ago.

Rangel is correct Reinstate the draft.

[OwnedByFerrets]

12. With complete immunity for murdering innocent people too, I'll bet.

[Vidar]

13. "Give me that old time corruption. Give me that old time corruption.

Give me that old time corruption. It's bad enough for me"

[ensho]

14. what? our military can't protect themselves?

contractors be damned

[ldf]

16. its a good thing we have

halliburton, kbr, blackwater on speed dial.

[Wednesdays]

17. K&R

:kick:

[defendandprotect]

20. Control of the military is passing out of the hands of the military, obviously . . .!!!

[foginthemorn]

21. NO NO NO!! This is wrong!