Outsourcing death in Iraq

[leftchick]

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1703272,00.html

<snip>

But several sources in the private security industry admit many deadly attacks probably remained unreported.

"We get internal reports and there are often deaths that don't make it in the media. It's an industry that doesn't communicate and secrecy is one of the reasons we're here," said one on condition of anonymity.

Unprecedented outsourcing has allowed the US military to ease the pressure on troops already stretched by several wars and is seen as a way of keeping body bags away from the public eye.

"If you don't get shot on the airport road or a busy area but instead die in an ambush on an open supply route in a remote corner of northern or western Iraq, there's a good chance the news won't come out," the industry source added.

The huge contingent of foreign security guards is a ragtag army of former elite troops, retired cops, mercenaries with shadowy track records and soldiers who served in Iraq and ditched the uniform after being rotated out to quadruple their wages.

Their omnipresence has been a bone of contention for Iraqi officials.

[leftchick]

1. let us not forget the ex-viceroy's decrees before he split...

<snip>

In one of the last decrees issued by former US overseer Paul Bremer in June 2004, he granted immunity from prosecution for private security contractors working with the Americans and US-backed Iraqi government.

Bremer himself was famously protected by private security rather than the US military and much of Iraq's infrastructure and institutions depends on these firms.

There are no accurate figures on how much of Iraq's multi-billion dollar aid package is siphoned directly into security.

Gregg Nivala, regime crimes liaison working out of the US Embassy in Iraq, explained for instance how two million of the nine million dollars budgeted to exhume a mass grave in the southern Muthanna province would be paid to a private security firm to guard the diggers.

[saigon68]

2. The FILTHY COWARD BREMER had his own private ARMY

Look at the MOTHER FUCKER STRUT.

[leftchick]

3. That is my favorite pic of Bremer...

exemplifies his cowardice completely. Let's see here, $2,000.00 for each body, add the helicopter and probably some extra high tech goodies. Also some extra security big wigs who are ex-something or other for "intel". I bet the US taxpayer spent a cool million a week babysitting him. God what a waste.

[BeHereNow]

4. Hey! A few of those guys look like

School of the Americas graduates...
Whaddya wanna bet they ARE?
BHN

[bennywhale]

5. Thats why this is "Not Like Vietnam" because

all those killed aren't American. Safely in the Green Zone sending young Iraqis with 4 weeks training and an AK out to sort out Iraq, and paying mercenaries to do the same. The Vietnamisation" of Iraq. So "Iraqisation" of Iraq has occured instantly. Its still the same carnage dozens and dozens a week. One Soldier dead= headline. 30 Iraqis dead in car bomb=mentioned.