A Few Thoughts on "Phony Soldiers" and Blackwater

I know my next post is supposed to cover more IA Logistics, specifically how food water and ice is handled, but I wanted to write a bit about a couple of issues that have been in the news lately; Rush Limbaugh's comments about phony soldiers and the recent Blackwater incident in Baghdad.

I haven't seen or heard Rush Limbaugh's comments in full, only what has been either lambasted by democrats or defended by Fox News Pundits. I can only say that to call someone who opposes this war while fighting it phony is a dangerous premise. I'm sure that those of you who read this blog regularly can figure out that I am opposed to this war. I feel that it was wrong of us to invade Iraq. I am tired of the ever evolving change in reasons to continue this war.

• 9/11,
• WMD,
• Civil War,
• Promote Democracy
• Give Petreaus a Chance
• The Surge is Working
• I'll be Out of Office in a Year or So, Let Somebody Else Deal With It
• Don't let Iraq Become a Haven For Terrorists

I am ashamed of the way it has made our country look in the eyes of much of the world. I am disheartened by our continuous lack of social and cultural "grace" when it comes to understanding other areas of the world. I am frustrated by an unwillingness of an organization to realize that the cold war is over and no enemy will again stand toe to toe to the United States. I am saddened by the loss of too many fathers, sons, brothers, mothers, daughters and sisters.

So, does this mean I am a "phony Soldier" I'm sure by some standards it does. It is impossible to judge what happens over here from the comfortable studios of the EIB network. It is impossible to come over here and see the destruction and suffering and not have my eyes opened. Every day, I am forced to look at all the remnants of war which remain in the city. The barriers, wire, checkpoints, abandoned buildings, bullet holes in buildings, crumbled homes, all a result directly or indirectly of our invasion. In my current role, I can feel some sense that what I am doing is critical to ending this war. Soldiers do not make policy, Soldiers do not make war, a Soldier's role in war is to advise the civilian leadership of this country and to execute the decisions made by that civilian leadership. I feel that if a few more "phony Soldiers" had stood up to Cheney and Bush and Rumsfeld, this situation could have been avoided. The president has continued to surround himself with "yes" men. If your closest advisers are "yes" men, it goes without saying that they are redundant and irrelevant. I like to hear people tell me I'm right as much as the next guy, but people in leadership should be more concerned with making sound decisions than to prove that they are the "decider."

A Phony Soldier?

I just wanted to touch on the Blackwater controversy quickly to clear up what I see as misconceptions and to add my two cents. If you follow this story you will hear alot of numbers thrown around concerning contractors and their level of participation in this war. Private security companies do provide armed security on numerous operations. FOB Sykes is guarded by a Turkish security company. Don't think though that contracted security forces outnumber or even approach the numbers of Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen in country. The numbers thrown about on talk shows and other media reports include cooks, bus drivers, crane operators, etc., many of whom are from countries other than the United States. I would estimate that 80% of the contractors on FOB Sykes are from India or Pakistan. They do everything from cleaning bathrooms, hauling garbage, and driving buses, to cooking food, and maintaining HVAC equipment. A private security contractor is very well paid, earning as much around $12,000 a month. The majority of the TCNs (Third Country Nationals) earn less than $1,000 a month. Considerably less than what it would take to pay and equip a soldier to do the same work, but well above the average monthly wage of Pakistan or similar countries. To say that we are privatizing the war is simply, from my point of view, false. The majority of contractors are poorly paid (by U.S. Standards) and provide services which would seem ridiculous to have soldiers perform.

However, I feel that firms such as Blackwater, Aegis and others, are detrimental to what we are trying to accomplish over here. To allow them to continue to operate outside the law is an unfathomably bad idea. Iraqi civilians don't discriminate between contracted security officers and the Military. A violent act commited by Blackwater no doubt leads to hostile actions and feelings against the military. It is time that the State Department of the U.S. Congress takes action to change their lawless behavior.

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