Obama Iraq Speech To Signal Shift To Afghan Focus

Fighting off insurgents and supporting occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan has cost more than $1 trillion, at least 5,648 American lives [ http://www.defense.gov/News/casualty.pdf ] and demands more security forces than the government can muster. That's why private contractors now make up 54 percent of Department of Defense (DoD) employees overseas, according to a Congressional Research Report (CRS) released in July. http://opencrs.com/document/R40764/



Overall, the DoD employs 19 percent more contract workers than uniformed personnel, according to the report.



The report shows how insufficient contract management can "delay or even prevent troops from receiving needed support" and lead to "wasteful spending." The report also shows how poor contract management and "abuses and crimes committed by certain contractors" against local national and civilians is undermining the US counterinsurgency efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as locals may not distinguish contractors from official US troops and occupiers.



http://www.truth-out.org/confusion-iraq-troops-and-contractors-march-into-new-era62719



Same old, same old.
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