Report: Contractors Outnumber Troops In Afghanistan By Highest Ratio In U.S. History

In the clearest sign that the Pentagon has become dependent on privatization, a new report reveals that today there are more defense contractors than U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

According to a Congressional Research Service report obtained by the Federation of American Scientists blog Secrecy News, the ratio of contractors to troops is higher "than in any conflict in the history of the United States":

"As of March 2009, there were 68,197 DoD contractors in Afghanistan, compared to 52,300 uniformed personnel. Contractors made up 57% of DoD's workforce in Afghanistan. This apparently represented the highest recorded percentage of contractors used by DoD in any conflict in the history of the United States."

The report also details how few Americans make up this private army - more than 75% of the Pentagon contractors are local nationals and only 15% are U.S. citizens.

Read the report:

CRS-Report-Afghanistan -

Comments

[bigeasyK]

Latzko's quote posted by Foontheelder is 100% accurate and probably the best analogy I've heard yet. Some estimates say the government actually only loses 10% o what the real costs are if a military personel gets killed. None of us including even J3rangerx would even be talking right now unless we didn't feel something was wrong. The most sick and disturbing thing is, somebody at NSA decided a human life is only worth $650. Granted half the people posting comments let alone the world, would except a job for $650 a day under much worse conditions, but the immediate determination of a number already decided is what put's it the same level of inhuman crimes committed around the world. It's one thing when you know what you are doing is wrong, but it's absolute pathological and premeditated murder when you outsource death let alone profit on top. All for only the purpose of Politics and winning our votes. The real war wasn't fought and lost over seas. The real war was fought and won right at home, but lost by most of us right in our own back yards. Somebody once said, "Divide and Conquer." When will we ever learn?

[BobOnTheFob]

I agree with J3rangerx. I am outraged by the comments made against contractors here. I am a former Army Captain of 14 years, disabled veteran forced out of the military for injuries sustained and now working as a DOD Contractor with four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. What do you want us to do? Sit at home and collect disability checks? I chose to continue serving the best way I could and work in the intelligence community supporting our troops. We may get paid a bit more than the troops but we still pay federal taxes if we don't remain overseas for more than 330 days. Our combat troops are fighting tax free and rightly so. Although I earned some good money, I also hit a higher tax bracket and paid a lot of it back anyway. Everyone here is in a media frenzy over the Blackwater incidents and other incidents of wrong doing by some bad apples. If you read the DOD Contractor Report carefully, you will see contractors are necessary to help base support operations and in many other categories. My skills as a US Army Captain in Defense Intelligence was still needed by my comrades after being forced out of the military. Even though I can't carry a weapon, it doesn't mean I can't contribute my knowledge. I am proud to be a former service member and now DOD Contractor and I will remain so for the rest of my life.

[dhinds]

"I am outraged by the comments made against contractors here".

So? Would deprive us of our right to free speech?

I am outraged by what my country has become thanks to people like you.

"I am a former Army Captain of 14 years, disabled veteran forced out of the military for injuries sustained"

Where were you when you sustained your injuries and what were you doing?

"and now working as a DOD Contractor with four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. What do you want us to do?"

Stop using my tax dollars to destroy other sovereign countries and create enemies.

"If you read the DOD Contractor Report carefully, you will see contractors are necessary to help base support operations and in many other categories".

No American bases should have built in Iraq. Therefore no contractors were necessary.

"My skills as a US Army Captain in Defense Intelligence was still needed by my comrades after being forced out of the military".

You shouldn't have been forced out of the military.

"Even though I can't carry a weapon, it doesn't mean I can't contribute my knowledge".

Intelligence is the most useful operation for combating terrorism.

"I am proud to be a former service member and now DOD Contractor and I will remain so for the rest of my life".

And I am proud to make my own decisions rather than take orders from others far stupider than I.

[j3rangerx]

I cant believe all the pessimism all of you are broadcasting here. I happen to be a contractor, I am in Iraq, I do not work for Haliburton, KBR, or any of the other companies You all are complaining about. There are some good contractors over here doing an important job that the DoD does not have enough people to fill, perhaps you all would like a Draft more than a Contractor option? As far as how many of us are there that the Military has trained and "should have just Kept" well there are those of us that are retired, disabled because of IED's that cannot physically run through the mountains any more but are perfectly capable of some of these other tasks at hand. I will grant you that this situation in Kabul is unaccaptable, and should nbever have been allowed to happen, I am Guessing when I say that most are foreignbnationals filling posts, not capable military veterans or retirees. I can understand and empathise with some of your complaints, so let me ask you all a question or two, what are the alternatives? A Draft to fill the empty contractor positions with Soldiers? Or how bout we just quit and lose? I would like to see all of you pick up a rifle and fill these positions at minimum wage, this will save us all some money, we can have responsible American Citizens filling these positions, no Military Draft or mandatory Service requirements,

[fightorleave2]

While I do not have the time or inclination to pick apart each inconsistency or absurdity that comes out of your keyboard, j3rangerx, I must object to your claim that the only option is either 'stay the course' or "quit and lose."

That is not only a bunch of nonsense, but you never address what winning would be, as if you knew or would be willing to say. Officially, of course, I bet you would say that winning is a democratic Afghanistan or some other nonsense. Well, har-dee, har-har. Let's not forget that the Taliban never attacked America, and, thus, the whole idea of killing the Taliban, who are Afghanis, sounds a bit imperialistic, but why am I arguing facts with you.

When will you people who defend these illegal, phony wars realize that the only defense of this war is the profit and blood you eagerly consume?

[dhinds]

"let me ask you all a question or two, what are the alternatives?

The alternatives are GO HOME and defend the USA where it IS, not where it ISN'T!

"A Draft to fill the empty contractor positions with Soldiers"?

Soldiers for WHAT? Iraq posed NO threat to the USA and the invasion and military occupation of that oil rich country is proof that the Americans have lost control over theirs own senses and are attempting to impose a system of government on a population that doesn't want it and never will.

"Or how bout we just quit and lose"?

You've already lost. And the USA has no business being in Iraq. Other than stealing Iraq's oil, there was never a valid reason to invade.

"I would like to see all of you pick up a rifle and fill these positions at minimum wage"

You probably want a lot of things that most of don't want.

You are a danger to the world as a whole and to those of us in the USA know that your presence in Iraq puts all of us in danger. You've created far more terrorists that al Qaeda could have done alone.

[dhinds]

"let me ask you all a question or two, what are the alternatives?

The alternatives are GO HOME and defend the USA where it IS, not where it ISN'T!

"A Draft to fill the empty contractor positions with Soldiers"?

Soldiers for WHAT? Iraq posed NO threat to the USA and the invasion and military occupation of that oil rich country is proof that the Americans have lost control over theirs own senses and are attempting to impose a system of government on a population that doesn't want it and never will.

"Or how bout we just quit and lose"?

You've already lost. And the USA has no business being in Iraq. Other than stealing Iraq's oil, there was never a valid reason to invade.

"I would like to see all of you pick up a rifle and fill these positions at minimum wage"

You probably want a lot of things that most of us don't want.

You are a danger to the world as a whole and to those of us in the USA know that your presence in Iraq puts all of us in danger. You've created far more terrorists that al Qaeda could have done alone.

[bigeasyK]

What's even better most of these guys' contract is with either Halibuton or Carlile. Who hires only Goldman Sachs for accounting and AIG for all Life Insurance. This is true because Haliburton got audited for over billing the D.O.D. 700 million, when AIG's books were finally opened by T.A.R.P. revealing a 700 million discrepancy. This is still being fought in court and will probably end up with AIG footing the bill. Or do I really mean us? AIG not only kept Goldman from going under, but also kept Haliburton too. Like every other political windfall, I will take anyone's bet that Haliburton will go into bankruptcey once all their Government contracts run out, especially with new energy policy coming. Kellog and Brown have already broken off there 8 year Merger with Haliburton concluding the merger was their most succesful investment with impecable timing. No realtion to concurring years with Buysh in office. Those lucky lads. They must be genius's. Only if we could be so lucky. Like, what if we knew when to sell our 401k's. Or if the govt said," Hek, you can also keep your AAA credit rating, you're just too big to fail, you're paying for the bailout anyways, why shouldn't you be able too."

[alysheba 3]

So how many of these guys did the US pay to train in the military before they decided they could do the same job for triple the price? How come these guys were not forced to stay in like so many others?

[harriettubman]

No wonder we're having so many deaths. Obama needs to rexamine Bush's policies over there and in the Middle East. I can't believe Blackwater's contract was renewed! Or Haliburton's!

[dhinds]

These are signs of a corrupt government.

When basic services are privatized they become political plums - a profit generating activity proportioned to a privileged elite that operates with impunity (with little or no governmental oversight) because the government no longer represents society nor the greater public good.

The previous administration led the nation into (and privatized) war based on false pretenses and destroyed the economy in order to do it!

If Obama is prepared to return government to society, he'll have to overcome the sociopathic interests that created this situation and society itself will have to elect representatives that understand the proper role of government in society: The representation and embodiment of the greater public good.

But except for a few, todays politicians are self-serving pigs feeding at the trough. (The only thing worse than a corrupt politician is a hypocritical corrupt politician).

A deep-seated electoral reform is in order. Can we expect that from today's politicians, beholden to those that contribute the most to their campaign funds?

Why have Americans allowed the USA to become a renegade world class bully, a nightmare for the majority of Americans and rest of the world?

Why aren't Bush and Cheney in jail?

Where's the rule of law?

[S1m0n]

I see a clear difference between hiring local guards and importing foreign mercenaries, but this report calls both 'contractors'.

[billybob101]

Do these contractors have accounts in Switzerland?!?!?

[Figerre]

So maybe Rumsfeld's DoD and BUsh/CHeney's Admin's business background made this look like a good idea. However, if contractors protecting the US Embassy in Kabul act like frat boys - maybe there is more in common that any of us thought!

[StopMakingSense2]

See privatizing government functions is a great idea! Now we should start selling legislative seats to the highest bidder.

If it is worth going to war over everyone should have skin in the game. Bring back the draft or get out!! War profiteering used to be treason, now it's business as usual...

[j3rangerx]

Didnt Illinois just do that LOL

[FoonTheElder]

Mercenaries and Wars of Attrition.

"The cost to the employer of fielding a mercenary army was limited to the wages paid. They did not even bear the costs of supporting the widow and children of a mercenary killed in action. While their employers sought a short, decisive campaign in order to achieve their objectives at as small a wage cost as possible, mercenaries preferred to achieve the objectives with the least effort and risk of loss of life. Dead mercenaries reduced the labor force of the military enterpriser, and there was prestige and more money in commanding a large army. Therefore, mercenaries tended to fight wars of attrition to conserve soldiers and to lengthen the campaign so as to draw wages for a longer period of time. Consequently, wars were longer than necessary from the principle's perspective."

THE MARKET FOR MERCENARIES by David A. Latzko
http://www.personal.psu.edu/~dxl31/research/presentations/mercenary.html

Tell me again why we are really in Afghanistan? Military Corporate Welfare

[not going2take it]

Supporting that these efforts are more tied to money
or revenue streams to contractors than actually fighting a war
to serve humanity. THIS JUST $ U C K $ !

[twb1951]

We have certainly devolved to something not predicted at our inception. We have fallen to using mercenaries to fight our battles. We pay the average soldier 1/10 or a dime on the dollar that we pay the merc's from our domestic for profit armies (Blackwater etc.) What has the "gop" and the spineless Democrats brought us to. If we require armed services (we do) then pay them a living wage if they make a career in the military, and I'm not just speaking to the brass. Historically, the profit edge associated with privately paid fighters has been very dangerous. Things to think about. We should thank the "Shrub" and "Darth Palpatine" administration for taking us to this point. These two upstanding patriots, who did everything in their power to never serve in our armed forces.

[uvymopka]

Obama mercenaries. He is getting us in deeper.