Blackwater CEO Erik Prince recently told Congress that his company wasn't at fault for killing 20 Iraqis. I beg to differ: it is your fault. But our entire government also shares the blame.
In Afghanistan and Iraq, incidents like this are hardly new, and will probably continue to occur. The big question is, "Why?"
Since 9/11, U.S. foreign policy has been further compartmentalized, politicized and privatized.
The Bush administration has poured billions (now nearing trillions) into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A significant amount of this money has been funneled -- with little or no oversight by Congress - to private firms such as Halliburton and Blackwater.
At the $20 billion mark, Halliburton continues to score lots of contracts that produce no clear results. They do not seem to be accountable for their work -- work that our highly skilled and responsible soldiers should be doing, by the way.
Blackwater, boasting a $92 million contract with the U.S. government, is just one player in an enormous military support operation. The company was specifically hired to fill military posts in Iraq -- posts that (again) should have been filled with ... yes, military personnel. After all, the military is staffed by civil servants trained to "protect and serve" versus the Blackwater personnel, who are trained "to protect the principal at all costs. If that means pissing off the Iraqis, too bad." The above attitude is also alive and well in Afghanistan, where I spent the last two months.
It's no wonder the Maliki government can't move forward. It is almost impossible for him, let alone anyone, to implement consistent policies, thanks to continual intervention by a mixed bag of external military institutions and private contractors.
Many private security firms lack any accountability, often making decisions -- including arming local recruits -- without the support of host countries and without properly training local employees. Private firms are equipping and training swat teams, police and armies without tracking whether the "trainees" are promoting the general welfare or aiding terrorist and insurgent groups.
Some of these firms are quite professional. Many do very good work. The issue here, however, is that their specific roles were never factored into broader U.S. strategies and policies. Everyone -- governmental and non-governmental aid organizations, the State Department, the military and private contractors -- is going his own way, with little or no direction from above. This is one reason the U.S. is embroiled in an unfocused and randomly managed war in Iraq.
This administration's dealings with the likes of Halliburton and Blackwater has set a precedent for a disturbingly corrupt and compartmentalized foreign policy, where individuals are expected to function in combat zones without appropriate support. While the "little guys" risk their lives for somewhat better pay, their top managers are safely schmoozing in Washington and lining their pockets with millions of dollars.
In Afghanistan, our security personnel were a very frustrated group. I later discovered that this was largely because they were overworked, under-appreciated and ill-equipped to deal with such a large project. Their company wanted the big contract, but didn't want to spend the money to ensure the job was done right and with minimal risk. Our security detail often worked 24/7, and they were exhausted, despite help from a stellar Afghan team.
Although I am in NO way defending the actions of the men responsible for killing those 20 Iraqi civilians, I place the blame where it truly lies: with the U.S. government -- the administration and the Congress.
Army General Erik Shenseki warned about going to war "on the cheap," and he was ignored. Unfortunately, the price many Afghans and Iraqis are now paying is hardly cheap -- not in terms of deaths, crippling wounds, homes lost and families scattered. (The same holds true for many U.S. soldiers.).
Oh, and one of these years, the American taxpayer will not only receive the bill for the true monetary cost of these mismanaged wars, but they will also pay the price of the loss of American status and trust. And that is due to this administration's all too many reckless errors and deceptions.