I just finished an interesting Podcast with Jake Allen, former PMC contractor and Marine officer who’s in the private security biz and a regular contributor to Defense Tech and The Private Military Herald online e-zine.
Jake and I had a conversation about the stories surrounding the CIA contracts with Blackwater to form al Qaeda kill/capture squads and service lethal drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
While Jake never worked for Blackwater, he’s got many colleagues who have and he’s well enough connected within the industry to deliver thoughtful insights into the controversy and some unique perspectives on how the CIA contracts and what their capabilities are.
To Jake, the CIA hit team contract shouldn’t have been much of a surprise to anyone except that it was with Blackwater — a company whose image personifies everything that was bad about the Iraq war. And on the Predator servicing contract, Jake said “if it were Raytheon, Lockheed Martin or any of the other big named aerospace contractors that could have done this kind of work nobody would have batted an eye…”
Agreed…
But Jake wasn’t necessarily defending Blackwater. He did say the company had benefitted from a lack of government oversight and that more should be done to keep an eye on how taxpayers’ dollars are being spent by PMCs.
Be sure to listen (or download) the entire interview and be sure to check back next month when the hearings kick off on both controversial programs.
– Christian
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
The U.S. has painted itself in a corner with too many rules of engagement and should shed the laws that prohibit us from handling our defense with our armed services instead of spending excessive funds to private organizations to accomplish our missions. I think I am going to have to run for office.
What have those so called “hit teams” hit? Nothing! Mercs’ are useless over the hill wanabes who can’t make a living outside of the military. Not sure why they ever got out….
Let me put this as plainly as I can:
For the first time in the modern history of this country, we have hired a private company to conduct offensive operations against a group our government feels is the enemy (rightfully so with Al Qaeda obviously). Think about that. We have contracted an American company and their employees to break our laws and murder whomever is in charge thinks is a legitimate target.
Now all of you whackos that think this is perfectly acceptable think about this: who is in power now? What made headlines when Bill was POTUS? One incident happened in Waco, Texas. The other escapes me right now, but I do know the guy’s wife had died by a sniper’s bullet. None of those killed were part of the tree huggin branch of government. Now think about our government outsourcing that operaton so nobody knew about it.
How far of a reach is it for those in power to link one right wing nut with a right wing group? With this convenient Xe/CIA bond, Congress would never know if operations occurred until it was too late. I guarantee we still don’t know all of the skeletons in our government’s closet from 40 years ago.
Armed offensive operations of any sort should not be outsourced to a private company. That is taking a walk down a path nobody wants to go down.
DC2
Matt,
Good commentary. Like I said, modern American history.
Interesting that you indicated Congress issued the marque or contract to the privateers. So it wasn’t a covert program that was never divulged to or approved by the entire Congress.
DC2
Why don’t we just pay “Raytheon, Lockheed Martin or any of the other big named aerospace contractors” to do it all? One stop shopping? Turnkey operations. Call up the salesman for a sortie.
I just don’t think the Predator thing is a good use of contractors.
Hit squads, maybe. Not really a MOS typically pitched by the recruiters. Pinkertons for the 21st Century. I just worry about the lack of restraint historically shown by some contractors.
I am thinking of joining the military (at 32, fit, but not morally or age-quailified for most branches I’m interested in). I have a Master’s Degree in Engineering. Should I even bother?
They want me but I am not wasting my time. Libertarian, for lack of a better descriptor. Think I’d be refreshing in Basic.
Thanks.
~Alyssa
DC2 Jennings wrote: “The other escapes me right now…”
That would be Ruby Ridge and the Randy Weaver fiasco. Weaver’s wife Vicki and their oldest child were killed by U.S. Marshals and an FBI HRT sniper. One Marshal was killed as well. Weaver and friend Kevin Harris were acquited of murder charges, while the U.S. government was ordered to pay over $3.5 million in wrongful death damages to the Weaver family and Harris.
Alyssa:
It is ‘worth it.’
Go OTS for either the Air Force or Navy. Both of these very much need engineers to work for the military side of appropriations.
They ensure that contractors are providing what the military is asking for.
One of the best officers that I ever worked for had multiple degrees. [Edzell Scotland, late 80's.]
Apparently we as a people are a nation can not condone a company (A Private Contractor ) to be a killing machine. But We as a nation can Vilify a criminal or crimenals.I.E. like Jessie James,baby face nelson, machine gun Kelly. Are some of the serial killers that the movies make a profit on these days. And we can allow subversive organizations to organize in the continental United States these days. Like the paramilitary groups,are the neo-Nazis,the radical islamists,the drug cartels that “ARE” with in our borders to day!!!.But we can’t use private or civilian contractors to go out and kill these undesirables . No we would rather take them to court and sue them and slap them on the hand and say “Don’t” do that again. And turn them loose. So as they can go out and do it all over again. People of the United States we live in a Fantasy world of Alice in wonder land. We are so immersed in our own do good imaginative mind that we have got to be the good guys . Well people their “ARE” people out there, countries,nations, religions,Cartels,gangs,thugs,Killers out there that could care less about you and would kill you in a second!!!. But you would sit at home and say maybe he are they want hurt me or my family???. well given the chance they will kill you and your family. So wake up We do need some of these Despicable People to put under contract to rid us of these killers. Turn about is fair play. “But” if that said organization steps over the line then they need to be eliminated too.And I don’t mean only after they have cleaned up our problem. But if they do are become like the ones that they eliminated. Other words we need a vigilante committee to handle all of this. And while you are they are at it . They can take out the con artist,the CEO’S that.get filthy rich at our expense,the crooked politicians,OOPS there I go getting to Start getting rid of who I think should be on that list. Are personal vendetta.You see there is little of a killer in all of us. And that is what we all are afraid of!!!.
ron pond wrote: “Apparently we as a people are a nation can not condone a company (A Private Contractor ) to be a killing machine. ”
I doubt very much any private company could do the job better than the U.S. Army’s SOF-D or Navy’s DEVGRU. If as good. So why do it? I think anyone willing to make an honest assessment knows the answer.
There has to be a reason that our govt hires contractors instead of using our enlisted men.
My thought is that it keeps hostile countries from blaming the US Military for civilian deaths when our govt can hire and use ex-military men as pawns to protect U.S.
We are at war with some extreme nut cases. Hired contractors serve a duty and risk their lives as well.
They face death like our soldiers but they face a harsher punishment if caught.
They do what the Govt WONT let our military do.
I feel they are equally important to us and don’t forget they are Americans too .
I know a percentage of you don’t agree but if our own men could do it don’t you think they would be?
Its the Govt to blame . Its there way of covering up for mistakes made. They use these contractors.
Well waco was another con job of the feds they used delta force an murdered all these people.The FBI murdered weavers wife an son in thier home.You talk about other groups look at some of our own thier black boot thugs.You are fighting for the rich that is the only truth an would you not fight in your homeland if they were foreign people on your soil. I sure woould to my dying breath but they are here persay so stop fighting an say no you have a right under the usmcj as im was in the army .