Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced the "Stop Outsourcing Security Act" on Tuesday. If passed, the act would force the United States to phase out its controversial use of private security contractors in war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan.
While the bill is likely to meet stiff opposition from the Pentagon and the defense industry, it's certain to be well received among progressives and peace activists, who have watched with alarm as the use of private contractors in war zones has skyrocketed in recent years.
In an interview with Russia Today earlier this month, Schakowsky said that the use of private contractors "masks the scope of our involvement" in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"When the President asks for a 30,000 troop increase in Afghanistan, we are talking about at least that number of contractors too, which makes the mission much bigger. We don’t even count them when they get killed,” she said.
Schakowsky added: "We have seen these private hired guns, mercenaries if you will, actually in situations that have jeopardized the mission of the United States, have put our own troops at risk, have killed private civilians, really raising the question, can these private companies that don't seem to be part of the chain of command [or] have the same transparency or accountability as our military, can they actually get away with murder? And so far the answer has been yes."
Notice the unusual use of the word 'mercenaries'. Tell it like it is, sister!
Our military has been allowed, on purpose, to deteriorate in favor of for-profit companies to the point where our troops can't do the basic stuff like feeding themselves, guarding convoys, maintaining their own weapons, and providing security for our diplomats.
This is our tax money paying for this, and it's one tax the Repugs love because it goes to the private sector in pallet-loads for things that the military ought to be doing a lot more economically and with rigid accountability in cases of abuse of the system, unlike paying top dollar for waste, fraud, abuse, and even murder.
This is a bill that I hope passes even while I pretty much know it won't. Hats off to Senators Sanders and Schakowsky for trying.
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