WarBiz...It's What We Do

war!
With an economy accustomed to a steady diet of at least 300 million dollars a year, and being the world's largest arms dealer, the US can't afford an excess of peace. With 911, the administration was presented with the ultimate enemy: terrorism. This is an enemy who can't be seen, and can't be defeated. It's perfect. American voters seem quite willing to overlook the obvious fact that "terrorists" can't usefully be fought with conventional military campaigns. Public relations and police work would be far more effective. In the face of this reality, America's response to the supposed "terrorist" attack of 911 was to first attack Afghanistan (a nation who's only involvement was that the man purportedly responsible for the attack--Osama Bin Laden--lived there. When the Afghan government asked for proof of Bin Laden's involvement before handing him over, we attacked. Then, after not capturing (our boy) Osama, we attacked Iraq which had nothing whatever to do with 911. We are, blessedly, at war--on two fronts; and contemplating a third.

With these new wars against our new enemy, the administration has introduced a concept which makes war more profitable than ever before: privatization. Soldiers used to put up their own shelter (when on campaign), prepare and cook their own food, do their own laundry and operate the logistical supply chain. That's no longer true. These things are now done by contractors such as Haliburton and Kellogg Brown and Root, and these contractors are not cheap--not by a long shot. Halliburton and others have no bid, cost plus contracts--and they have be caught defrauding the military (things like charging for meals they never served). These contractors bring in workers from low wage countries and charge handsomely for their services. Some workers report harsh conditions, low pay and seized passports.

Privatization of war is not limited to logistics, of course. Many contractors are actual soldiers fighting for great pay for private outfits like Blackwater--though there are many others as well. Blackwater showed us, this past year, one of the problems with mercenary forces. Blackwater troops fired on civilians, indiscriminately, in Baghdad, killing at least 17. As it happens, Blackwater, and other military contractors, do not report to the US military command, and have explicit immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts. In effect, they report to no outside authority, and can literally do what ever they want. These issues remain unresolved. Still, it yet more war money for private business, and, since the mercenaries make far, far more than mere "grunts", it pisses the actual troops off as well.


For a list of contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan go here:

http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=pro

We are equipped, now, to operate that warbiz on a grand scale. We have a standing, professional military consisting of volunteers, thus minimizing voter concern about themselves or their friends or loved ones being drafted. This military consists of literally nothing but combat troops, whereas in the past there were more logistical personnel that combat troops. Now these logistical functions are being handled by private companies emploing the cheapest labor they can find, and charging as much as they can get. This is wonderful for business, and it's great for the likes of Halliburton with it's no bid contract, and whose chief officer (our vice president) has his salary placed in escrow for his later use-which is supposed to assure us there is no conflict of interest.

We've an enemy we can never defeat, and who can never defeat us--thus endless war, and a war machine that returns profits to the captains of our nation like no other in history could. It War Biz. It's what we do.