2008 Woodie Awards
Point-Counterpoint
Blackwater critics missing big picture
Stephen X. Flynn
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Opinions & Editorials
- Page 1 of 1
Blackwater criticism missing big picture Several employees of Blackwater, a private security contractor in Iraq, fatally shot 17 Iraqi civilians last month, and investigations allege that Blackwater employees used excessive force and fired without provocation. Hopefully, whoever committed any wrong in that incident will be brought to justice. That being said, this column is about responding to Blackwater's detractors.
One common criticism of Blackwater and other security contractors is that they overcharge the government for services that could otherwise be performed by US military personnel at lower cost. I can't compare military vs. contractor costs because that information is not fully available, but I think that politics contributes to one reason why the government might increasingly rely on contractors, or "mercenaries" as many critics call them.
While the death of a security contractor hasn't been front page news in years, the death of US servicemen is an emotional event for voters that contributes to war weariness, thus by relying more on contractors, politicians don't have to answer to the military soft spot on every American heart. Have you ever heard someone say "Bring the contractors home!"?
As for the money, yes, there is waste and lack of oversight in how contracts are carried out, but the American people can't have it both ways. Either we put more troops in harms way to fill these contractor jobs, or you pay more for the "mercenaries" whose deaths the American people honestly don't care about.
Finally, the high salaries (around $1000 a day) of Blackwater employees demonstrates how US troops are seriously underpaid, not how Blackwater are overpaid. Blackwater salaries reflect the real market cost of guns for hire in one of the most dangerous places on earth.
On the topic of accountability, this concern is understandable because security contractors are immune from prosecution in Iraqi courts. Some critics want to subject Blackwater employees to the same military tribunals as US servicemen. However, this would raise serious Constitutional issues, and those of you who disapprove of the military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay would and should feel no different. Civilians should never be tried in military courts, ever. Legal experts have already said that for a variety of reasons, prosecuting contractors in American courts would be near impossible. Maybe they should be subject to Iraqi courts, but could those trials be fair? I honestly don't know, but I don't think the currently proposed solutions are any better. In the end however, if the Iraqi government wants them out, they should leave.
One common criticism of Blackwater and other security contractors is that they overcharge the government for services that could otherwise be performed by US military personnel at lower cost. I can't compare military vs. contractor costs because that information is not fully available, but I think that politics contributes to one reason why the government might increasingly rely on contractors, or "mercenaries" as many critics call them.
While the death of a security contractor hasn't been front page news in years, the death of US servicemen is an emotional event for voters that contributes to war weariness, thus by relying more on contractors, politicians don't have to answer to the military soft spot on every American heart. Have you ever heard someone say "Bring the contractors home!"?
As for the money, yes, there is waste and lack of oversight in how contracts are carried out, but the American people can't have it both ways. Either we put more troops in harms way to fill these contractor jobs, or you pay more for the "mercenaries" whose deaths the American people honestly don't care about.
Finally, the high salaries (around $1000 a day) of Blackwater employees demonstrates how US troops are seriously underpaid, not how Blackwater are overpaid. Blackwater salaries reflect the real market cost of guns for hire in one of the most dangerous places on earth.
On the topic of accountability, this concern is understandable because security contractors are immune from prosecution in Iraqi courts. Some critics want to subject Blackwater employees to the same military tribunals as US servicemen. However, this would raise serious Constitutional issues, and those of you who disapprove of the military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay would and should feel no different. Civilians should never be tried in military courts, ever. Legal experts have already said that for a variety of reasons, prosecuting contractors in American courts would be near impossible. Maybe they should be subject to Iraqi courts, but could those trials be fair? I honestly don't know, but I don't think the currently proposed solutions are any better. In the end however, if the Iraqi government wants them out, they should leave.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
dencil coy
posted 10/27/07 @ 2:59 PM CST
To take the word of Iraqie witness;s and the Police around the shooting's is supect/These people blew them self up to kill our Troop's,It not beyond them to dress up like a police man and shoot at blackwater or any bystander we were not their so how can we know what really happen. (Continued…)
Clayton Bigsby
posted 10/27/07 @ 9:50 PM CST
If BW employees were getting $1000 a day then I was getting screwed when I worked for them! LOL $500 a day is more accurate! Iraq is no joke and it is a tough place to work. (Continued…)
L Mac
posted 10/27/07 @ 11:46 PM CST
As the spouse of a contractor, I can tell you that they are being made out to be bloodthirsty killing machines. When in REAL life they are the cops and soldiers you normally would commend. (Continued…)
DJay
posted 10/28/07 @ 1:14 PM CST
As a Mom of a contractor I know that the media would slander its mother for a story that would make these guys look bad. The fact that the first interviews they did were with Maliki and Sadre - both in my opinon puppets of Iran - told me everything about the reporting. (Continued…)
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