Questionable Benefits: Private Military Firms in Iraq

1
Questionable Benefits Private Military Firms in
Iraq

• Ryan S. Lewis
• 2006 Student Research Conference
• 
  
  
• Gaviria, Marcia. Baghdad from a Bulletproof
  Window Posted June 21, 2005
• http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warr
  iors/art/repp2.jpg

2
Introduction

• Unprecedented Employment by US government of
  Private Military Firms, PMFs, in Iraq. (1)
• 2nd Largest Fighting Force (2)
• At least 270 have been killed. (3)
• Numerous Problems in Iraq
• Friendly-Fire to Murder
• Project Objective
• Who benefits from the employment of Private
  Military Firms in Iraq?

3
What are Private Military Firms?

• Corporations that provide military services (4)
• Corporation, Not Mercenaries
• Business profit driven. (5)
• Articles 3 4 of the Geneva Convention. (6)
• Growing Demand
• End of Cold War and War on Terror

4
Advantages Disadvantages of PMFs

• According to the Bush Administration
• PMFs saves money (7)
• Lower the number U.S. Forces deployed (8) (9)
• Fully-qualified (10)
• According to U.S. military civilian officials
• Theres no authority over them. (11)
• Alteration entry plans into Fallujah due to March
  31, 2004 incident. (12)
• No current regulations

5
Advantages Disadvantages of PMFs

• President Bush at Johns Hopkins University, Paul
  H. Nitze School of Advanced International
  Studies, April 10, 2006

play
6
Operational Drawbacks

• Violent
• May 2005, Fallujah 19 contractors of Zapata
  friendly fire -- U.S. Marines. (13)
• U.S. Navy did not file charges. (14)
• November 2005, Baghdad Trophy Video (15)
• No charges have been filed.
• Non-Violent
• Beyond the Fallujah strategy (16)
• Inability to complete Contract Requirements.
• Parsons Inc. clinic problem. (17)
• Sub-Contract to Sub-Contract

7
Political Contractor Benefits

• Connections and Lobbying
• Halliburton (KBR)18)
• Vinnell Corporation (90-02). (19)
• Bechtel Group (20)
• 500,000 to 2000 Bush-Cheney.
• Non-Competitive Selection
• Thomas Cruikshank, Former Halliburton C.E.O
• Duane Andrews (Science Applications
  International)(21)
• PMFs Booming Buisness

8
Conclusions

• Increased Employment
• Regulations NEEDED
• Implementation of DFARS amendment
• Recommended use of NROC
• Problem Implementation.
• U.S. Foreign Policy
• Privatization Evolution
• Counter-insurgency challenged?

New York Times, April 2, 2004 http//www.nytimes.
com/2004/04/02/national/02SECU.html
9
Bibliography

• (1) Associated Press. U.S. private security in
  Iraq Congress uneasy over blurred lines between
  soldiers and private security. The Billings
  Gazette, April 28, 2004.
• (2) Merle, Renae and Griff Witte, Washington
  Post. Security Costs Slow Iraq Reconstruction
  Contract Excesses Also Hamper Progress. July 29,
  2005 and viewed December 2005.
• (3) Pugliese, David, CanWest News Service.
  Senator seeks federal ban on Canadian
  mercenaries Private Security firms should be
  off-limits, say former Canadian Forces general.
  November 17, 2005.
• (4) Singer, Peter W. Corporate Warriors The Rise
  of Privatized Military Industry. Ithaca Cornell
  University Press, 2003, 8.
• (5) Singer, Peter W. Corporate Warriors The Rise
  of Privatized Military Industry. Ithaca Cornell
  University Press, 2003, 47.
• (6) Carter, Phillip, Slate News. Hired Guns
  What to do about military contractors run amok.
  www.slate.com/id/2098571, April 9, 2004.
• (7) Finer, Jonathan, Washington Post Foreign
  Service. Security Contractors in Iraq Under
  Scrutiny After Shootings. www.washingtonpost.com/
  wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09, September 10,
  2005.

10
Bibliography

• (8) Finer, Jonathan, Washington Post Foreign
  Service. Security Contractors in Iraq Under
  Scrutiny After Shootings. www.washingtonpost.com/
  wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09, September 10,
  2005.
• (9) Singer, Peter W. Corporate Warriors The Rise
  of Privatized Military Industry. Ithaca Cornell
  University Press, 2003, 6.
• (10) Singer, Peter W. Corporate Warriors The
  Rise of Privatized Military Industry. Ithaca
  Cornell University Press, 2003, 77.
• (11) Finer, Jonathan, Washington Post Foreign
  Service. Security Contractors in Iraq Under
  Scrutiny After Shootings. www.washingtonpost.com/
  wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09, September 10,
  2005.
• (12) Smith, Martian, PBS Frontline. Private
  Warriors. http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline
  /shows/warriors/faqs//, posted June 21, 2005
  viewed January 13, 2006.

11
Bibliography

• (13) Associated Press. Contractor accuses
  Marines of abuse. June 11, 2005 and viewed
  January 2006.
• (14) Witte, Griff and Josh White, Washington Post
  Staff Writers. Navy Wont File Charges in Iraq
  Contractor Fracas. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/
  content/article/2006/03/23, March 25, 2006.
• (15)Rayment, Sean, Defense Correspondent.
  Trophy video exposes private security
  contractors shooting Iraqi drivers.
  www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/, November 27,
  2005.
• (16) Smith, Martin, PBS Frontline On-Line Video
  Private Warriors. www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontli
  ne/shows/warrirors/view/, posted June 21, 2005
  and viewed January 13, 2006.
• (17) Knickmeyer, Ellen, Washington Post Foreign
  Service. U.S. Plan to Build Iraq Clinics
  Falters. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar
  ticle/2006/04/02, April 3, 2006.

12
Bibliography

• (18) Mayer, Jane. Contract Sport The New
  Yorker. Issue 2004-02-16 and 2003,
  www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/040216, posted
  February 9, 2004.
• (19) Tsetsi, Eric. The Profits of War
  Reconstruction in Iraq. http//towardfreedom.com/
  home/index2.php, April 6, 2006.
• (20) Tsetsi, Eric. The Profits of War
  Reconstruction in Iraq. http//towardfreedom.com/
  home/index2.php, April 6, 2006.
• (21) Mayer, Jane. Contract Sport The New
  Yorker. Issue 2004-02-16 and 2003,
  www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/040216, posted
  February 9, 2004.