I caught this Wired post just in time to see that there’s another “what are we doing with all these mercenaries” hearings that pretty much nobody watches. It’s on C-Span 2 right now, so I’m going to see how long I can stand it.
“Inherently governmental functions” is a kind of ambiguous category that means “things you don’t contract out.” The military official has proposed a five year time frame to assess these things that contractors are doing that they should not be. Off to a good start.
~28,000 positions with contractors overseeing the contracts of other contractors. About half of those we’re just going to wait five years on.
CACI is providing contracting oversight officials. They have a shady history.
107,000 contractors in Afghanistan right now.
One of the commissioners actually works for a contractor. Watch him debating Jeremy Scahill here and here.
I got a relevant question on SA: “how did mercenaries become legal” Answer here.
The LOGCAP contract is fundamentally insane. POGO: More Misbehavior by KBR Suspected on LOGCAP III Contract
Contractor seriously states above contract was “97-99% competitive” whatever that means.