Contractors Implicated in Prison Abuse Remain on the Job

[Toad]

LOL!

BZZZZZZZZZZT!

Currently, there are 499,000 active duty Army troops, backed up by 700,000 National Guard and Army reservists. That's a third less than when the U.S. fought its last big war in the Persian Gulf, in 1991

THAT'S the difference.

Oh, yeah along with the ~ 400,000 guys that are no longer in uniform... these 12,000 guys are not available either... that's a difference too.

9,000 Army troops are in Afghanistan; 3,000 help keep the peace in Bosnia

[Rolex]

txmx: "Did I miss something? I dont [sic] remember hearing of anyone being beaten to death in Amwerican [sic] custody."

10 of the deaths while in custody are being investigated now.

[Gyro/T69]

The difference this time out is the lack of any significant coalition forces. Wanna go it alone? Well... there ya have it. Sorta like a paid, private coalition.

You may like to look up the order of battle of Gulf war 1 and compare the total number of US forces evolved in both. The coalition ground forces in Gulf War 1 did not make up a large part of that order of battle that were counted on to do the fighting other that the English. The English were in both by the way. Please list all the significant ground forces, units and troop strength missing from Gulf War1. That US commanders would have counted on if the battle had gone bad or if US, English Units need to be taken out of the line for R&R.

[Nash]

How many reservists were in Gulf War I?

[Nash]

A quick google (may be in error?) showed 106,000 reserves and 1,600 National Guard deployed in the first Gulf War.

Compared to what... 700,000 in this war?

The coalition made up 25% percent of the total force in the first Gulf war... Compared to what in this one?

Lookit - I'm getting mightily confused myself, and I don't even know what my point is.... But it strikes me as strange hearing that the Government aint willing to pay for more troops, yet they keep asking for billions upon billions to pay for private contractors who are prolly more expensive than the regular forces.

I'm pretty sure a healthy coalition could have taken over the roles the contractors now have, and I'm pretty sure the current admin would welcome as many of them as possible.

[Sixpence]

Originally posted by Toad
In short, it's far easier and politically "safer" for any Congressman to authorize a $100 billion to hire "contractors" than it is to vote to add an equal amount of new soldiers to the Army for half that price.

Why? Seems that politicians are getting roasted for not supporting more military spending, no?

[Gyro/T69]

showed 106,000 reserves and 1,600 National Guard deployed in the first Gulf War.

How many where active? I remember around 500,000 total. Compared to 125,000 now in Iraq. What was the total land mass and population of Kuwait? What if the total land mass and population of Iraq? Bit of difference wouldn’t you say?

The coalition made up 25% percent of the total force in the first Gulf war... Compared to what in this one?

What was their combat effeteness? Where they here for looks or for go? In other works.....Were they worth a crap.

But it strikes me as strange hearing that the Government aint willing to pay for more troops, yet they keep asking for billions upon billions to pay for private contractors who are prolly more expensive than the regular forces.

You'd have to ask the US pres at the time, why the government didn't want to pay for the troops they had under arms and why the force reduction. Ohhh btw....You don't rebuild stood down divisions and need support units over night. Contractors are a stop gap measure in my opinion. Is the Army now being called on to increase and rebuild stood down divisions? Don't know.

[AdmRose]

Originally posted by StabbyTheIcePic
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/04/international/middleeast/04CONT.html

 
**** this government. **** its corporate entanglements. **** its stupid wars. **** its apathy and even encouragement of human rights abuses and murders. **** its opaqueness. **** every single cog in its machine responsible for this ****.

I hate my government. I want it to fall, burn, and be replaced. **** everyone who defends this ****. You're idiots.

Go to hell you bastard pinko. - PFC Rose

[Connection]

Is contractor the an easier to swallow name for mercenary, or is it just more PC?

[Nash]

All I'm saying is that if there were the same coalition as there was in Gulf War I, then that'd EASILY replace the contractors who are now raping and pillaging the land and are the subject currently under discussion.

This constitutes a difference, no?

S'all I'm saying. Not sure why the "BZZZT" and "LOLs"... but whatever.

[txmx]

Originally posted by Rolex
txmx: "Did I miss something? I dont [sic] remember hearing of anyone being beaten to death in Amwerican [sic] custody."

10 of the deaths while in custody are being investigated now.

Compared to how many civilian contractors killed dragged behing cars and hung up like rag dolls?

They could have died from injuries recieved in combate as far as we know.

[Gyro/T69]

Why? Seems that politicians are getting roasted for not supporting more military spending, no?

Again...you don't rebuild Army units over night. I'd say It takes up to a year or more. They all have to be trained and re-equiped. You also have to pay for their whole enlistment and other benefits. Just like you may have seen at your job, contractors are here today gone tomorrow.

[Gyro/T69]

All I'm saying is that if there were the same coalition as there was in Gulf War I, then that'd EASILY replace the contractors who are now raping and pillaging the land and are the subject currently under discussion.

Who were all these coalition forces and where they worth a crap?

raping and pillaging the land  That's a bit much wouldn’t you say?

I haven’t heard any thing about hordes of contractors hotroding around Iraq raping and pillaging.

[Nash]

Originally posted by Gyro/T69
Who were all these coalition forces and where they worth a crap?

raping and pillaging the land  That's a bit much wouldn’t you say?

I haven’t heard any thing about hordes of contractors hotroding around Iraq raping and pillaging.

Who were they and were they worth a crap? Ask someone who really knows.

re Raping and pillaging... A bit of a joke. Okay sorry, torturing and killing.

I could be wrong, but I did hear tons about "coalition forces" in GW1. In this go-around, it's replaced with the word "contractors" which I never heard during the 1st one. So that's a difference to me. Make of it what you will.

[Gyro/T69]

Yup your right, There hordes of contractors hotroding around Iraq torturing and killing. I'm sure you will sleep better tonight.