Outsourcing Militarism

Jan. 22, 2011-UPDATE

The following article from the New York Times further illustrates how problematic outsourcing militarism has become for the United States. In this instance the "hired gun" is working at cross purposes with the political and ethical designs of the current administration.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/world/23clarridge.html?_r=1&hp

Jan. 11, 2011-UPDATE

According to this article, foreign produced ammunition was purchased for ten million dollars more than the cost of domestically produced military resources.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/us-forced-to-import-bullets-from-israel-as-troops-use-250000-for-every-rebel-killed-15050027.htm

According to this article, the same foreign weapons manufacturers sell to Iran and insurgents.

http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/1186/8611002.html

January 1, 2011

Recently the New York Times reported hiring Duane Clarridge to help free David Rohde, a reporter who had been kidnapped in Afghanistan and held for seven months in Pakistan. Mr. Clarridge was employed from December of 2008 to June of 2009, at which time Mr. Rohde managed to free himself. Mr. Clarridge is a Central Intelligence Agency operative who was convicted for the transfer of missiles to Iran and received a pardon from President G.H.W. Bush.

The use of criminals for work in dangerous environments is an ancient and necessary technique in the pursuit of effective domination of foreign entanglements. In December of 2010 the Obama administration began hiring more contractors for the battle grounds of various endeavors ranging from the Horn of Africa to the Iraq/AfPak presence, and a host of other jobs such as shipping, cooking, cleaning, intelligence gathering, rescue operations, and maintenance. The numbers for the employed are now above 225,000 in unclassified work and many more in secret projects. The use of so many private workers has created a problem with adherence to guidelines such as the Geneva Convention and U.S. Congressional oversight. For More on this subject please see this excellent article by Tim Sharrock;

http://www.antifascistencyclopedia.com/allposts/americas-new-mercenaries-obama-hiring-military-contractors-at-a-rate-that-would-make-bush-blush

THANKS TIM!

As Well this article by Mr. Matt Taibbi- http://www.alternet.org/world/60950/

The expense of military conflict benefits the money lending groups, weapons and fuel manufacturers, medical and pharmaceutical companies etc.. and in turn, provides employment for civilians. However, the global military industrial network is siphoning jobs and revenue from the United States taxpayer by outsourcing U.S. Federal contracts to foreign companies such as EADS for thirty five billion dollars worth of aircraft, Embraer for six billion dollars in aircraft, Fabrique Nationale and Berretta for firearms, and outsourcing for the helicopter used by the President of the United States.(Duncan Hunter Washington Times) Such prolific outflow of revenue effectively makes the traditionally domestic profits of war unavailable to the people paying for its continued expansion. While such lemon faced chagrin seems to be obvious fact, little is being done to correct the situation, and so the People of the United States undergo the collapse of infrastructure, state pension programs, police protection, health care provision, and defense of domestic tranquility. Due largely to the fact that the federal government is not investing in American sources for American security. Rep. Hunter actually tried to increase the required domestically produced content of military systems from fifty to sixty-five percent and was voted down.

The economic strength of The United States has deteriorated significantly even though the economic engine of militarism continues to run at full speed, and this imbalance of ability and necessity can be directly attributed to the outsourcing of militarism.

Several key points in the revenue stream can be seen as outflows of taxpayer resources. Protecting social stability during pre-investment of this revenue, as a matter of National Security, would initiate the ability for the People of the United States to have a better share of the profits, without slowing the vital defense characteristics so necessary to the worlds most freest society. For example, the raw materials for the war effort, textiles, taxable goods, metals and fuels in particular-are routinely imported and otherwise shipped outside of the revenue stream. The main beneficiary of this shipping is the enormous conglomerate known as COSCO. The China Ocean Shipping Company. Valued at Seventeen Billion Dollars in 2009,(Atlanta Business Chronicle May 18, 2009) competing with Cosco and changing its business paradigm are positive primary steps towards an effective increase of National Security, international influence and domestic profit sharing. A simple course of redress lies in the Domestic Security Imperative inherent to importation of taxable goods dispensed through Wal-Mart and other retail chains. Requiring these business groups to use shipping organizations not affiliated with the transfer of weapons and dual use military technology, alleviates the galling hypocrisy of Wal-Mart buddying up to Homeland Security with its checkout imagery regurgitating "SEE Something SAY something rhetoric", and channels the incredible power of American consumerism towards international responsibilities. Though the revenue generating manufacturing base of the American economy has been eviscerated, its purchasing power can be recognized as a potent force for international stability, in conjunction with the militarism so vital to global stability.

Simply checking the search engines for information regarding COSCO will enlighten the reader to help decide what really are the most important aspects of National Security.There are many well researched pages that underscore the fact that COSCO is in fact, the Chinese Military. COSCO also has an abysmal environmental track record. Notably the ship BUSAN spilled more than 53,000 gallons of oil after hitting the Golden Gate Bridge in 2007. Investigation, prosecution and incarceration of the ships captain, as well as repairs to the bridge and cleanup have cost more than seventy million dollars(U.S.) (Source: SF Examiner)

As well COSCO ships everything everywhere; munitions and weapons to Cuba(Gertz Washington Times 2001) illegal immigrants to Seattle, and missiles to Iran.(Knickerbocker Christian Science Monitor)

COSCO is also responsible for environmental damage in Norway and Australia and is in the midst of negotiating multi- million dollar fines for its complicity.

The People of the United States can significantly improve infrastructure, security, revenue stream and international influence by increasing the competitive nature of business relationships with contractors not affiliated with COSCO. For example,significant returns on investments deemed vital to National Security can be realized. The use of COSCO to perform Nuclear Inspections at the Port of The Bahamas using United States technology and funding is imprudent considering the inspections have been mandated by The Maritime Safety Act of 2010. Open bidding is necessary for National Security. The use of other contractors to achieve the same results denies COSCO that significant sphere of influence for potential abuse. It also clears the way for broader inspections and potential revenue via fines for the inevitable transgressions. The inspection of cargo is potentially quite lucrative, and an excellent tool for international intelligence gathering.

The purchase of better made cheaper goods, be they state of the art weapons, criminal intelligence operatives, or kitchen utensils is an argument well made considering that most of the money for the American war machine is being borrowed at high interest rates. However, simply not using criminals, foreign mercenaries and competing militaries for domestic security makes good sense when alternatives are available.The key to engendering perpetual war is to generate profits via the stability created by its influence. Outsourcing the financial strength of the war engine to international investment and corporate interests will inevitably reduce the war effort to a profit only incentive, small consolation to those paying for their enjoyment of domestic life whilst being viewed in the crosshairs of foreign produced, shipped and funded weaponry.

The historical evidence to highlight the serious nature of devaluing civic virtue will be discussed in following entries.