Stop Outsourcing Security Act
Submitted by cstalberg on Wed, 02/24/2010 - 9:50am
PRESS RELEASE CONTACT:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Christian Stalberg, Coordinator
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 Xe Watch (aka Blackwater Watch)
Tel. (919) 801-0734
Email: cstalberg@xewatch.info
Citizens’ Group Urges Support of Stop Outsourcing Security Act: Legislation Introduced February 23rd
RALEIGH – On Tuesday, February 23rd Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) introduced legislation that would phase out private security contractors in war zones.
Last year the U.S. employed more than 22,000 hired guns in Iraq and Afghanistan. They performed tasks that ranged from protecting diplomats, training police and military, to repairing and maintain weapons systems, and loading bombs onto drones.
“The behavior of private contractors has endangered our military, hurt relationships with foreign governments, and undermined our missions overseas,” Schakowsky said.
The Stop Outsourcing Security Act would restore the responsibility of the American military to train troops and police, guard convoys, repair weapons, administer military prisons, and perform military intelligence. The bill also would require that all diplomatic security be undertaken by U.S. government personnel. The White House could seek exceptions, but those contracts would be subject to congressional oversight.
“The latest allegations where Xe Services/Blackwater personnel took hundreds of weapons unauthorized in Afghanistan from both U.S. military and Afghani stockpiles underscores the fact that these mercenary companies are still unregulated, out of control and an ongoing liability to the interests of the United States and its military missions,” Christian Stalberg said, coordinator of Xe Watch (aka Blackwater Watch) headquartered in North Carolina. “It is high time to restore to the military the functions which it traditionally handles.”
Every member of Congress should support this legislation to defend the human rights of all people from contractors, to protect taxpayer money from fraud and waste, and return core governmental functions to the government.
To view a copy of the Senate bill: http://sanders.senate.gov/files/SOS%20Text.pdf
About XeWatch (aka BlackwaterWatch)
Xe Watch exists to shine a light on Xe Services (aka Blackwater) specifically, and private armies/mercenaries generally. We represent a growing contingent of concerned individuals and groups including, but not limited to, human rights and peace activists, people of faith, civil libertarians, and veterans. XeWatch is concerned about human rights abuses, indiscriminate use of deadly force and the lack of accountability by private armies, mercenaries, and private security contractors. For more information visit http://xewatch.info.
Christian ...
Is there an action plan in the works?
What should BlueNC readers do right now?
Thanks for all your good and persistent work to put an end to our reliance on mercenaries.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
actions to take to support passage of S.O.S.
Contact your senators and representative now and urge their co-sponsorship of the legislation. Talking points can be found at:
Here is CCR's statement of support: http://bit.ly/9TM3vQ
http://www.copswiki.org/Common/OpenLetterToCongress
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/23/house-dems-want-to-phase_n_4737...
Visit Academi Watch (aka Blackwater Watch) at http://academiwatch.com
fire them
As Commander-in-Chief can't President Obama fire the whole lot? Reagan fired the air traffic controllers and replaced them with military personnel. Can't President Obama just do this without an act of Congress. Let their contracts expire or cancel them for cause?
Pesky contracts
Can't forget about rule of law of course.
We're so dependent on contractors that it will take quite some time to transition them out and rebuild our military so it can fulfill its duties. That said, it's time to get started.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
This is a very important bill
Even those who disagree over whether or not we should have embarked on some of our recent military adventures can agree that the way in which we have come to fight our wars is detrimental to the national interest in many ways. We can't change the past, but we can damn sure change the way we conduct military operations going forward.
I believe you will find many veterans of the armed forces who will support this bill. Or some version of it. And fiscal conservatives should sign on because the taxpayers are really taking it in the shorts on so much of this stuff. Paying far more to have functions "privatized" than they would cost if those same functions were performed by soldiers. And, adding insult to injury, the employees of these contractors have typically had their training paid for by the American taxpayer while they were in the military.
It might be a good idea to require every member of Congress to listen to Eisenhower's farewell address in which he warned about the military industrial complex before they vote on this one.
Well said
It boggles the mind that conservatives would support the idea of individuals getting wealthy through war profiteering. But then again, maybe that's what today's conservative movement has devolved into.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
military support
I too think the military would support the end of contractors. That would mean more funding for the military so they could take over these duties. The contractors have taken away some of the jobs of the military and I would think the military would protect it's own turf. I don't understand why we went to contractors anyway. Soldiers in uniform are much easier to control than contractors just there for the money.
Spencer Ackerman of the
Spencer Ackerman of the Washington Independent is blogging right now from the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Blackwater-in-Afghanistan hearing
Visit Academi Watch (aka Blackwater Watch) at http://academiwatch.com