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How the CIA Became Dangerously Dependent on Outside Contractors

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Check your history, you will see that under Bill Clinton and the Democratic contnrolled Congress, the budgets for not only the Intelligence Community (IC), but for the Military were cut drastically. From 1989 to 1997, the Department of Defense reduced total active duty military end strength by 32 percent. Both the IC and the Military had to switch to contracted operations vs inhouse operations. Talk about pork for Democratic supporters, now go and look at leadership of the companies that benefited the most by outsourcing. History shows that Outsourcing has increased the cost of doing business. Bring back the Draft, kill the Pork.

Ike of IL 11:30AM September 09, 2009

What makes a contractor a mercenary? The fact that he is paid for his service? Aren't US troops and employees of intelligence agencies paid for their services? Jeff of MD is disturbed that the government uses contractors (or in his words, mercenaries) rather than US troops. Many of those contractors are retired from government service. Were they patriots when they were service members or government employees, but became mercenaries when they chose to continue to serve?
The question of whether it is appropriate to use contractors in certain specific jobs is certainly debatable. To label all contractors as mercenaries is detestable.

Richard of VA 5:28PM September 08, 2009

Many of the "contractors" used by federal agencies and the military are either technical specialists who are used on a very short term basis or retired military personnel to fill critical gaps in an interim capacity during changes, relocations, or to fill jobs that would free up military personnel for more critical assignments. They are very much like Christmas help. Having a qualified, skilled retiree available for two-four months of the year is very cost effective and in many cases provides institutional memory and wisdom that prevents people from re-making the wheel or making the same mistakes. They don't require insurance, health care, personnel and admin support, or any of the other costly add-ons that the GOV provides federal staff officers and soldiers. They have to pay their own taxes and pay double FICA - they are heavily taxed. Everyone thinks that a contractor is a looter and shooter and that is more often than not the exception. Communications, health and food services, billeting, motor pool are some other examples. Contractors in combat arms are sometimes employed defensive postures and also as escorts for State Dept personnel, etc - things that the US Military simply does not have the time or the resources to do. There have been incidents, but the vast majority of their work has been unremarkable and effective. Before you comment on something like this - you have to have lived in the environment to judge it. The press has taken some dramatic examples (anomalies) and applied it to the entire concept of contractor work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Does anyone remember the four Blackwater contractors who were hung from a bridge and burned? They were all former (highly skilled) spec ops folks on a protective detail and they will be just as missed by their families as anyone who perished in Iraq.

Vietnam Veteran of SC 12:20AM August 31, 2009

We can take lessons from history .Rome's fall was hastened by reliance on "contracted " forces used to consolodate it's immense expansion.Part of this present intrigue comes down to the fact that we have agreements with Gulf States that have as much in relation ,to lose as we do if Bin Laden can regroup-that is the destabilisation of their respective kingdoms.They don't have a Feinstein or Boxer (ha ha -that'll be the day) as ballast when they see the need or opportunity to act in their own interest.So ,we lend our them prisoners to see if there is a question they would like the answer to -othertimes we let the enemy combatants just think that they are going to have a little R &R in Egypt or Jordan etc. and that does the trick.Could we just do our own wet work when necessary in our interest-besides where in the world are they going to get such great medical care ...if they trip or something ?

Brett of ID 4:45AM August 29, 2009

Its funny nobody seems to want to use the real word: mercenaries. Everyone uses "contractor" which just makes the hard reality seem more benign.
It is disturbing to me that the government uses so many mercenaries abroad instead of U.S. troops and in conjunction with our intelligence agencies. It is even more disturbing that they have been used domestically (Blackwater in the Katrina aftermath) and nobody seems to mind either.
Yes, the national plate is pretty full right now but this is an issue that must be addressed.

Jeff of MD 9:21PM August 28, 2009