Extra, Extra: News You Should Not Ignore
This is just a quick hit, but something worth noting. We all know that there are 135,000 US troops in Iraq, but did you know that we also have 120,000 non-military personnel there too, including lots of mercenaries working for companies like Blackwater and interrogators woring for companies like CACI.
Why is this important? Because these mercenaries are not governed by the same code of conduct or rules of engagement as our soldiers. And given the problems emerging from this reality, including torture at Abu Ghraib, this is another example of how privatizing the military is hurting our troops.
Even before the world found out about Abu Ghraib, videos of our hostages showed them dressed in the same orange jumpsuits we used in the prison. I am guessing they new before we did, and a lot of the attacks and such against us were directly responding to the torture we were perpetrating.