Real World Event Discussions

Feds: Blackwater Saves Taxpayers Money

POSTED BY: Niki2
UPDATED: Thursday, May 18, 2023 17:33
VIEWED: 1412
PAGE 1 of 1

NIKI2

Monday, March 15, 2010 7:40 PM

Oh, gosh, well then, they're worth it!

Quote:
Think Private Security Contractors in Iraq Are a Boondoggle? New Government Report Says They Save You Nearly $1 Billion A Year

The government's use of private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan has been blasted as costly to the image of the U.S., and to the country's bottom line, because a company like Blackwater can charge as much as $1222 a day for a hired gun.

But a new government report says they may actually have saved U.S. taxpayers money. The State Department saves roughly $900 million a year using private firms to protect American diplomats in Iraq rather than relying on U.S. government employees, according to a recently published review by the non partisan Government Accounting Office.

The review found a number of reasons for the difference in price.

The state department did not have to pay overtime or provide benefits or vacation time to the contractors. They were not saddled with extensive travel and housing costs. And they did not have to outfit them with weapons and gear.

In several of the cases reviewed by the government accountants, the private contractors were employing foreign nationals, a key factor in holding down costs. Of the nearly 2000 contractors providing security at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, for instance, 89 percent are foreign nationals. Eight percent are US citizens. The report noted that the State Department would have been "reluctant to hire third country nationals to provide security in Iraq because the department does not want to be perceived as hiring mercenaries."

Still, the State Department saved $785 million in 2008 alone by hiring contractors to provide for embassy security, according to the report. If the State Department had hired and trained its own guards, the cost would have exceeded $858 million. Instead, private security cost roughly $78 million.

The report analyzed five different contracts the government has put out in Iraq to protect State Department employees and facilities. Of the five, four showed savings with contractors. The only outlier dealt with bodyguards for State Department employees in Baghdad. Hiring contractors for that cost $140 million more than had they used their own people.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/blackwater-saves-taxpayers-money/story?i
d=10076105

Yes siree, they save us nearly $1B a year, it's a bargain, ain't it??

"Embassy Guard: Sex Acts Required For Promotion At U.S. Embassy In Afghanistan"

"Naked Pool Parties, Alleged Sex Acts at Kabul U.S. Embassy"

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

KWICKO

Monday, March 15, 2010 8:48 PM

They also save money in that we're not going to be saddled with their VA benefits and disability pay when they come home injured and/or psychologically damaged.

Of course, the downside to that is, they don't GET those kinds of benefits, not from the VA, not from Blackwater, not from anybody, so it's extremely likely that there are going to be tons of homeless, damaged mercenaries roaming around our streets before too awfully long.

But hey, if it saves taxpayers money, what's not to like, right?

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero, Real World Event Discussions

GEEZER

Monday, March 15, 2010 8:49 PM

Niki, I'm afraid you're running a PN on us.

First, the article mentions Blackwater, but states it's use of private security in general that saves money.

Second, the article is about private security in Iraq, so the stuff you threw in about the Kabul embassy guard staff in Afghanistan really has nothing to do with it.

Third, Those pictures. I mean, come on. PN would be proud of you.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

AURAPTOR

Monday, March 15, 2010 9:13 PM

Like you prudes have never attended a nekkid pool party in your life?

Please.

MINCINGBEAST

Monday, March 15, 2010 9:18 PM

haha, fight fire with fire.

how come the nekkid-ity is all blurred? i mean, if my tax dollars paid for that party, i figure i am owed a picture without the blurr-age, right?

EDIT: upon careful study of the questionable pics, I have determined that at least one of the private contractors is a doucher. he has a tribal-tat. this, along with a goatee, used to be the universal uniform of douchery (since replaced by neck tats and Tapout shirts).

KWICKO

Monday, March 15, 2010 11:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Like you prudes have never attended a nekkid pool party in your life?

Please.

Well, not an all-male one, anyway...

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero, Real World Event Discussions

GINOBIFFARONI

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 1:12 AM

You just know Bush has

JAYNEZTOWN

Thursday, May 18, 2023 5:33 PM

I thought this thread could do with a bump since these Mercenary Fags out of their minds of crack were so tolerant of Bacha Bazi and other weirdness of islam culture?

Eric Prince indicted in Austria report Eric Garland

https://twitter.com/ericgarland/status/1658929627925020675

Selling guns to Libya terrorists running slave markets?