Thomas Friedman: U.S. relies on best allies money can buy : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis: "Every year, more and more of the core business of national security 'is being shifted into the hands of private contractors -- much more than our public realizes,' Stanger said to me. One big reason why we've been able to fight the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with so few allies is because we've basically hired the help.
'Afghanistan and Iraq,' explained Stanger, 'are our first contractors' wars, differing from previous interventions in their unprecedented reliance on the private sector for all aspects of their execution. According to the Congressional Research Service, contractors in 2009 accounted for 48 percent of the DOD work force in Iraq and 57 percent in Afghanistan. And the Pentagon is not the only government agency deploying contractors; the State Department and Usaid make extensive use of them as well. Contractors provide security for key personnel and sites, including our embassies; feed, clothe and house our troops; train army and police units; and even oversee other contractors. Without a multinational contractor force to fill the gap, we would need a draft to execute these twin interventions.'"
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