http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=71741 I declare shenanigan. But upon looking into this further it appears that "one day short" is a common practice used by the military to keep the cost down. If the soldiers can't received their entitled education fund, might as well just go right back into the army right? On the other hand the military can surely keep the mercenaries happy with the additional fund. Oh by the way, do both parties still care about the wounded veterans, now that the scandals no longer make headlines? Oh yeah, after a lovely 8 month period, Bush just offered to create a proposal to attempt to streamline the paperwork. Mean while, bull**** meaningless legislation like collective circle jerk condemnation of Moveon passed in record speed. Not to be outdone, Dem quickly counter with "Rush is an idiot, let's put that on official record" bill. The entire political system has become an ongoing sick joke. Meanwhile, our volunteer military is still fighting an unnecessary conflict with no end in sight, with no peach in reach, on a god-forsaken land that is nowhere from home. And then they have to deal with this bureaucratic bull**** when they are finally back. It is so easy to say support the troops, but so hard to not do the exact opposite.
Iraq is such a complete clusterfudge it's not even funny. As you say the politics of the situation is a joke. The Dems were elected largely to get us out of Iraq but found out Bush holds the trump cards, so I understand their frustration. The answer to the question, "Does the war in Iraq make America safer" has never been answered to my satisfaction... likely because it's doing just the opposite, and yet we continue to spend money, lives, and equipment in Iraq like it's going out of style. Our military's capacity to do it's job is rotting away and the administration doesn't seem to care. Most of our troops still ride around in Humvees, which was never meant for frontline combat. That is not supporting our troops. Having 1000 Abrams tanks being ground into dust is not supporting our troops. Young men growing old in the middle of freakin nowhere is not supporting our troops. Waving a flag doesn't cut it, nor does wearing one on your lapel. W'04 stickers make me want to kick the offending vehicle. What really gets me is just how our military can affort to give out huge bonuses for new recruits and screws the men and women who have paid their dues, and then some. Just an FYI, there are 10,000 flatbed trucks, 1,000 tanks and 20,000 Humvees and some 300,000 assorted heavy pieces of equipment, in country. That is to say, it will take between 10 months to a year to get out of Iraq once the decision is made. Well, unless Sistani is killed, civil war breaks out and we leave it all there.
If you were personally making millions of dollars off of the war like Bush and Cheney are, you wouldn't care either.
yup, military is paying for it. which is odd bc ive noticed most military is so die hard republican. they make the tough sacrifices and in the end they get screwed out of the benefits theyre entitled to. i know bc my cousin was a marine and he has to fight to get his GI bill every semester. which is total BS. yet hes a die hard republican. ??? youd think veterans and current soldiers would throw around their voting power more so that they do receive the benefits they are entitled to.
True but there are vast differences in the way they are used. There are rules about the number of people required for an army job, the equipment, not so for the mercenary's. Has a lot to do with why they are so trigger happy imo. Many merc employees are poorly trained from other countries that make a fraction of the former U.S. military Blackwater guys are making.
Who knows if they are cheaper. Doubt if Bush-Cheney care. Like much privatization they are a type of socialism for rich mainly GOP or conservative contributors who kick back to their customer i.e., the politicians that award them the contracts. Benefits for the actual military personnel are viewed as just a type of welfare for the Bush-Cheney types as it goes to other people's kids, who volunteer for the service. Let's defund the pro-war lobby, which includes Blackwater and other mercenaries.
