Clinton supports bill to ban use of State Department private security contractors

http://www.governmentexecutive.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39437&dcn=todays_most_popular

By Robert Brodsky rbrodsky@govexec.com March 3, 2008

Sen. Hillary Clinton has signed on as the first co-sponsor of a bill that would ban the use of all State Department private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill could create a wedge issue with her chief rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who does not support the measure.

Last week, Clinton, D-N.Y., offered her support to the Stop Outsourcing Security Act, which was introduced last November by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. An identical House version of the bill, sponsored by Rep. Janice Schakowsky, D-Ill., was introduced in 2007 and has 23 co-sponsors.

The bill requires that within six months of passage, "the secretary of State shall ensure that all personnel at any United States diplomatic or consular mission in Iraq are provided security services only by federal government personnel."

If the White House is unable to meet that deadline, Congress can authorize a postponement, but only if all private security contractors have undergone background checks and do not have criminal records. Under such a postponement, contractors would have to abide by the same rules governing the conduct of U.S. military personnel.

"These private security contractors have been reckless and have compromised our mission in Iraq," Clinton said in a statement. "The time to show these contractors the door is long past due. We need to stop filling the coffers of contractors in Iraq, and make sure armed personnel in Iraq are fully accountable to the U.S. government and follow the chain of command."

The bill, which also would provide Congress with oversight over private security contractors' contracts worth more $5 million, does not dictate which federal entity would replace the private security firms.

FULL story at link.

I've long wondered why these Iraq spending packages can't focus on the troops, and cut out the contractors.

Do as we did in the past. Have the Defense Department over see and have their own employees and programs. Re-hire laid off Civil Service managers, employees, etc.

When that bomb hit the Pentagon many of the finanical records were lost. That may be been on purpose since at the time Rumsfeld (also left office with his bag of punder and board of directors seat) couldn't answer for missing $3 Trillion dollars.

People forget that 911 was a huge robbery and cover up (gold, FBI records burned, etc.).

His table is going to be pretty crowded with all the people he wants to give place too (including, IIRC, homophobic Christians, Colin Powell, and Reagan lovers).

end cost us more and can't seem to remember where the money went? I want Civil Service to do the job. Even Republican Theodore Roosevelt knew Civil Service was better than cronyism. It's cheaper and more accountable. I'd say..more experienced too.

:applause:

No more Blackwater, Halliburton, Carlyl, etc.