Historical Warnings

The (mis)management of the Iraq war has revealed the government’s increasing reliance on private military contractors (such as Lockheed, Blackwater and KBR) to provide cost-effective logistical and equipment support to our troops. However, these organizations have breached the public trust in their pursuit of profit. Since 2003, dubious billing practices, wasteful management and intentional cost-overruns have become standard, amounting to staggering extra costs (in the billions) for the American government. (Big B) Business continues as usual.

Unfortunately, we cannot say “But we didn’t know!” In his 1961 farewell address (over four decades ago!), President Eisenhower outlined the threat posed by an expanding Military Industrial Complex (seen here: Part 1, Part 2). These chilling words must echo through the Government Accountability offices every time a private weapons or logistics bill is audited and found to be, um, excessive. The question, now, is how do we, the American public, put a stop to an entrenched, runaway military machine?