http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/us/20intel.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
By MARK MAZZETTI
Published: August 19, 2009
WASHINGTON — The Central Intelligence Agency in 2004 hired outside contractors from the private security contractor Blackwater USA as part of a secret program to locate and assassinate top operatives of Al Qaeda, according to current and former government officials.
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Times Topics: Blackwater Worldwide
Executives from Blackwater, which has generated controversy because of its aggressive tactics in Iraq, helped the spy agency with planning, training and surveillance. The C.I.A. spent several million dollars on the program, which did not successfully capture or kill any terrorist suspects.
The fact that the C.I.A. used an outside company for the program was a major reason that Leon E. Panetta, the C.I.A.’s director, became alarmed and called an emergency meeting in June to tell Congress that the agency had withheld details of the program for seven years, the officials said. <more>
Ok, I read it, and the point is?
That the privatization of WAR, and the licensing to private corporations to assassinate people is not a good idea, of course.
It isn't a good idea, either.
And you think this is a new thing??? You can't possibly be that naive.
The report stated it was explored as an alternative to Predator Drone attacks to minimize collateral damage. When an agency doesn't have available internal assets for specific projects they contract out.
As for government employees leaving and joining the private sector, knowledge of the specific industry and more money are usually the operative factors.
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