‘Rent-a-general’ business blurs lines between Pentagon, corporations

[JBeukema]

80 percent of three- and four-star generals who retired between 2004 and 2008 went on to work in the defense industry, often in roles that require direct contact with the Pentagon. In 2007, it was almost a "clean sweep," with 90 percent of retiring generals heading almost immediately into the business. The revolving door has become so entrenched that many successive generals responsible for a particular duty will be hired into the same roles at the same companies upon retirement, the report found, and many generals are hired to lobby the Pentagon on issues they were responsible for while still in uniform.
For most generals, "moving into what many in Washington call the 'rent-a-general' business is all but irresistible," Bender reports.

‘Rent-a-general’ business blurs lines between Pentagon, corporations | Raw Story

 

[uscitizen]

Privatization of the military is coming.
Bush took the biggest steps yet and Obama is not backing off of those either.

and rent a troop does not stop with generals. think about Blackwater or whatever they call themselves now. A foreign located military corp we rent military support from?

 

[JBeukema]

Privatization of the military is coming.
Bush took the biggest steps yet and Obama is not backing off of those either.

and rent a troop does not stop with generals. think about Blackwater or whatever they call themselves now. A foreign located military corp we rent military support from?

Rome, too, became dependent upon mercenaries near the end

 

[Sallow]

Privatization of the military is coming.
Bush took the biggest steps yet and Obama is not backing off of those either.

and rent a troop does not stop with generals. think about Blackwater or whatever they call themselves now. A foreign located military corp we rent military support from?

Rome, too, became dependent upon mercenaries near the end

Decidely terrible move.

 

[Modbert]

If you have a opportunity, read Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner. Towards the end of the book, it discusses how many CIA agents are leaving the agency for private industry and security companies. Our intelligence agency as well is blurring the line with corporations.

 

[JBeukema]

I wonder what one might call this merging of State and corporate power, especially in light of the tend towards growing government control of the economy and the rise of radical right-wing social reactionism...

If only there were some sort of historical precedent to show us how this might play out, so we'd know what to expect...

 

[Bones]

The military industrial complex is thriving, ain't it?

 

[Sallow]

The military industrial complex is thriving, ain't it?

When hasn't it been?

Clinton tamped it down a bit..but it came back with vengence with George W. Bush.

 

[Revere]

Don't fret about privatization of the military. More American soldiers died in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2009 than in the entire previous span of the war, eight years.

Feckless military strategy that gets American kids killed is still wholly owned by the commander-in-chief.

 

[Cain]

I had a uncle, who was in the US Army for 20-21 years, and he retired not too long ago. Guess what? Now he is a "Private Contractor" making a lot more before he retired, and he is working for the same outfit in the US Army in Cyber Technology. He basically, gets his Vet Benefits, which are nice since he retired as I think either a O-3 or O-4, and he is working full-time as a private contractor.

 

[California Girl]

So? Ex military personnel are perfectly entitled to work for whomever they choose. This is no different to ex-politicians or ex-police or any other individual with expertise and contacts in a particular field.

 

[westwall]

I think Smedley Butler was the first to speak out on the issue. He felt that the US military was allready a mercenary organization for big business, and this in the 1930's. He had the credentials to back it up as well. He was a Major General in the USMC and had been awarded the MOH twice!


Major General Smedley Butler USMC

 

[Douger]

General ? How about rent a pResident ?
Fucking sheep.
LiveLeak.com - Who is Hamid Karzai?

 

[whitehall]

"Often in roles that require direct contact with the Pentagon"? Would you have it any other way? Why is it that the left thinks everything is a conspiracy? Civilians run the Military in the greatest Country in the world. Our elected represtatatives in congress write the checks that fund the Military and we just fired 60 democrats in the worst (best?) defeat in congressional history in fifty years.

 

[Sallow]

Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; and if one holds his state based on these arms, he will stand neither firm nor safe; for they are disunited, ambitious, and without discipline, unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies; they have neither the fear of God nor fidelity to men, and destruction is deferred only so long as the attack is; for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI
"THE PRINCE"

And Bob's your uncle..