I could be wrong about this but I would venture a guess that the 3 month lag might have had something to do about the fact that our troops are stretched incredibly thin. People like my cousin have been deployed three times in the past five years and there is no stop in sight. I highly doubt there will be a pullout in Iraq anytime soon as there are currently rumbelings of a possible military coup against the Iraqi government and a US troop pullout would likely usher such an event in quicker. Our military or U.S. based private military firms with CIA/Pentagon contracts are currently conducting operations in no less than 5 countries (Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia) which will take a toll on any military no matter how powerful or well-funded. Since the war on "terror" is one that can never be won we have set our selves up for a lifetime of war in the Middle East/Islamic nations.
The real shame is the rise of US private military firms. For example in Afghanistan the US military has contracted out most of it's logistics to private military firms because supposedly they can do it for cheaper than the US military could (how that is possible is beyond me since they are working for profit and make SIGNIFICANTLY more money). One problem that has arisen from this method of operation is that the Pentagon gave out contracts to 6 private security firms to transport equipment from airfields to the battle field. In an effort for these companies to get through each tribal region in Afghanistan without getting attacked by insurgents most of the companies have begun to pay off tribal leaders in each region they pass through who more often than not are the same people our boys are fighting against. It has been officially recognized by the US military and government that a minimum of 10 percent of the Pentagon's logistics contracts--hundreds of millions of dollars--consists of payments to insurgents.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091130/roston
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100125/engelhardt
So we are paying the Taliban to let us get goods to the battlefield so we can fight them? Anyone else see a problem here? This war will not be ending anytime soon and even if it does it will just be moved into another Middle Eastern country because the war on terror cannot be won.
As for the private military firms that is a whole different issue. These companies (like Blackwater) cherry pick the best and brightest from the US military which weakens our nations forces. Generally I have no problem with people making the best economic decision for their future and the private sector obviously pays more. The problem here is that their folks have intimate knowledge of the US military's deepest secrets and are contracted out to the highest bidder which includes governments from all over the world. So in theory any US secret is up for grabs to the highest bidder and some of those people running governments in the Middle East and Africa have some deep pockets. This is a serious conflict of interest and undermines the US military. Nevermind the fact that most folks I know in the military have very little respect for those that choose to go to the private security firms.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100111/scahill2
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100125/scahill4
I know The Nation will likely be considered by many folks here to be too liberal to read but they have been quite critical of Obama and the Democrats and in my opinion put more focus upon the issues and not swaying.
Joe
