Contractor deaths in the Wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria top U.S. troops’ deaths

Hired Guns

“Hired Guns, Views About Armed Contractors in Operation Iraqi Freedom,” an extensive Rand study weighed the benefits of the use of Contractors in U.S. wars. Some argue “support from contractors permits the Army to deploy fewer combat service support personnel and allows the operational commander greater leeway in designing a force. With regard to armed contractors specifically, this school of thought holds that when PSCs provide bodyguards and nonmilitary site and convoy security, they relieve soldiers from having to perform these duties….”

The other argument is that “the operations of PSCs may inadvertently place additional strain on the armed forces…When contractors engage the enemy…, they may require rapid support from the military. In short, this school of thought holds that PSCs can at times cause more strain than relief for the armed forces, because they may need military aid when under attack. Although such logic applies to both armed and unarmed contractors, the fact that armed contractors have the ability to engage the enemy in a firefight makes this line of thought more applicable to them than to other types of contractors.”

Arguments about the use of contractors who sought intrigue, action and higher pay will continue but the bottom line in terms of deaths, numbers were similar, with Contractors taking more hits than U.S. troops. The statistics of injuries, suicides, and mental health issues are devastating, but for another study.

The truth is shadowy, but the Washington Post conducted an extensive investigation relying on documents produced, some through legal processes.

The truth about the War in Afghanistan is devastating and only some will ever be revealed according to the article. Americans are rather clueless about the truth behind the scenes in the War in Afghanistan.

Over 20,000 U.S. related deaths are reported:

More contractors, over 3800 have died in Afghanistan as of 2019, than have troops, that number 2352. As of the end of 2019, nearly 5000 Security contractors remained in Afghanistan
In Iraq, more U.S. troops were killed, numbering 4572, with death of civilian contracts also counting high at 3588.

Including Syria and Afghanistan the total of contractor death were the highest at 7950 with U.S. troops deaths number 7014.

U.S. COST OF WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION IN AFGHANISTAN SIGAR
Reconstruction costs for Afghanistan equal approximately 16% of all funds obligated by the Department of Defense for Afghanistan since 2001. DOD reported in its Cost of War Report as of December 31, 2019, that it had obligated $782.7 bil- lion for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan, including the cost of maintaining U.S. troops in Afghanistan.59

That corruption involving government contractors, U.S. and Afghan is rampant, is of public record through Government sources.

As of June 30, 2020, the United States had appropriated approximately $137.86 billion for reconstruction and related activities in Afghanistan since FY 2002 According to SIGAR.

The truth is shadowy, but the Washington Post conducted an extensive investigation relying on documents produced, some through legal processes.

“The documents were generated by a federal project examining the root failures of the longest armed conflict in U.S. history. They include more than 2,000 pages of previously unpublished notes of interviews with people who played a direct role in the war, from generals and diplomats to aid workers and Afghan officials ” the Wash Post wrote. “The U.S. government tried to shield the identities of the vast majority of those interviewed for the project and conceal nearly all of their remarks. The Post won release of the documents under the Freedom of Information Act after a three-year legal battle.” Full Article HERE