Charlie Rose

robdverity  09/10/2009 09:34 PM Report

According to figures current during the active war a year ago, the salary of a soldier in the lowest rank who has one year's service was $15,480 a year - only a thousand dollars more than the average pay for an usher in a movie theatre in the USA. The pay for an experienced corporal of three years of service was $19,980 a year.

Meanwhile, the government pays private firms between $500 and $1,500 a day for the experienced military personnel they supply in Iraq. That works out to mercenaries who often earn between $150,000 and $250,000 a year.

In stark terms, a mercenary works in a less risky position, providing support to fighting men or guarding oil wells instead of going on patrols in hostile territory under enemy fire and assault - and makes 10 or 20 times as much money as a soldier who serves his country instead of a corporation.

There are mercenaries making more than General Tommy Franks, who commanded the US armed forces in last year's war in Iraq. With more than 36 years of service, Franks' annual base pay was $153,948.

robdverity  09/08/2009 05:51 PM Report

Charlie will get a five star positive from the Rendon Group, the Pentagon’s ranker of journalists and their stories, WHICH IN ITSELF IS A RANK ADMISSION MONITORING IS WARRANTED TO KEEP A POSITIVE SPIN ON THEIR GOAL OF SUSTAINING PERPETUAL CONFLICTS.

These chestnuts were tiresome the first time around. Spewing their contrived MI oligarchy orthodoxy, reestablishing for public consumption, that they intend to continue their merchandising of death-for-profit for as long as the unaffected public will tolerate it. And by and large we’re too obtuse to demand anything different. Milgram’s paradox?

Live vicariously! Visualize the raucous frolicking about the Bahamas, yachting from island to island, visiting CEOs of Northrop-Grumman, Lockheed, Halliburton, Xe (aka Blackwater), and of course ArmorGroup. The latter knows how to debauch and then some.

Right now there are 250 thousand contractors fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Records show the State Department has warned the ArmorGroup about security problems for at least two years, yet renewed its contract as recently as July.

Poor old Karzai. We accuse him of corruption (cause as experts we know it when we see it). He’s been taught by the best.

So these examples are just superficial. The billions squandered on war for fun-and-profit would probably pay for health care for China and India let alone the US. But we got our priorities. Ask Gates and Mullen.

We’re run by a ship of avarice ghouls. Death, cruelty, greed and of course some good ole Roman debauchery all in the mix and taken in stride. Patriots arise - and get naked.