Artistic Footprint

There seems to be a clash between the public and private sectors of the western world. Clearly there is a history of Communist bashing,  but there are a few interesting omissions.

The US foreign policy has found a way to make money and generate markets for the “oh so very rich” to invest in, using public tax dollars to front the cash.

To go to war, you need a good few essentials. Soldiers, Weapons, Armour, and constructed bases. Oh yea and a reason to go too. But that’s not really that important. Traditionally, you’d assume that a few of these were bought and paid for by the US government using tax dollars – to assume that YES, your citizens DO want to go to war for a cause and are willing to pay for it.

Recently (and I mean like for the last 40 years or so) These machines of war have moved out of the public sector and into the private sector. Specifically boots on the ground and “defense contractors.” Dick Cheney, former US V.P. was the CEO of Halliburton, an oilfield production company headquartered in Texas. Halliburton received special treatment for the bid to supply infrastructure and oil to the Iraq war in 2003.

Blackwater, a private security firm, was hired as a defence contractor to work in Iraq. No longer were there men going to war because they wanted to and believed in the cause (which is another thing altogether, see this), but because they would be getting paid the big bucks to do so. Now gung-ho, stone cold, cocky killing machines were let to run rampant in Iraq. These “armed employees” of blackwater are considered by the company to be “armed independant contractors” which doesn’t sound particularily disciplined. (imagine being an Iraqi militant fighting for your life because of what you belive in, and some asshole tactician with a “modified for death” M-16 with greasy tattoos comes around and shoots you in the gut and screams “HOOAAA!”)

But that’s beside the point. What’s happening here is the U.S. government is creating wealth by hiring defense contractors, which cost a shitload more, to do their fighting and buiding and reconstructing and infrastructure. This uses tax-payer dollars to foot the contracting bill in order to pay for mercenaries and elaborate military bases.

There are Four things wrong with this that I see:

Number One: Honour. The most impactful difference between a paid individual and a volunteer is that the person volunteering (i.e. a “G-I” or serviceman) does their job with passion and honour because they work for a cause that they believe in, and feel proud to have made a difference. They bear their nations flag and are willing to die for the rights and freedoms of their families. First of all, I think it is outright disgusting that someone could tamper with that person and make them believe in a cause that doesn’t really exist where their lives are at risk, but secondly, someone who gets paid doesn’t give a flying fuck who they kill where or why, so long as they get paid. Cash for blood. The difference is that the volunteer will ensure a job well done because they actually WANT it that way. Paid employees only work as hard as their wage and only do what they’re told to keep their job.

Number Two: Reciprocation. We all know about the gap between rich and poor, and how it’s extremely top-heavy. But have you ever thought that you might have inadvertently INVESTED in your own problems? As a unit, the United States taxpayer made the call, went to war, and paid for it. Whether that’s what actually happened or not, it’s what is supposed to happen, and it’s how the rest of the world sees it. The issue is that the people who organized this little party decided to pay top dollar for everything and just sent the bill home. As opposed to using the traditional system, defense contractors made money. These people PLAN on war. Aeronautical industries like Lockheed, or Arms manufacturers like Colt, NEED war in order to make money.  These of course are just a few. weapons are just a teeny bit of what is needed to make war. Just so happens that there is a trend between politicians and defence contractors, and a country hell-bent on violence.

Number Three: “Security Contractors” is an edited definition for “mercenary.” Men who are paid employees of evil corporations like Blackwater who make dollars from bullets. They inherently care nothing for who they kill where or why, But simply to go on a military vacation and blow up shit. But that is nothing in comparison to the damage they do to their former soldier pals. The unregulated, cocky, overconfident and totally ignorant actions of these mercenaries has devastating effects on the servicemen of their country, who then must retaliate for their mistakes and clean up the mess they make. If you are a mercenary reading this, then FUCK YOU.

Number Four: Iraqis are a very passionate people, whether or not their beliefs are terrible or not, they view westerners as perverted, undisciplined, and gluttonous people. They hate our guts and the fact that we are on their soil is nothing short of total insult. Furthermore, we had no right to be there in the first place, but somehow snuck in with lies and misinformation. We barge into their homes in the night and steal their husbands and grandfathers, for years of inhuman torture with no conviction. One anonymous superior officer at the prison stated: “If I were treated that way, I’d be a terrorist.” We use “smart” bombs to take out whole buildings with the hopes that intelligence was right and yes there was one guy we wanted in there. Again even further, we are literally assimilating them into this perceived perfect world of a free democracy. While that is clearly an option for growth and stability, it is a cheap trick to signify an altruistic intent which we are all too familiar with. Our motives for this change is so that we can “trade/steal” their precious oil reserves, to wipe their country clean in order to exploit and mold it how we see fit.

But then what? what do the citizens get for their money? Surely not better healthcare or an improved education system. International security? think again. Anti-american sentiment is only growing from the inside out. Freedom? actually Bush completely obliterated Habeus Corpus with the new patriot act, which means that you could literally have done NOTHING wrong, and be plucked off your feet never to be seen again. Interrogated, tortured, “disappeared” or killed. And not have a legal right to see the evidence against you. Your families would post “missing” ads in the local grocery store.

My question is this: When you go to renovate your home or buy a used vehicle or something… you make a sound decision, right? you hire the right people, you watch what they do, you get fucking receipts. When you want WAR (which no one should want) you hire your countrymen, you understand the cause, you treat your enemies with honour and your wounded with compassion, and you see the results. When was the last time that happened?