The war in Iraq is the first in our nation’s history in which a majority of the tasks traditionally undertaken by the army have been outsourced, primarily by former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, to KGB, a subsidiary of Halliburton. When KGB was first contracted to do logistical work, the sum agreed on was $6 million. Over the past four years, that amount has ballooned to $26 billion. What are the repercussions of such a thorough privatization of the war? That is the question asked by Dina Rasor in her book, Betraying Our Troops: The Destructive Results of Privatizing War.

Rasor sat down with Diane Rehm, and discussed the fact that in Iraq right now, there are more than 100 private contractors and that cost will be more than $1 billion this year. “People gripe about the cost of Iraqi reconstruction,” says Rasor, “that’s nothing compared to the cost of outsourcing everything.” She points out that there is nearly a 1:1 ratio now of soldiers and private contractors, with each topping out at around 130,000. What does that mean on the ground? “Commanders have less control. They’re going into hostile areas now, and there are no regulations for that.” Perhaps more alarming though, is the fact that these contractors are responsible for the infamous gear shortages. “Logistically, they’ll supply to the main bases, but they won’t go any farther than that. It’s too dangerous for them to justify it, so soldiers get left without food, water and gear.”

Uhhh…

Listen to the full interview.