This is truly unbelievable. I got it from Al Jazeera's site, which is probably the largest middle eastern newspaper. So why haven't we heard about these "contract cities"?
Please send some comments on this one. They have even contracted out the court system in the subject city of Sandy Springs, GA, a suburb of Atlanta.
I have no words to continue this entry.
4 comments:
You almost hooked me by comparing the privatization of cities with the work that private military companies do in Iraq in Afghanistan, but there is a huge difference. I don’t agree with cities privatizing. If the company faults and does not live up to its advertized and bidded obligations, all it has to do is declare bankruptcy and they get out of it; just like the current mortgage companies are doing. Private security contractors are very different. Take, for instance, Blackwater. They contract with the State Department to provide diplomatic security for both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. How long are these wars going to last? The answer is not more than 5 more years (hopefully!!). So the State Department needs protection in a war zone for its diplomats. Without this protection diplomatic functions are severely limited. First choice: hire on hundreds of new agents and to be stuck with them after the wars are won, paying for their unneeded services for years to come and their retirement. Second choice: pay for temporary services that will last for the duration of the wars and then terminate the contracts. No further taxpayer money is spent and the government moves on without an unwanted burden. If you were responsible for taxpayer’s money, what would you choose?
Do you not understand that Blackwater is a private army of mercenaries?
Did you know Spain owns part or all of the NJ Turnpike?
Blackwater is not a mercenary company, as uninformed people like to believe. Here's the true definition of a mercenary:
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercenary
Out of the six criteria, of which all have to be met, Blackwater only fits under two: A and E. You might think that they also fit under B and C, but they don't; they are defensive only and are not allowed any offensive operations. Don't believe the misinformation generated by people who will say anything to push their view of the Iraq war.
As for other countries owning property in the U.S., that's VERY wrong! I believe you should have to be a U.S. citizen to own any property here.
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