enhanced_deficit
02-04-2019, 12:42 PM
The number of armed contractors in Afghanistan has increased more than 65% since Trump took office
Paul Szoldra
February 04, 2019 at 11:15 AM
The number of armed private security contractors in Afghanistan has increased more than 65% since President Donald Trump took office, according to a review of Pentagon statistics.
The Pentagon's most recent report (https://www.acq.osd.mil/log/PS/.CENTCOM_reports.html/5A_January_2019_Final.pdf) on contractor personnel numbers for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 shows there are now 2,847 armed private security contractors supporting the Operation Freedom's Sentinel mission in Afghanistan, up from (https://www.acq.osd.mil/log/ps/.CENTCOM_reports.html/5A_January_2017_Final.pdf) the 1,722 armed contractors it reported in Jan. 2017.
The use of armed security contractors seemed to be on the decline during President Barack Obama's last year in office. In Jan. 2016, there were 1,083 armed contractors in Afghanistan, and in the following months, the number fluctuated but never rose above that level before it settled at 813 armed contractors reported in October.
By the time the next report was issued in Jan. 2017, however, there were 1,722 armed contractors in Afghanistan, more than double the number deployed under Obama. It wasn't clear from the report whether the surge in contractors was a last minute decision by the outgoing administration, or a change initiated after Trump became commander-in-chief.
https://taskandpurpose.com/contractors-afghanistan
Related
Officials worry Trump may back Erik Prince plan to privatize war in Afghanistan"I know he's frustrated," Blackwater founder Prince said of the president. "He gave the Pentagon what they wanted. And they haven't delivered."
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/officials-worry-trump-may-back-erik-prince-plan-privatize-war-n901401
Paul Szoldra
February 04, 2019 at 11:15 AM
The number of armed private security contractors in Afghanistan has increased more than 65% since President Donald Trump took office, according to a review of Pentagon statistics.
The Pentagon's most recent report (https://www.acq.osd.mil/log/PS/.CENTCOM_reports.html/5A_January_2019_Final.pdf) on contractor personnel numbers for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 shows there are now 2,847 armed private security contractors supporting the Operation Freedom's Sentinel mission in Afghanistan, up from (https://www.acq.osd.mil/log/ps/.CENTCOM_reports.html/5A_January_2017_Final.pdf) the 1,722 armed contractors it reported in Jan. 2017.
The use of armed security contractors seemed to be on the decline during President Barack Obama's last year in office. In Jan. 2016, there were 1,083 armed contractors in Afghanistan, and in the following months, the number fluctuated but never rose above that level before it settled at 813 armed contractors reported in October.
By the time the next report was issued in Jan. 2017, however, there were 1,722 armed contractors in Afghanistan, more than double the number deployed under Obama. It wasn't clear from the report whether the surge in contractors was a last minute decision by the outgoing administration, or a change initiated after Trump became commander-in-chief.
https://taskandpurpose.com/contractors-afghanistan
Related
Officials worry Trump may back Erik Prince plan to privatize war in Afghanistan"I know he's frustrated," Blackwater founder Prince said of the president. "He gave the Pentagon what they wanted. And they haven't delivered."
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/officials-worry-trump-may-back-erik-prince-plan-privatize-war-n901401