Dogs of War: Cost-effective: Myth or fact?
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it countless times: Governments and corporations turn to private military contractors because it is more cost-effective than using regular military forces. But is it true?
Typical is this statement by Doug Brooks, president of the International Peace Operations Association: “Contractors are cost effective. While the popular perception is of huge salaries for cushy jobs, the reality is that contractors live alongside military personnel and generally cost the government far less in the long run.”
This is a popular notion once adhered to only by diehard-free market advocates who believe government is fundamentally inefficient and unproductive. Admittedly, the actions of the Bush administration have given it credence, but it has been conventional wisdom since the days of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.
Read in full: Dogs of War: Cost-effective: Myth or fact? - UPI.com
Indexed under: Analysis, Mercenaries