Posted on 11/20/2008 4:09:13 PM PST by SmithL
Thousands of contractors, both private Americans and non-Iraqi foreigners working in key roles for the United States in Iraq, will lose immunity and be subject to Iraqi law under new security arrangements, Bush administration officials say.
Pentagon and State Department officials notified companies that provide contract employees, like Blackwater Worldwide, Dyncorp International, Triple Canopy and KBR, of the changes on Thursday as the Iraqi parliament continues contentious debate on a security deal that will govern the presence of American forces in Iraq after January.
That so-called Status of Forces, or SOFA, agreement, which gives the Iraqi government only limited jurisdiction over U.S. troops and Defense Department civilians, excludes Defense Department contractors, two officials said.
The officials spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity after giving the same information to representatives of 172 invited contracting companies in two separate meetings earlier Thursday in Washington.
"Contractors and grantees can no longer expect that they will enjoy the wide range of immunity from Iraqi law that has been in effect since 2003," a State Department official said, reading from the text of a statement presented to the contractors.
Iraq will have "the primary right to exercise jurisdiction over" such workers, who are employed in various support roles for the U.S. military, including food service, transportation and sanitation, they said.
The agreement does not mention State Department contractors, who mainly provide security for U.S. diplomats in Iraq, but their immunity is expected to be revoked by the Iraqi government after the agreement takes effect pending Iraqi parliamentary approval,
...It was not immediately clear if any contractors would choose to stop working in Iraq because of the changes. The Pentagon official allowed that some contractors had expressed concern, but stressed that none so far had said specifically that: "If I lose immunity, I will walk."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Well, as a contractor with over 30yrs, I do.
We need to be on our way out of there before OB takes office or he and the dems libs will claim they ended the war. I think the contractors saw this coming and they know whether that means they stay or go. Who better to know how it is on than ground there than them and our soldiers.
So, you're going to leave? Most of us are going to stay.
It's 82k tax free and we're not "pimpin'."
We make "a bit" more than that. It's the first 82k that is tax-free.
What are you hearing Allegra?
You're right; it's not cheaper, plus the military doesn't have nearly enough personnel to run all of the activities here.
What we're hearing is a big shrug. We all knew this was coming once the country started attaining peace and stability. We're not concerned.
I've worked in and visited many countries around the world and was always subject to those countries' laws while there.
This is no different.
I think all of the people who are overreacting on this thread probably think Iraq's laws are like Saudi Arabia's and don't know much about how things are here.
Iraq's laws are relatively modern and western-friendly. Heck, even alcohol is legal here.
The variance isn't that high, and these things are monitored by DCMA and others (although as a Contracts Manager with integrity, I'd like to see it monitored much more).
Keep in mind that these companies are not only paying our salaries, but are also paying for our comprehensive medical physicals, innoculations, training and orientation, food and lodging while in the U.S. during same, travel, body armor, our security expenses as we travel within Iraq and other costs.
There is also a profit margin for this, but there is a cap. These companies are in business to make money just like any other.
Therefore, yes, these companies are paying us XXX and marking the cost up when billing the government.
I wasn’t talkin’ about your excellent and noble work Allegra,(now under assault by these new agreements). I was talkin about the wonderful opportunities stateside via the Obamantion and his new “economic policies”! ;) I had considered overseas contract work an option until they put a bullseyes on the Iraq contractors with the loss of immunity.
I agree, but I also know that the military really could do it cheaper, but that would require many changes that, for whatever reason, they will not make.
Cancel my contract:
Cancel any more imports of supplies.
Cancel all employment contracts.
Cancel any new hires.
Cancel food purchases.
Cancel all other contracts for support of contracts.
See me in court about sueing me over my cancelling the contracts.
YOU breached the contract when you took away my protection.
I don’t understand the concern for this. Foreign workers in our country are subject to our laws. This is pretty much standard everywhere in the world.””
correct me if I am wrong-—but I don’t think “foreign workers” here (who are here legally) are working in conditions where bullets are flying all over the place.
You are correct, but I would think that with all the extra exposure, we should be even more concerned that our workers obey the laws.
Thousands of contractors need to start resigning immediately.
Would you care to guess where President Obama will be sending his Secretary of State Hillary first?
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