*This is the fourth of our Danger Room Debriefs, where we ask smart folks in the military, intelligence, and homeland defense fields to outline some under-the-radar security issues – and point the way towards potential, often-unorthodox solutions.
If Obama took it upon himself to ditch his security detail and hang out at a local bar to gather wisdom, I would give him the benefit of my two decades with mercenaries, security contractors and paramilitaries. I would ask him point blank if war should be a business – whether a posse for hire should determine the life and death of a family who doesn't stop at a traffic circle in time and whether our diplos should be guarded by a praetorian guard whose biggest penalty is a ticket home. "Window or aisle" cannot replace "guilty or not guilty" in this or in any other country.
I would give him time to finish his beer and I would pester him with more questions. If rule of law is what we are selling, why do we employ a private army of men who are above that same rule of law? Doesn't the constant, abrupt appearances of convoys of terrified diplos or politicians guarded by tattooed skinheads say more about America's intentions to the population of Iraq and Afghanistan than a billion dollars in smiley face psyops crap ever could? Does a government selling the idea of freedom and liberty hiding behind armor plating and tricked out M4s seem ... well, hollow and false? Americans are good, honest and perhaps overly good intentioned. Paying them $80 - $250,000 to provide expertise and do good things has warped our and our host countries' sense of values and purpose. So why do we need to buy something that America is so eager to give freely?
I would remind him that it may be easy to return 160,000 troops to their loved ones but somewhat of a dilemma figuring out what to do with the 250,000 contractors in Iraq who voluntarily left their loved ones. Perhaps it might be easier to simply ship the contractors home and watch the suddenly hungry, dirty, resource and support-starved military fold their tents and follow their mercantile support mechanism home. I would write on a napkin. "Why is the tail is wagging the dog"
Mercenaries is a pejorative and distinctly cruel word for a reason. It means you must hire what you cannot inspire. Remember that.
I would tell him I admire and share his need for change. In my time in over three dozen wars and in my meetings with dozens of terrorist leaders all expressed anger at our politics and few if any would turn down a green card. So there is still hope out there... don't screw it up. With that I would pay the tab, finish my beer and wish him good luck.