Mattis rejects proposal to replace US troops in Afghanistan with private contractors
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis shot down a proposal to outsource military personal’s role in Afghanistan to private contractors.
In a rare joint appearance in the Pentagon briefing room 28 August, Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen Joseph Dunford appeared behind the lectern to field questions about US operations around the globe.
When asked about Blackwater founder Erik Prince’s revived push to replace US military personal in Afghanistan with contractors, Mattis countered the bid.
‘When Americans put their nation’s credibility on the line, privatising it is probably not a wise idea,’ Mattis
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Defence Notes
-
Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
-
UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour
A report from the Council on Geostrategy argues the UK should move away from a traditional balanced force and shift investment to naval, air and space capabilities, backed by a larger fleet of attack submarines and deeper AUKUS integration.
-
Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era
At its technology summit in London, attended by Shephard, Thales UK examined the importance of speed to delivery, the growing focus on cross-domain capabilities and how procurement reform could be crucial for future battlefield advantage.
-
Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.