Blackwater proposal way off the mark

The proposal to privatize the Afghan war is a bad idea for many reasons.  As presented, it would install a private military force into Afghanistan reporting to a special envoy who reports directly to the president. 

Such a plan would leave Congress out of the loop and give the president dictatorial powers.  One of our longest traditions is civilian control over war making, with the Congress holding primary authority.

Making war on another nation - even within a nation to fight insurgents - must be carried out by a nation-state, not a bunch of mercenaries.  The soldiers of our nation, who take an oath to the Constitution, can be held accountable by the people, and Congress can control funding.

Such a move would encourage the use of "private armies" throughout the world and insert a major disrupting influence on international relations.  Imagine a wealthy nation hiring a highly capable commander who then proceeds to act according their own views of strategy and tactics?  Who would have to clean up the spillover skirmishes - perhaps across the boundary of another nation - that the mercenaries might cause.

War making is part and parcel of a nation's overall international strategy.  The best way to maintain a cohesive approach, combining hot war and diplomacy.

War making does create profits for companies who supply equipment and weapons (etc) but it is antithetical to our system that a private company make war on our behalf with a primary profit motive. 

A very bad idea from the scalawag, Erik Prince.