Opening Doors but Hiding Conflicts of InterestDecember 04, 2008
Many retired U. S. generals have played a role in military contracting by opening doors at the highest levels of government. But a new, select group has refined the lobbying effort by combining two roles: serving as military analysts on network news programs and as consultants for defense companies. These businesses have flourished over the past seven years as the U.S. fights wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to The New York Times. The catch is that news organizations are not always aware of the conflict of interest posed when these retired generals provide war commentary on TV while maintaining commercial interests. In one example, the article shows how a small military contractor with a slim track record won the right to supply Iraq with thousands of armored vehicles. The company, Defense Solutions, turned to Barry R. McCaffrey, a retired four-star Army general and military analyst for NBC News, to gain access to the highest level of U.S. leaders. McCaffrey sent a 15-page proposal, along with a personal note, to David Petraeus, at the time the commanding general in Iraq, recommending that Defense Solutions supply Iraq with 5,000 armored vehicles from Eastern Europe. "No other proposal is quicker, less costly, or more certain to succeed," he wrote. In testimony before Congress, McCaffrey went as far as criticizing a Pentagon plan to supply Iraq with armored vehicles by a competitor of Defense Solutions. According to The New York Times article, McCaffrey did not mention his contract with Defense Solutions to General Petraeus nor to NBC News. "These overlapping roles offer them an array of opportunities to advance policy goals as well as business objectives," the Times reported. "But with their business ties left undisclosed, it can be difficult for policymakers and the public to fully understand their interests." |
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