How do the private firms or the private employees interact with the government soldiers, especially where they are undertaking core military functions?
Singer: It is something that the military itself is growing a bit uncomfortable with. On the one hand, they are carrying out needed roles, but on the other these contractors lie outside the chain of command and the Code of Military Justice. The result is that there are a lot of gray areas that are both confusing and troubling to soldiers I have interviewed. In Iraq, as an illustration, you have questions regarding the authority that local unit commanders have over contractors in their areas. The problem arises because the contractors are not just working directly for these units. In some cases, they are working as subcontractors for other firms. Halliburton may have a construction contract, for example, but 10 percent of its funds are going for security subcontractors for that. Or you have private security folks escorting news media around. So, the first issue is the question of command and control over them. The second is, if they get into trouble, what are the rights and responsibili
