Retired Military working for Foreign Powers

mickeyrat

gift article...

https://wapo.st/3SatglJ 

RETIRED U.S. GENERALS, ADMIRALS TAKE TOP JOBS WITH SAUDI CROWN PRINCE

Hundreds of veterans have taken lucrative foreign jobs that U.S. officials approved — but fought to keep secret

From top, Saudi soldiers, Mohammed bin Salman, Keith Alexander, James Jones, U.S. Seal. (Illustration by Frank Hulley-Jones/The Washington Post; Photographs by Abdullah Al-Qadry/AFP/Getty Images, Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images, U.S. Marine Corps, Mark Wilson/Getty Images, U.S. Department of Defense)

By Craig Whitlock

 and 

Nate Jones

 

Oct. 18 at 6:09 a.m.

More than 500 retired U.S. military personnel — including scores of generals and admirals — have taken lucrative jobs since 2015 working for foreign governments, mostly in countries known for human rights abuses and political repression, according to a Washington Post investigation.

In Saudi Arabia, for example, 15 retired U.S. generals and admirals have worked as paid consultants for the Defense Ministry since 2016. The ministry is led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, who U.S. intelligence agencies say approved the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributing columnist, as part of a brutal crackdown on dissent.

Saudi Arabia’s paid advisers have included retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones, a national security adviser to President Barack Obama, and retired Army Gen. Keith Alexander, who led the National Security Agency under Obama and President George W. Bush, according to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

continues......

tempo_n_groove

Much like the LIV golf tournament, they throw a ton of money at people.  Why wouldn't you take it?

If I was offered what I wanted I would most likely still be in Iraq working there

static111

If congresspersons can make hot stock picks why shouldn’t retired military be able to make money off their skills?

mace1229

As long as they aren't sharing secrets, I have no problem with it.  Lots of people work for foreign countries. Why should military be exempt from that opportunity?

brianlux

It all sounds a bit fishy to me somehow... but maybe I've become too much of a skeptic?

cincybearcat

mace1229 said:

As long as they aren't sharing secrets, I have no problem with it.  Lots of people work for foreign countries. Why should military be exempt from that opportunity?

I wonder what the non-compete clause looks like

mace1229

brianlux said:

It all sounds a bit fishy to me somehow... but maybe I've become too much of a skeptic?

But I don't see any justification for prohibiting it. Its like when someone working for the FDA gets a nice 500k salary working for a company they were just regulating. Definitely fishy, but unless you can prove they did something illegal, can't really stop it.

brianlux

mace1229 said:

brianlux said:

It all sounds a bit fishy to me somehow... but maybe I've become too much of a skeptic?

But I don't see any justification for prohibiting it. Its like when someone working for the FDA gets a nice 500k salary working for a company they were just regulating. Definitely fishy, but unless you can prove they did something illegal, can't really stop it.

Probably true.  Just seems odd to have our military brass working for the Saudi gov.  Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

eddiec

I wouldn't like it if Michael Flynn was over there. That guy is coup-ready.

And it's not like these people were ordinary citizens. We're talking high ranking US military officers. No wonder they tried to keep it a secret.

mickeyrat

mace1229 said:

brianlux said:

It all sounds a bit fishy to me somehow... but maybe I've become too much of a skeptic?

But I don't see any justification for prohibiting it. Its like when someone working for the FDA gets a nice 500k salary working for a company they were just regulating. Definitely fishy, but unless you can prove they did something illegal, can't really stop it.

yes we can stop it. its within the purview of Congress who delegated that authority to DOD and the respective branches. Why,  is because even though retired they can be recalled and are considered reservists. They are required to ask for permission and gain waivers.

Would be interested to know the ratio of approvals to denials.