More than 500 retired U.S. military officials have taken lucrative jobs as consultants and contractors with foreign governments, and lawmakers are expressing concern.
These contracts have become newly controversial after a Washington Post investigation of how widespread these arrangements are, including the fact that some foreign governments, many with poor track records on human rights, offer salary and benefits packages that reach six and sometimes seven figures.
Fifteen retired U.S. generals and admirals have worked as paid consultants for the Saudi government since 2016, among them Marine Gen. James L. Jones and former President Barack Obama’s national security adviser Army Gen. Keith Alexander, who led the NSA under Obama and President George W. Bush. The outlet obtained the documents through Freedom of Information Act lawsuits while the government fought to keep the information secret.
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Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) told the Washington Examiner in an interview that it’s “extremely concerning” and that he’s “been concerned about it for a few years,” though the latest reporting “really illustrates the breadth of the issue.
Congress sounds off on retired military leaders’ lucrative foreign contracts
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