Representative Sessions 05_07_08 Blackwater and the budget.

Congressman Pete Sessions Park Central VII 12750 Merit Drive, Suite 1434 Dallas, Texas 75251-1229 Robert Johnson 05/07/2008 Dear Congressman Sessions: As a member of the public, I hear now and then about Blackwater, a company that assists the federal government in fighting the Iraq war. Machiavelli's The Prince, chapter 12 speaks of mercenary armies and his opinion of them. "Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; and if one holds his state based on these arms, he will stand neither firm nor safe; for they are disunited, ambitious and without discipline, unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies; they have neither the fear of God nor fidelity to men, and destruction is deferred only so long as the attack is; for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy." I too have concerns. The US seems to be employing mercenaries, and by M's argument we should be concerned that if capable they will run the government (if they are not patriotic) OR they will oppress the Iraqis beyond our intentions and if they are not capable they will cost a lot and flee in face of death (The Prince, same short chapter.) We have averred away from the draft because of a good argument for volunteer armies. However, if we had a draft, it would involve the sons and daughters of all social classes equally. I think right now we have a poor man's army. Drafts are unpopular, and I am too young to know how they affected the Vietnam War. I do suspect that the reason it finally ended was because of the draft. I am concerned that Blackwater and companies like it are the reason that the Iraq war has been so expensive. I know that fiscal responsibility is an area of concern to you, and I am suggesting that we could do better fiscally than Blackwater. Yours Sincerely, Robert Johnson