Retired US military troops paid for work in UAE and Saudi Arabia: reports
Retired US military troops paid for work in UAE and Saudi Arabia: reports
Investigations saw that hundreds of retired US troops have sought work in the UAE, while others also were hired by Saudi Arabia including high-ranking generals.
2 min read
US ARMY's an UH-60 Black Hawk exhibited during the Defense Expo Korea 2022, the biggest military weapon exhibition in the country, held at KINTEX on 21 September, 2022 in Goyang city, Gyeonggi, South Korea. [Getty]
Investigations by the Washington Post, in collaboration with the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), revealed that 280 retired military troops sought work as military contractors or consultants for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Among those named were former generals and admirals.
Two long-term investigations disclosed that the highest-ranking officer was retired General Jim Mattis. Mattis served as former US president Donald Trump's defence secretary. He also served as a military advisor to the Gulf nation in 2015, returning as defence chief in 2017.
Mattis had also previously worked as a senior counsellor at a Washington-based consulting firm called The Cohen Group. Its co-president, Robert Tyrer, revealed to the Washinton Post that Mattis advised Emiratis on "the operational, tactical, informational and ethical aspects" of military operations, but that he did not request or accept any type of payment from the Emirati government besides reimbursement for travel expenses.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, the Washington Post was able to obtain 4,000 documents. Through these documents, it was revealed that 15 other former high-ranking military officials worked directly with Saudi Arabia's ministry of defence.
Among them was former US president Barack Obama's national security adviser Marine General James L. Jones. Jones began working in Saudi Arabia in 2017, where he was able to enlist the help of several former senior Pentagon officials.
According to the newspaper, Jones said he was approached by the Kingdom's government as its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was searching "if there was something that we could do to help them in transforming their Ministry of Defense".
Documents reveal that four unnamed retired officers received six-figure salaries, from US$200,000 to US$300,000 to advise Saudi Arabia's ministry of defence. The UAE paid annual compensations of over US$200,00 to helicopter pilots and US$120,000 to aircraft mechanics.
More In News
