The Congressional Budget Office, always on the alert for ways to reduce spending -- particularly when we don't know if there will be any budget at all -- read with interest documents from the United Nations confirming that countries volunteering uniformed personnel to peacekeeping operations are reimbursed by the UN at a standard rate, approved by the General Assembly last year, of $1428 per soldier per month.
The money doesn't actually go to the troops but to the governments of those countries. How much of the money actually finds its way into the soldiers' pockets is a mystery. But even if they got all of it, $1428 per month isn't a lot, is it. Compare that with the basic pay of an American soldier, sailor or airman. They probably get three or four times the salary of someone from, say, Chad. That thought, dear readers, engendered an idea in the tiny mind of someone at the CBO, who passed it on to the Pentagon.
Thus, in a brilliant cost-saving measure, the US military has decided to contract out non-combat duties to the armed forces of other countries. "Non-combat duties" include things like forming honour guards at places like the Capitol. "Other countries" includes the likes of the People's Republic of China. Effective today, the Chinese military will take over from American troops responsibilities for guarding the Capitol, the White House and other important sites.
Visitors who are paying attention will observe such ceremonies as the Mounting of the Guard being performed with more precision and efficiency, and at much lower cost. Yes, we have video.
Note from Ed.: Oups! Looks like I posted this about six hours early. Hit "publish" instead of "save". It was supposed to appear tomorrow, April 1st. If you need me to explain why it makes a difference, never mind, just keep writing to your Congressthingy.
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