News release: “Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released the report of the committee’s yearlong inquiry into the role and oversight of the Department of Defense’s private security contractors in Afghanistan. The Committee approved the report on Sept. 28, 2010. The committee’s investigation uncovered a significant amount of evidence that a number of security contractors working under Department of Defense contracts and subcontracts funneled U.S. taxpayer dollars to Afghan warlords and strongmen linked to murder, kidnapping, and bribery, as well as to Taliban and anti-Coalition activities. It also revealed wasted resources, dangerous performance failures, and wide gaps in government oversight that allowed such failures to persist. The report provides strong support for the decision by U.S. military commanders to take action against contracting practices that run contrary to the counterinsurgency mission.”