"We have created in ourselves a dependency on contractors that is greater than it ought to be," General Stanley McChrystal told an audience of French officers and military experts at France's defence university in Paris.

"I think we've gone too far. I think that the use of contractors was done with good intentions so that we could limit the number of military. I think in some cases we thought it would save money. I think it doesn't save money."

The US operation in Afghanistan employs more civilian contractors than soldiers, carrying out jobs ranging from catering and logistics to -- more controversially -- armed escort duties and intelligence gathering.

According to a US Congressional report, citing figures from US Central Command, in September last year there were 104,100 Department of Defense contractors assigned to Afghanistan compared to only 63,950 troops.

Since then the United States has begun to pour in an additional 30,000 troops, but the report noted that last year the number of contractors was increasing faster than the number of troops.

The Pentagon's use of contractors exploded during the Iraq war, and the programme has proved controversial both in terms of corruption scandals and alleged atrocities by private gunmen working alongside the military.

McChrystal said the numbers were too high and that more could be done to draw in Afghans and give them a bigger stake in the operation.

"I think it would be better to reduce the number of contractors involved, increase the number of military if necessary and, where we have contractors, in many cases, I believe we should stop using foreign contractors and use a greater number of Afghan contractors," he said.

Last month, McChrystal reduced the number of civilians in military camps in at least one area, ordering the closure of western style burger joints and pizza parlours on US bases in Afghanistan.

earlier related report
Ex-Blackwater head, four others face illegal weapons charges
Washington (AFP) April 16, 2010 - US prosecutors unveiled illegal weapons charges Friday against five former employees of the controversial security firm previously known as Blackwater, including the company's ex-president.

A federal indictment accused them of having illegally stockpiled and altered weapons and of having falsified registration forms in a bid to "gain an advantage over competitors... and thereby profit from obtaining and keeping government's contracts."

The company, which is now known as Xe, has been implicated in a slew of scandals related to its operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

It was banned from Iraq after allegations its guards opened fire on innocent civilians, though a US court cleared company employees of criminal charges.

Friday's indictment detailed various schemes allegedly carried out by company employees, including former president Gary Jackson, at a North Carolina facility.

In one instance, the defendants allegedly had short barrels installed on what had been long-barrel rifles "in order to facilitate the company's performance of protective services contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, believing they were better adapted to use inside vehicles and buildings."

In another, they sought to evade a two-weapon limit on a certain class of firearm by arranging "straw purchases with a small local sheriff's office."

"Blank letterhead stationery from the sheriff's office was provided to Blackwater, which was used to prepare letters claiming the sheriff's office wanted to purchase 17 Romanian AK47s and 17 fully automatic M4s," the indictment said.

"The weapons were paid for by Blackwater, were immediately delivered to Blackwater upon their arrival, and were locked in Blackwater's armory to which the sheriff's office had no direct access."

An additional scheme involved an attempt by the company to win a lucrative contract in Jordan.

In a bid to impress visiting Jordanian officials, the defendants presented them with firearms inscribed with the Blackwater logo, and then falsified government registration documents to hide having given away the weapons.

The five defendants, including former executive vice president William Mathews, general counsel Andrew Howell, Ana Bundy, another vice president, and former armorer Ronald Slezak, face charges carrying a maximum of 20 years in prison, though each faces multiple counts.

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