I enjoy my work
Poll
Private Contractors
| Yes, I approve of what they do | 56% | 56% - 45 | ||||
| No, sending mercs into war is horrible | 16% | 16% - 13 | ||||
| Meh, don't care | 26% | 26% - 21 | ||||
| Total: 79 | ||||||
OK, perhaps you mis-understand the concept of mercenaries from a geo-political standpoint. According to Webster, a mercenary is "one that serves merely for wages." Now the Wikipedia article also quotes the Geneva Convention definition, which is likely more in line with what you are asking.
There are those who have made the argument that any volunteer military is a mercenary army. In this case, the army of the US would fall into that definition. I don't subscribe to this concept, but I'm pointing it out for clarity.
As to your question, I don't believe in mercenaries. Dragons, mermaids, and faries I beleive in, but I can't imagine how you would be so stupid as to put yourself in harm's way in the employ of a private corporation...at least when you enlist with the French Foreign Legion, you get something out of it.
There are those who have made the argument that any volunteer military is a mercenary army. In this case, the army of the US would fall into that definition. I don't subscribe to this concept, but I'm pointing it out for clarity.
As to your question, I don't believe in mercenaries. Dragons, mermaids, and faries I beleive in, but I can't imagine how you would be so stupid as to put yourself in harm's way in the employ of a private corporation...at least when you enlist with the French Foreign Legion, you get something out of it.
Wow I am so amazed at the level of awareness you people have of these military contractors...
40 cents out of every dollar Congress spends goes to these contractors.
They are the second largest military force in Iraq, out scaling any other nation.
[google]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6621486727392146155[/google]
The point of a company is to make money, increase every quarter, payout to shareholders. I would not advise anyone to put their lives in the hands of CEOs. In an Army, your superioirs often have fought, and are in the camps with you, they know the risk, they have seen people lose their lives.
Your just a PR mess to Black water.
Shadow Company is an AMAZING new documentary, please watch both.
40 cents out of every dollar Congress spends goes to these contractors.
They are the second largest military force in Iraq, out scaling any other nation.
[google]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6621486727392146155[/google]
The point of a company is to make money, increase every quarter, payout to shareholders. I would not advise anyone to put their lives in the hands of CEOs. In an Army, your superioirs often have fought, and are in the camps with you, they know the risk, they have seen people lose their lives.
Your just a PR mess to Black water.
Shadow Company is an AMAZING new documentary, please watch both.
Last edited by LawJik (2007-03-02 10:01:24)
I find the extensive use of mercenaries by our government troubling.stryyker wrote:
This has been an issue of debate for my family. I just had a cousin sign up with Blackwater USA, which is the leading private contractor group overseas right now.They are kind of the "do whatever it takes to get it done" mini-army. Do you approve of Blackwater and the work they do?Blackwater Security Consulting is a strategic division of Blackwater USA. Blackwater USA has historically provided a spectrum of support to military, government agencies, law enforcement and civilian entities in training, targets and range operations as a solution provider. Blackwater Security Consulting has its roots in the Special Operations community and continues to sustain the skills acquired over the years. These skills are effective tools that support both national and commercial objectives. Our staff has a wealth of exceptional experience worldwide and is renowned for dealing with high-risk situations and complex operations. Our mission is to provide the client with veteran military, intelligence and law enforcement professionals with demonstrated field operations performance tempered with mature experience in both foreign and domestic requirements. We employ only the most highly motivated and professional operators, all drawn from various U.S. and international Special Operations Forces, Intelligence and Law Enforcement organizations. We focus on physical and personal security, personal security/risk and assessments, and training.
What ROE do they operate under?
Who do they answer to?
Answer, none and nobody.
It's a way for us to do the dirty work without having to face responcibilty.
i have no problem with them, nor does my father.
he worked for USA enviromental for nearly 3 years in iraq. made an assload of money in the process
usa envriomental is mainly EOD. they would have patrols find IED's, cache's of muntions, etc
and just blow the shit up
imo it is a good thing to give the military a hand in this mess
if anyone wants to see some very cool videos of things going boom
hit m e up, ive got 2 dvd's worth of clips and pics he brought back
alot of stuff you will never see on tv
he worked for USA enviromental for nearly 3 years in iraq. made an assload of money in the process
usa envriomental is mainly EOD. they would have patrols find IED's, cache's of muntions, etc
and just blow the shit up
imo it is a good thing to give the military a hand in this mess
if anyone wants to see some very cool videos of things going boom
hit m e up, ive got 2 dvd's worth of clips and pics he brought back
alot of stuff you will never see on tv
Last edited by beerface702 (2007-03-02 13:35:58)
I do not find anything wrong with it ;however mercenary forces are very unreliable. As they fight foe wages instead of nationalism they can be easily bought out by the opposing side. If you want to learn more on why mercs suck read The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.
....no!
That makes no sense. Mercenaries in Iraq usually always come from military/police background. They are American first so to say they have no nationalism is flat out wrong.doctastrangelove1964 wrote:
I do not find anything wrong with it ;however mercenary forces are very unreliable. As they fight foe wages instead of nationalism they can be easily bought out by the opposing side. If you want to learn more on why mercs suck read The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.
Yes, contractors like this are absolutely needed. They may not be very popular with the military or people in general, but they get the job done where normal military doesn't have the power and/or ability (Rules of Engagement, etc.). Although someone already mentioned about joining a company like this leaves you at the hands of money-hungry CEO's and suits which is not somewhere I would personally want to be.
QFTATG wrote:
I find the extensive use of mercenaries by our government troubling.
What ROE do they operate under?
Who do they answer to?
Answer, none and nobody.
It's a way for us to do the dirty work without having to face responcibilty.
Did David Hicks get paid? Was he a mercenary?
How are his actions illegal compared with a merc fighting with the US?
Oh, that's right, he was on the other side....
How are his actions illegal compared with a merc fighting with the US?
Oh, that's right, he was on the other side....
what the fuck.LawJik wrote:
Wow I am so amazed at the level of awareness you people have of these military contractors...
40 cents out of every dollar Congress spends goes to these contractors.
They are the second largest military force in Iraq, out scaling any other nation.
[google]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6621486727392146155[/google]
The point of a company is to make money, increase every quarter, payout to shareholders. I would not advise anyone to put their lives in the hands of CEOs. In an Army, your superioirs often have fought, and are in the camps with you, they know the risk, they have seen people lose their lives.
Your just a PR mess to Black water.
Shadow Company is an AMAZING new documentary, please watch both.