In my book these “contractors” are indeed mercenaries and worse than soldiers. They are not subject to military law and not part of regular armed forces which would make them “illegal combatants” headed for Guantanamo if they were serving the other side. In my book they are aiding in the occupation of a country, in the middle of a war, using lethal force against the resistance which is trying to oust the invaders. Sorry but to me they are, indeed, mercenaries and illegal combatants.
Yes, I guess we will have to agree to disagree, although I really don’t think that you have any idea of their actual day-to-day duties in Iraq (and other places), which vary wildly from place to place and company to company.
I know enough: I know that they are using armed and lethal force to aid a war and occupation which I believe is immoral and illegal. I know that at least soldiers are subject to a military code which provides a bare minimum (almost nothing in fact) of discipline and accountability while the mercenaries are pretty much immune. I know there have been cases of reports of attrocities by the mercenaries. I know the Iraqi government has protested repeatedly against their actions and their lack of accountability. I know their only right to be in Iraq comes from their use of military force of their own and of the US armed forces. I know the US government has tried to market them as “trying to help the Iraqis” and other such crap. I know the Iraqis are not buying it and want the mercenaries out of their country. I know when four mercenaries were killed and hung from a bridge the American government tried to spin it like they were Unicef workers when, in fact, they were guarding military convoys. I know that the attrocities committed by the US in revenge will live in infamy forever. I know the Iraqis have the right to defend their homeland against foreign invaders which is what these mercenaries are. I know I would be shooting at them if they had invaded my country. That much I know.
Yeah, discipline is something that armies just pooh-pooh about, I mean it’s not like it central to their job or anything. I mean it’s almost nothing. Soldiers just do whatever the hell they want all the time, their lives are pure nihilism. They’re totally unaccountable to a chain of command or anything.
I am talking about the fact that the US military have an interest in ostensibly not being perceived as uncontrolled thugs and so when things like Abu Ghraib happen they at least provide the cover of a sham investigation and sham trials of a few underlings, all in order to protect the upper brass who actually bears the responsibility.
In the case of the mercenaries they pretty much get away with murder without even having to answer any questions. They are no subject to US military law and they are not subject to Iraqi law. They only have to answer to God and their conscience.
Blackwater personnel evidently don’t feel safe enough with their standard issue firearms, so they are sneaking some better ones from home, in a the time honored military tradition. They haven’t actually done anything nefarious with these new arms, they just possess them now.
As a result, the OP thinks they should be disbanded, prosecuted, and locked up.
How dare they? Next thing we know, they’ll be bringing in their own body armor or maybe some chocolate chip cookies from home or something. :smack:
What I love is that you haven’t a clue how government contracting or procurement works and so make wild ass statements that have no resemblance to reality, but instead come out of some left wing fantasy land. I REALLY love this about you gonzo.
Back in the real world there are reasons for no-bid contracts that have nothing to do with allowing companies to ‘loot away’. I won’t bother to ask you for a cite that 2/3rds of BW’s contracts are no bid of course as you generally ignore requests for cites or post links to wack-job left wing cites…or simply post drive by links where people are supposed to do the donkey work for you to figure out what in the link is relevant. I have no idea if BW does or doesn’t get 2/3rds of their contract on a no-bid basis but I’m a bit skeptical…but it really doesn’t matter one way or the other if they do.
What is going to be funny is when President Obama takes over and companies still get no-bid contracts (just like they always have) and seeing whether this will still be a cause of deep anger from the lefties…or whether folks will just go back to ignoring it because obviously if Obama does it this will be cool…
The radical left is already excoriating Obama, so don’t worry. His appointment of Emanuel shows that he’s in the pocket of AIPAC. His civil service program makes him Hitler Mark II. Not to worry, the radical left is just going to hate the President no matter who he is.
If you are in a hostile area, and get involved in a gunfight, and take cover. Would you rather people be able to pinpoint exactly where you were every time you fire, or would you rather be able to keep your hiding spot?
Why do you think they shouldn’t they have them? Is it unfair or something?
I love it. You always act like you have a clue . Time after time you act like you know what you talk about as childish insults follow. The info is in the Wiki article. There re others. Just read a little before you demonstrate your utter lack of expertise.
You didn’t actually read (or understand) my post, did you? Instead you fixated on a comment that I basically threw away. Let me try to sum up for you…I don’t CARE if that little factoid was right or not gonzo. It wasn’t the point I was focused on there.
FTR, because a Wiki article says something doesn’t make it fact, ken? I know it’s hard to grasp from someone who reads The Bumble Bee and takes it as gospel, but not all Wiki articles are created equally. Not that it matters of course…just saying.