Mercenaries, revisited

Many of us remember the shitrain when Kos referred to certain American "security contractors" killed in Fallujah as being mercenaries. Let us now revisit that topic in light of this latest sad escapade.

At the time which Kos originally commented, there was a thunder of indignation about his having criticized the Blackwater men in Fallujah as having been mercs. The implication was that, private or not, Americans in Iraq are each and every one of them Our Brave Boys, whose conduct is never to be questioned in any way.

But if this preliminary report is in fact what it looks to be, there are strong implications that there are certain members of the American private security contingent who have stepped far over any line of immunity from criticism.

Specifically, it is alleged that some of them have now, for their own gain, helped a man escape custody who is himself tied to both the misappropriation of American reconstruction funds, and who is apparently deeply involved with the insurgency.

One wonders what the response will be this time.

•  punch up the title a bit

  this is an important and shocking story that needs more attention perhpas something like "US mercenaries attack Iraqi Jail " would help

  by Magorn on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 10:08:51 AM PDT

•  Soldiers loyal to Constitution, mercs to paycheck

  That's the difference right there.

  Members of the volunteer military swear an oath to defend and uphold the Constitution.

  Mercenaries are loyal to whomever gives them their paycheck, whomever that is...this country, or a corporation, or foreign powers, foreign companies, or even terrorists.

  I'd even heard accounts that based on what the mercenaries have done in Iraq, the brutalities they'd executed against civilians, that some soldiers wouldn't be surprised if some of the mercenary "casualites" were due to being fragged by REAL US soldiers with a concience who couldn't bear to watch the mercenaries abuse, rape and torture any more Iraqi civilians.

  If that's the case, I really can't fault the soldiers.

  They are mercenaries. They are Hessians. They are people who fight and kill for money, not for morals, not for ideals, not as a service to country. They do not obey the Hague, the Geneva Conventions, or any of the "rules" of warfare upheld by civilized nations.

  And if they are ever used in "peacekeeping" operations in the United States, do keep in mind that they are NOT legitimate law enforcement, they are private citizens employed by companies...and if they act in a criminal manner towards you, you are fully within your rights to defend yourself accordingly, by any means necessary.

  by Loboguara on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 10:29:07 AM PDT

  •  They have been already

    
    And if they are ever used in "peacekeeping" operations in the United States, do keep in mind that they are NOT legitimate law enforcement, they are private citizens employed by companies...and if they act in a criminal manner towards you, you are fully within your rights to defend yourself accordingly, by any means necessary.
    

    In New Orleans, after Katrina, Bush sent in Blackwater Group operators.

    by marquer on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 10:33:02 AM PDT

    •  Then more people need to be informed...

      In New Orleans, after Katrina, Bush sent in Blackwater Group operators.

      The word needs to get out that those people, unless officially deputized by law enforcement and given a badge and full police duties, are NOT law enforcement. If they are, then the entire police department is liable for any actions they take.  

      If they are not, they have absolutely no right to tell you what to do, and you do not have to listen to any orders they give you. They are civilians.  If they point a gun at you for ignoring them, they are committing a criminal act, because they are a civilian threatening you with lethal force. And you ARE within your rights to respond to threat of lethal force with lethal force of your own in self-defense.

      by Loboguara on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 10:41:57 AM PDT

      •  Blackwater

        They are still in NO guarding the Road Home program.

        by chigh on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 12:10:45 PM PDT

•  the large scale employment of so-called "private

  security contractors" (= mercenaries) in Iraq - estimated by Tom Ricks in "Fiasco" as at least 20,000, "the equivalent of at least one army division" cf. pp. 370-73 - is one of the most squalid aspects of our little, oil-grabbing neocolonial adventure: "they amounted to a small private army that existed outside the US chain of command and wasn't subject to US military discipline or even US law". Their lawless behavior contributes not a little to our poor reputation in Iraq...
  America, hang your head in shame.

  by Lepanto on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 10:45:01 AM PDT