That's what the newest junk forward in the conservative sphere of the internet says that all good Americans should do. In fact, if you don't support our mercenaries, you're a stinking pig Communist Defeatocrat that hates our troops, our country, and our Constitution.
Is this really happening in my beloved country? Have Americans fallen so far as to castigate those that would rightly point out just one of many gigantic follies that has come about as a result of the Iraq War?
Our mercenary army in Iraq - which before the surge was the same size as our regular army by most estimates - is a testament to the shame of the Bush presidency. Spitting in the face of all historical precedent, a lot of the money going to "support our troops" is actually going to pay exorbitant cost-plus, no-bid mercenary contracts. And now the far-right is trying to sell it. Support our mercenaries? Not on my life...
Full e-mail and debunkage after the fold.
Because of the industry in which I earn a living, I have access to all of the e-mails that make the rounds on the Conservative sphere of the web. They are frequently wrong and in most cases blatantly advancing a naked partisan agenda, regardless of values, morals, ideals, logic, reason, or scruples.
However, just a few days ago I read one that really got me going. In fact, I couldn't believe what I read. Take a read yourself:
Thanks to LCDR John M. for sharing this personal information regarding
Blackwater and other security contractors in Iraq. I think you will find it
counter to all you are reading here.....
I was asked recently by a WW II veteran if I had an opinion on the
activities of the men under contract with Blackwater in Iraq. Having no
personal knowledge, I asked a person whom I believed had 'been there and
done that.' The reply from Don Kropp, Colonel USA (retired) follows. Don
and our son Mike completed ROTC and graduated together from the University
of Georgia. Subsequently the y both earned commissions in the regular Army
and were stationed together in Korea, Ft. Bragg and elsewhere. Don's
response:
As you know, I spent nearly a year working as a security contractor
in Iraq. My son, Chris, spent 2 years (and was wounded on the job). I
worked for DynCorp and Chris worked for a British company called Aegis.
All of the Blackwater security contractors who support the US
Embassy live in a compound right next to the Embassy run by DynCorp.
DynCorp and Backwater have a 50/50 split of the Embassy diplomatic
protection contract.
So, I'm speaking from first hand experience.
These attacks on Blackwater are politically motivated. Iraqi
politics and US politics:
Iraqi Politics:
The Iraqi government is trying to exercise some sovereignty by
using an incident involving Blackwater employees as the centerpiece of their
outrage. The sad fact is that the Iraqi police and military are guilty of
far more indiscriminate violence than any security contractor. Their
government chooses to ignore their own security shortcomings in a bid to
take political advantage of an unfortunate incident involving Americans. The
Iraqi politicians want to look strong by standing up to the Americans and
they are using Blackwater to do it. In reality, the last thing they want is
for Blackwater to leave the country.
US Politics:
The American Media and Democratic Party do not support this war
and have done their best to depict our soldiers as incompetent or criminal.
Since the US public has rallied in support of our troops, the media (and
Democrats) have selected Blackwater as their new (corporate) target.
The fact is that these Blackwater security men are all former US
military Officers and NCOs. Just to get on that Contract an individual has
to be a former Special Forces or Navy SEAL operator with at least 10 years
of 'A-team time.' These men are among the best trained and most disciplined
soldiers in the world. Any depiction of them as amateurs or 'trigger happy'
is false.
Moreover, if Blackwater went away tomorrow all travel by US
Embassy personnel would essentially stop. There are not enough trained
soldiers to do the very dangerous missions that Blackwater (and other
contractors) do every day. Both the Iraqi government and US government know
that. Hence, this whole episode is for show with no real substance behind it.
Additionally, we have a false accusation that Blackwater does not
pay tax on the people it hires. The fact is that people who work for
security companies in Iraq are hired as independent contractors on an
'At-Will' contract. The reason for the 'At-Will' arrangement is so that
Blackwater can immediately terminate any contract employee who does not
perform to standard (I fired at least 20 people) . Conversely, any contract
employee can literally walk away from the job at any time. This is a good
arrangement in an environment where people don't have time to argue
over labor law. Since the security men are independent contractors it is
their responsibility to pay the taxes on their wages. Speaking from
personal experience, those taxes are quite high and they do get paid (just
try not paying them).
In summary I would like to point out that Blackwater, DynCorp and
Aegis send their security men out into the most dangerous environment in the
world every day. So far, over 30 Blackwater men have been killed on the
job and no US Embassy person under their care has ever been killed or
injured.
These men are brave professionals doing a job that 99% of the American
people would never consider doing. They deserve that same thanks we bestow
upon our active duty soldiers.
So, where to begin? First, this is purportedly written by a mercenary itself, so there's that. Colonel Don Kropp (USA, retired) worked as a mercenary for DynCorp, which might as well be called DirtyBastards, Inc. It'd take another ten diaries to outline the many and serious allegations and proven corruption of this company, but perhaps a quote from an active-duty serving brigadier general would sum it up:
These guys run loose in this country and do stupid stuff. There's no authority over them, so you can't come down on them hard when they escalate force... They shoot people, and someone else has to deal with the aftermath. It happens all over the place.
BG Karl Horst, Deputy Commander of the 3rd Infantry in Sep, 2005.
Read the DynCorp wiki for a lot more information. So our author, Col. Kropp, worked for this company, earning probably in excess of $250,000 for his services.
Now then, every week or so, there's another story about "contractors" being involved in shootings, investigations, and assorted other incidents in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I won't trot every story out. A few will do:
Blackwater Incident "was Hell"
DynCorp Kills Taxi Driver
Erinys Kills U.S. Soldier, Sued Over "Accident"
Video of Aegis Contractors Killing Civilians Surfaces on 'Net
Aegis Investigates Videos
Triple Canopy Officer Fired Indiscriminately at Civilians "For Sport."
The companies involved in this mess are becoming infamous - Blackwater, DynCorp, Aegis, KBR, Erinys, Ronco, Triple Canopy - and they operate around the world, employing folks from around the world. They are available to anyone that can afford to pay for them. I believe it is fair to call them mercenaries.
They are not bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and they do not answer to our Commander-in-Chief. Unless he's paid them, of course. They take no oath of loyalty to our government, our constitution, or our people.
Yet, somehow the right-wing would have us believe that these men are doing an honorable duty, that they should be revered and supported just like our actual combat troops.
Colonel Kropp states "The fact is that these Blackwater security men are all former US military Officers and NCOs." Wrong. Any person that has visited Iraq can tell you that there are Peruvians guarding the green zone and gunmen of all other sorts of nationalities doing other various armed duties.
This article by Ralph Peters claims that there are over 10,000 TCNs, or Third-Country-Nationals, working in Iraq. And who pays for these mercenaries? We all do.
Enough is enough. Tell your congressperson that America does not fight with mercenaries. It's too late to avoid the shame we've already brought upon our nation, but it's never too late to try and make it right.