[Skybird]

Rest assured I think i remember the passage you mean. It was also about the Ghurkas, right? I have read it. It's just that I do not agree. a mercenary is somebody who allows himself getting hired for money for war or war-like jobs outside his own national army and that nation's governmental soverignity. The legion is closer to the mercenary armies that were hired by italian city states in the past, than to regular French units. The legion is a unit of foreigners, mercs, that are hired by France and thus - are under French command. In contemporary language, they often are referred to as "mercenaries", too. If the legion is a private enterprise whose services are hired by france, or is directly run by france, does not change the fact that the employees are mercenaries.

the exception is if you fight in a foreign army - but for your original country. An example are the Polish pilots and soldiers fighting with the Brits under British command against the Nazis - to free Poland.