Iraq spokesman: Ex-Blackwater employees not wanted in Iraq

[Skybird]

In europe's history we have had mecenary armies existing independant from government/feudal rulership. That europe has moved beyond this and established regular standing armies "wearing the king's colours", is not for no reason, but has been a great acchievement in the quest for peace, how fragile it may be.

War should not risked to become object of market and economic enterprise again. It will bring oyu more war. It should be kept under national government'S control whether or not a naton declares war or not - not a board of profit-hungry entrepreneurs. That is also the reason why the close alliance between the arms industry and politics (the often mentioned militar-industrial complex) is such a huge threat not only to hostile nations, but to the hosting demiocracy itself. Eisenhower has not warned of it for no reason, and he surely cannot be accused of not knowing what he was talking of. As general and then as president he learned to know both sides of this unholy alliance all too well. that'S why he warnd of it.

The Italians called mercenaries "condottiere", and a famous mercenary leader was the Englishman John Hawkwood. Of him , this story exists, and it illustrates perfectly why we should not want private mercenary companies.

In novella 181 of his Trecentonovelle, the fourteenth-century storyteller Franco Sacchetti has John Hawkwood encounter two Franciscan monks near his fortress at Montecchio. The monks greet the Englishman.

‘‘Monsignore, God grant you peace,’’ said the monks.

‘‘And may God take away your alms,’’ Hawkwood responded immediately.

‘‘Lord, why do you speak to us this way?’’ asked the frightened monks.

‘‘Indeed, because you spoke thus to me,’’ replied John.

‘‘We thought we spoke well,’’ said the monks.

‘‘How can you think you spoke well,’’ said Hawkwood, ‘‘when you approach me and say that God should let me die of hunger? Don’t you know that I live from war and peace would destroy me? And as I live by war, you live by alms. So that the answer I gave you is the same as your greeting.’’

Considering the many brutal wars in europe and the role mercenary armies plaxed in them, namely the 30-years war, there is no excuse to want to go back to the institution of mercenary armies.

Recommended reading: Herfried Münkler's superb "The new wars".

http://www.amazon.com/New-Wars-Herfr...2630485&sr=8-2



P.S. I see that an even better book bei Münkler finally has been translated and published in English. A very good, an outstanding book: Empires: The Logic of World Domination from Ancient Rome to the United States

http://www.amazon.com/Empires-Domina...2630556&sr=8-1

Over the past years I have repeatedly referred to the German edition of this book. Amazon.com gives it only 5 star reviews by readers, and quotes editorials hailing it's outstanding excellence. And me: I say you won't find a better book on empires so easily that nevertheless get the difference between empire and imperialism. A most excellent study.
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[UnderseaLcpl]

Originally Posted by Snestorm

Does Haliburton and others, such as The Carlysle Group, serve the state, or do the stateS now serve them?

The answer should be obvious, given the nature of their relationship with the state. Each serves the other, and their interests become increasingly fused.

In many ways, the actions of companies like Haliburton are not much different from the actions many of us take in securing our own livleyhoods. Where we write resumes and put on our best face and clothes for interviews, these companies hire PR experts and professional lobbyists in an effort to secure contracts. They are the same thing, just on different scales.

There is nothing notably wrong with all that, aside from the little white lies that both we and businesses tell when a job is on the line. Where it becomes wrong is when the state is given the power to actively regulate business rather than simply punish infractions. There are few people on this planet intelligent enough to start and run a successful company that are not also not smart enough to see the potential of regulation. There are even fewer who are so noble as to not act upon that knowledge.

The power to legislate is a prerequisite for the power to regulate, and where there is law there is the potential to outlaw things. For the shrewd businessman this means that there is potential to outlaw the competition, and that is precisely what they have been doing for hundreds of years. We just don't see it very often because they are so good at it. They hide their intentions behind noble-sounding causes like safety and environmental or job or whatever protection, or strategic and national interest. It is no small coincidence that most of the landmark regulatory decisions made in this century were generally supported by the largest firms in the industries concerned, and that those same firms offered their services in an advisory capacity for the regulatory boards to be formed. Half the time their employees or ex-employees are actually on the damn boards! Thus, the competition is either outlawed or the industry becomes prohibitively expensive to enter, which is just a way of outlawing something without actually outlawing it.

This is, once again, the natural progression of things. To simultaneously illustrate the point and provide an example of how this kind of mechanism is at work even amongst those of us who are not business tycoons, I give you the example of the modern labor union. Most people think unions are a good thing. After all, they protect jobs and work for higher wages and better working conditions for employees, do they not? Indeed they do, but the detriments of labor unions are not so readily apparent and certainly not as widely publicized.

The first labor unions had the much less noble-sounding moniker of "guilds". In essence, they were nothing more than conglomerations of established businessmen who sought to both regulate who could and could not practice their trade and win the support of the crown or the local noble(s). Obvious twofold goal there - elimination of competition and securing a source of work and therefore revenue.

Most of the guilds were eventually destroyed or disbanded when the industrial revolution came about. Machines that could produce plentiful and cheap goods replaced skilled artisans in fairly short order. The guilds could not compete, and thank God they could not or else we would still be living in a society where luxuries and good jobs were not available to the common person.

The industrial revolution also brought problems, however. The common conception is that workers labored ceaselessly in terrible conditions for very little pay, and this is true to some extent. The advent of machine labor meant that many goods could be produced quickly, but the population willing to buy those goods was still relatively small, so prices for both goods and labor fell.

Nonetheless, people still flocked to the cities to find work in factories and foundries. Why do you suppose they did that? Again, the answer is obvious; people left the farms to work in the factories because despite the dire conditions it was still a better way to make a living than scratching about in the dirt for even longer hours and even less pay. The industrial revolution alsop revolutionized agriculture, and there was more food than there were consumers to buy it, so the already miserable practices of share-cropping and serfdom were made even less appealing than before.

This state of affairs continued for a good while, but as the general standard of living improved, so did the lots of the workers. The most successful companies began paying higher wages to attract and keep better employees. In the most extreme examples they actually set up corporate welfare systems, where the company literally paid for and provided everything from birth to death. Today this is viewed as an abhorrent practice, but why? Those of us who are the teeming masses should all be so lucky to be guaranteed such a lifestyle.

The reason for the discontinuation of the practice was because the companies practicing it were hamstrung by regulation and were even outlawed in some cases. Enter the labor unions and the trust-busting of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

As technology and industry advanced a few firms in key industries, led by great businessmen, emerged supreme from all the fierce competition. Companies like US Steel and Standard Oil became market dominators, and both their employees and their customers reaped the benefits of their efficient production of goods. The prices of things like steel and oil had never been so low, and the compensation of workers and the volume of inventory moved had never been so high. Well-documented statistics from the period indicate this, but today these firms and the men who commaned them are viewed as a failure of capitalism. Look at any high-school US history textbook. The companies concerned are called monopolies, and their leaders are called robber-barons. So what happened?

What happened is that competitors got upset about being beaten. Since they could not compete effectively, and they could not innovate sufficiently, they sought the help of the state to bypass the market. We cannot ever really know what words passed between them and the political representatives of the states in the lobbies of the Capitol building at the time since such things are not recorded, but we do have enough access to Congressional records from the period and the nature of modern lobbying to field a reasonable guess as to what was said. It probably went a lot like this; "Wah wah wah, we're the little guys and we support the worker and these companies are too powerful and it isn't fair how the workers are being treated and there should be some ground-rules set and we'll be happy to serve in an advisory capacity in this effort." I exaggerate, but not much. As a consequence, there were a lot of regulations enacted to protect workers and fix prices and so on and so forth. There was also a lot of media attention focussed on the subject.

Now, on to the unions. Unions had been around well before all this happened, but they weren't very powerful. They had to strike a delicate balance when negotiating with employers because if they made too many demands as a whole they would simply be fired as a whole and a new workforce would be hired to replace them. This situation was made worse by the tremendous amount of available labor. In their darkest days, the nature of labor unions was revealed in startling clarity as they beat, maimed and even killed strikebreakers. This says something of just how far people are wiling to got to protect their own interests, to say nothing of what New York City police did to the strikers, which says something of just how far the state (in that case, the Tammany Hall political machine) will go to protect its' interests.

With the advent of new regulatory laws, however, their situation changed drastically. One of the main ways that the competitors of big business sought to bring it down was to increase its overhead costs, and what better way to do that than to attack the most significant overhead cost of any business; labor.

Small firms have little to fear from unions. They don't have armies of specialized personnel to deal with. If the bookkeeper refuses to work because he feels he is not being adequately compensated it is no great matter to fire him and replace him. If an entire host of bookkeepers strike and you cannot legally replace them, you will find yourself in a very difficult situation. In retrospect, this was a vey foolish tactic for the leaders of unsuccessful firms to adopt. After all, even if the competition is eliminated and the way made clear for success, they would eventually have to deal with labor unions. I suppose their foolishness isn't entirely surprising, given that they were the leaders of unsuccessful firms. They were happy to trade ultimate success and the economic fate of a nation for a few moments of security.

The labor unions they empowered were no different. With their power to collectively bargain, arbitrate, and strike enforced by the state they had little incentive to refrain from seeking additional compensation. Most of the large corporations and corporate welfare systems in the US were destroyed before they had the presence of mind to react. Those that survived were broken under Teddy Roosevelt's administration.

America began a plunge into economic crisis as it became less and less competitive and more and more speculative. Few people remember it, but there was a great fiscal crisis in 1907, and even fewer remember why it happened. Ironically, it was one of the robber-barons, J.P. Morgan, who was largely responsible for the near-immediate recovery. The Central bank was re-founded by some ambitous souls shortly thereafter. Plutocracy breeds plutocracy.

America did not immediately plunge into another recession after these events. We owe our relative stability during that time to the idiocy of European politicians and monarchs more than we do to successful economic policy, however. As they slaughtered each other by the millions a huge demand was created for American war goods and it fueled our economy for several years. Once the war was over, America found itself in the exact same position it had been in before, with labor unions and regulation discouraging new enterprise but encouraging investiture in established companies. It was further helped by the fact that Europe, its main competitor, had largely annihilated its industrial and finacial base for no apparent reason.

Investiture is a good thing, but not if everyone invests in the same thing and it fails. Market "bubbles"(unsustainable growth trends) began to form in the early twenties. The biggest bubble of all was that of interests secured by expectations of German war reparations both directly and indirectly. In 1929 America recieved a triple-blow when many of these bubbles popped, a bank run began, and the Federal Reserve (as the central bank came to be called) enacted a disastrous policy of freezing monetary assets, which it called a "bank holiday". When banks are failing left and right because of a lack of near-money assets, the worst possible thing one could do is to freeze those assets. The assets can be frozen, but the market forces that govern them cannot. It is no surprise that the very day the bank holiday was ended, the market crashed even more steeply. It was like containing thousands of cheering fans at a popular event for several hours and then suddenly allowing them to rush the stage or arena or whatever. It was the fiscal equivalent of a soccer riot. No wonder people got trampled to death.

This post is already getting very long, and I must restrain myself from launching into a detailed analysis of the great depression, but the point has largely been made. Unions were a major contributor to the state of US industry and the circumstances in which it found itself.

Now, let's move to the modern labor union. The same basic mechanisms that drive it are still in place but the circumstances have changed. Unions now lobby congress with greater fervor and sums of money than ever before, and US industry has suffered as a result. Just look at the state of unionized US industries. They all suck, and they all produce inferior products at tremendous cost. They try to combat global competition with tariffs and mandated industry standards, but they are gradually being replaced with more cost-effective foreign business models. They have failed so utterly that they have, on more occassions than the recent auto- industry bailout, been forced to seek public aid to shore up their collapsing firms.

Yet they are still viewed as a good thing. When people scream about bailouts and job loss and outsourcing they almost never point a finger at the unions. They never really ask themselves why things have become the way they are. The members of the union themselves certainly don't ask any questions. Like the failed businessmen who first lobbied congress to empower them, they are willing to trade the future of a nation for a moment of safety.

I am no different. I am a member of one of the largest labor unions in the country, the United Transportation Workers Union, and also a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. Given the way things are inevitably going to progress, I'd be a fool to not be a member of those organizations. They guarantee me a good wage and a secure job. Even now, when I am furloughed, my seniority remains and I recieve benefits for being employed at a lesser wage than the compensation rate dictated by the union. One day I will return to the railroad and everything will be as if I had never left. My health benefits also remain intact, but at what cost to everyone else? Working people who are not me have to pay for those expenditures. Is that moral or immoral? I consider it immoral, but I have bills to pay and a life to sustain. I wish I had some more virtuous cause, but that's it.

Perhaps now you see the power behind the natural progress of things, and you can more readily answer questions like the one you posited above for yourself.

Haliburton and companies like it will eventually merge themselves with the state in the manner most beneficial to themselves, just as unions do. They don't do it out of malice or some complex design, they just do it because it is what is best for them.

The solution to this problem is to eliminate the state's power to respond to lobbying. If it is extremely difficult to legislate or regulate, companies won't waste their time and money trying to bypass conventional market mechanisms, so they must either perform or innovate. This was the idea behind the US constitution, but it was not refined enough. What we need is a constitution that sets in stone a certain number of powers granted to the state with absolutely no room for interpretation, and that needs to be stated as well. The original constitution tried to do exactly that, but it didn't do it well enough. There needs to be a host of other safeguards to protect against the natural progess of things. There should be restrictive provisions made upon federal budgeting and legislation. There should be extremely restrictive statutes set concerning changing the provisions set for federal budgeting and legislation. All other powers should be reserved to the states and the people.

This is the way in which we fight the tendency of state and business towards monopoly. It is not a perfect solution, but it will buy us time until the next great thinkers come along and propose a more moral and sustainable system.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Originally Posted by Skybird

In europe's history we have had mecenary armies existing independant from government/feudal rulership. That europe has moved beyond this and established regular standing armies "wearing the king's colours", is not for no reason, but has been a great acchievement in the quest for peace, how fragile it may be.

War should not risked to become object of market and economic enterprise again. It will bring oyu more war. It should be kept under national government'S control whether or not a naton declares war or not - not a board of profit-hungry entrepreneurs. That is also the reason why the close alliance between the arms industry and politics (the often mentioned militar-industrial complex) is such a huge threat not only to hostile nations, but to the hosting demiocracy itself. Eisenhower has not warned of it for no reason, and he surely cannot be accused of not knowing what he was talking of. As general and then as president he learned to know both sides of this unholy alliance all too well. that'S why he warnd of it.

I had to make this a seperate post because I have done enough droning on for today and my last post is already an intimidating wall of text.

I'll reserve this space for my rebuttal, Sky, but at the moment I have a blind movie date to commit to

Believe it or not, I would much rather spend the evening composing a response to your post and challenging my own views, but I doubt that my "date" would understand. At the very least, it would be too much trouble to explain to her.

In any case, I will try to compose a suitable response tonight, assuming that I have the energy to do so after viewing the new "Sherlock Holmes" movie and enduring the pointless banter she is likely to engage me in afterwards.

In the meantime I will be reflecting upon what it is that makes certain people I know of think that they are helping me by setting me up with people I have not met and have no desire to meet by falsely telling them that I have remarked on their physical attractiveness.

@UnderseaLcpl

You've spent quite a-bit of time on a very well written post.

The only statement you've made that is debatable is:
"Haliburton and companies like it will eventualy merge themselves with the state".
You speak Truth. The only thing debatable about the statment is whether it will happen, or has already happened.

"The Natural Progress Of Things" is in reality, not very natural at all, but highly manipulated.
The destination for "The Natural Progress Of Things" is none other than "The Great Trust".
The vehicle is driven by Haliburton and companies like it, under the supervision of their controlers. It is in all actuality Super Organized Crime which continues to step on and/or swallow it's competitors, as it gains and tightens control over states and their populations.

How one percieves The Great Trust is relevant to how one percieves Haliburton, and companies like it.

[UnderseaLcpl]

I returned home from that predictably lousy date intending to respond to Sky's post but instead I have two other posts to respond to. Fortunately, OTH's post kind of segues into what I was going to talk to Sky about so I think I can respond to everything tonight.

And I will try not to write a book this time

Originally Posted by Snestorm

@UnderseaLcpl

You've spent quite a-bit of time on a very well written post.

The only statement you've made that is debatable is:
"Haliburton and companies like it will eventualy merge themselves with the state".
You speak Truth. The only thing debatable about the statment is whether it will happen, or has already happened.

"The Natural Progress Of Things" is in reality, not very natural at all, but highly manipulated.
The destination for "The Natural Progress Of Things" is none other than "The Great Trust".
The vehicle is driven by Haliburton and companies like it, under the supervision of their controlers. It is in all actuality Super Organized Crime which continues to step on and/or swallow it's competitors, as it gains and tightens control over states and their populations.

How one percieves The Great Trust is relevant to how one percieves Haliburton, and companies like it.

First, thanks. Second, I don't really know anything about a "Great Trust". To be honest, the idea of a Great Trust in the form you describe sounds a little bit like a stretched conspiracy theory. I don't mean to be offensive by saying that, just open.

I'm not willing to disregard the idea, as it certainly could happen and I would certainly describe many facets of the state-industrial complex as Super Organized Crime, but I'd have to see a decent case made for its existence. I will also say that I know for a fact that there is some merging of state and corporate interests going on. There has been for years - in some cases there has and continues to be nationalization of private enterprise. My fear is that it will get worse.

Now who, exactly, are these controllers you mention? You have piqued my curiosity by claiming that there is an organized body orchestrating all this. It is my experience that centralized bodies who try to control things usually fail utterly and end up using open oppression in a manner directly attributable to them in a desperate attempt to maintain control. I could look it up myself, but I'd rather have your persepective on it. I find it easier to avoid bias if someone tries to convince me of something rather than simply reading about it myself. When I've no one but myself to consult I often form false assumptions that could easily be avoided if put in the proper context.


Now on to OTH and Skybird.

Originally Posted by OneTough Herring

to answer a couple of points you made, Blackwater/Xe/Triple Canopy/etc. create jobs? Well to the Iraqi hearse people sure, and unfortunately it's been quite a few innocent civilians as was mentioned in the link in the OP.

Well yes, they do create jobs. Every mercenary serving overseas has a job that was provided by companies like these, as do their support staff. I hope Iraqi morticians are not relying on them for business, though, or they'll be having a pretty lean profit margin.

Originally Posted by OneToughHerring

Contractor casualties (another euphemism that includes mercs and similar) in Iraq as to date number 462. That's a pretty high number when compared to the total US casualties in Iraq. A lot of civilian casualties have been caused by the haphazard activities of the mercenary forces, a good example of their conduct is this video that was released some time ago. In the vast sea of violence in Iraq it's more then likely that incidents of acts of violence by the mercenary troops have gone unreported.

Aegis video.

Well, first of all, 462 is not that high of a number considering the length of the occupation and the number of attacks, especially compared to the number of military casualties, which are in the tens of thousands already, and insurgent and civilian casualties, which are incalculable but very much higher. It may also be tempting to link KBR truck drivers and the like in with combat casualties suffered by armed PMCs but doing so does not give us a clear picture of the situation. Every single day there are lightly-guarded miles-long convoys of unarmored semi-trucks and other civilian transport vehicles driven by contractors in broad daylight or with headlights on at night, driving all over the country but particularly in Al-Anbar and around Baghdad.. What is really amazing is that their casualties are so low, and those casualty rates say volumes about the performance of suppression measures and the ineptitude of the insurgents.

I watched the video, and I wonder how you or anyone else arrived at the conclusion that the Iraqi vehicles in the video were being shot at "for fun".
In every single clip shown there was a vehicle approaching quickly from the rear - a favored tactic of suicide vehicle bombers in the first years of the occupation, and one that remains in some areas. Watch the clip carefully. It may seem like the camera vehicle is using an unusually large number of bullets, but that's because they are trying not to kill the driver. The first shots are warning shots. As the vehicle gets closer they fire at the tires, then at the grill, and finally at the windshield. Most of those clips showed legitimate procedure for engaging potential vehicle-borne threats and all of them were within acceptable parameters.

Tragically, both mercenaries and regular US forces kill a large number of innocent Iraqis in this manner. Most of the Iraqis in the AO I served in (Camp Fallujah, Al-Anbar province and subsidiary OPs) knew that when you see an American convoy, military or contractor, you pull the hell over and don't do anything stupid. Some, however, either just don't get it or aren't paying attention or are visitors to the country. The really dumb ones will actually try to pass the convoy, and the one thing you do not ever, ever want to do in Iraq is accelrate towards a convoy, checkpoint, ro*******, or guard station in a civilian vehicle. You will be dead, wounded, or severely shaken in no time flat.

Yes it's true that the US military based on more or less voluntary joining is a kind of mercenary force in itself. Although for the US military recruiting for cannon fodder in places like the slums and other areas devoid of possibility of eduction etc. could be seen to be quite immoral.

And I wholeheartedly agree. You should hear some of the things they tell those poor fools to get them to join up. Ask anyone in the service if they got what they were promised. A few will answer in the affirmative, the rest will tell you stories with the general purpose of explaining how their recruiter screwed them and how badly. I am one of those. I endured a lot of rigorous and difficult testing in an effort to become a cryptologic linguist, that is, a cryptologist who deciphers codes in foreign language. After passing my exams I was informed that there were no slots available. "Too bad, pick another MOS". So then I wanted to be a tanker. I figured if I couldn't get in as a technical specialist in a field I had great aptitude for then I might as well do something cool, like driving a tank. Again, I was refused because no slots were open, despite the apparently grave need for personnel in all fields. I finally decided to become a reservist because I didn't think I could endure 4 years of doing whatever garbage jobs were needed and was finally granted a position as a Field Radio Operator. I'm a communicator by nature, so the idea appealed to me, but I was sorely disappointed by what I experienced afterwards. For one thing, I was not given my original enlistment bonus; something I learned after I was sworn in and had completed recruit training. I was also denied immediate promotion to E-3 despite recommending two other poor SOBs who subsequently enlisted, and despiute being the company standard-bearer (which involves the dubious honor of carrying a big flag on a heavy pole in all marches and runs) and despite being what essentially amounted to the administrative recruit co-ordinator.

Nonetheless, I pursued my occupational specialty with fervor and determination. I went to great lengths to learn about the nuances of radio and wire communications and delved into antannae theory and waveform propogation with singular force of will. In less than two years I was regarded as the preeminent radio operator in 14th Marines HQ Battery. Communications officers with a lifetime of experience sought my aid, and everyone in the comm field sought my advice and training. When the Iraq War came I was eager to prove my worth in an actual theater of operations. I volunteered three freaking times before I was finally granted a chance to deploy and they made me a goddamn truck driver.

Even then, I was undeterred. I strove to be the best freaking truck driver ever and I worked constantly to improve the performance of the Marines placed under me, as well as my own. One of the few things I consider as a real accomplishment in my life is that no truck under my command was ever hit, and no personnel in them were ever injured. Some of my drivers were wounded in convoys commanded by others, and some of the trucks in my care were destroyed, but not while I was leading them. Nobody under my command dies without me dying first! I will not allow it!

Hmm.. I seem to have gone off on quite a tangent there. I'm tempted to delete it, but I won't, since it feels good to type it.

Moving on.....

Even if the US military shares some qualities with a mercenary military doesn't mean that it's ok for the US to fight it's dirty wars with a mercenary military or even to create them. This is yet another attempt by the US to try to evade the rules of war and codes of conduct that govern warfare. The issues of torture etc. are another example of the same mindset. By following this route the US is doing exactly what the those that oppose it want it to do, to be the bad guy. That's the only thing the extremist such as Al Queda want, for the US to use mercenary militaries, to torture, etc. That is their victory.

I don't entirely agree but I agree enough that it is not worth all the typing to expose and debate minor differences of opinion.

What I will say is that my philosophy is that the US should not be involved in any wars at all. If we weren't so damn interventionist we wouldn't have three-quarters of the rest of the world hating us and the remaining quarter intent on our destruction. Trade with all nations, alliances with none, don't get involved in foreign wars, all that crap. The world would be better off without us trying to fix everything all the time.

None of that precludes the use of mercenary forces, however. The world still needs help from time to time, and mercenaries are the perfect agencies to project American military force where it is needed without the political agenda and related nonsensical horse-crap that usually accompanies it. If a nation wants a military solution to a problem it can simply hire an American mercenary firm (or one of any other nationality) and that is that. Mercenaries will accomplish the task in the most efficient and public-friendly means possible, because that is what they do. We have already seen the drastic measures Blackwater has taken to avoid negative PR, including changing its own name and radicaly revamping its organization in a matter of months. It has to do such things or else it risks losing credibility, and credibility means a lot to consumers, whether they are individuals or nations. Nations themselves are not so subject to such concerns. Right or wrong, they are developed and seriously entrenched power structures with the life-earnings and lives of millions at their disposal.

As for the labour union-stuff, not sure what you mean with all that. In Finland the labour unions have done a pretty good job in securing all Finns with basic rights that even Canadians don't have and can't believe when we tell them. Feel welcome to visit and acquaint yourself.

Well I can't blame you for not understanding. Finland is Finland, and it is full of Finns. It is not a culturally diverse super-state whose whims can seriously affect the entire world both economically and politically. Whether or not Finnish labor unions are superior to US labor unions I cannot say, never having been there myself and without really understanding the culture. A quick glance at the finances of the Finnish government s per the CIA world factbook tells me that your nation is in debt and does not posess the economy to make your lifestyle sustainable. Your nation, as well as many others, has fallen prey to the belief that more unsustainable spending today will result in a sustainable future. Most of that belief is based upon hedged bets upon the US economy in the form of foregin investiture and monetary policy. Believe it or not, if the US suffers, your nation will suffer. We literally hold the weight of the world's economy on our shoulders and we are rapidly losing our strength because of unwise fiscal policy. Mark my words, there will come a day when US fiscal policy will really destroy the consumer base of the world's most prosperous and populous free nation and the resultant gap in demand will be felt all over the world, even moreso than the current recession.

I would, however, love to visit Finland sometime, as well as the rest of Scandanavia.

Originally Posted by OneToughHerring

There are evil people in corporations too and not just in governments. Corporations and big global companies aren't limited by treaties that govern the nations, they can and do crap on things such as human rights and antipollution measures. This serves as the base on which the US wants to build it's new, unrestricted mercenary military.

Originally Posted by Skybird

War should not risked to become object of market and economic enterprise again. It will bring oyu more war. It should be kept under national government'S control whether or not a naton declares war or not - not a board of profit-hungry entrepreneurs.

And here we come to the crux of my response to you and Skybird.

It is true that there are "evil" corporations to some extent. Whether or not calling any corporation evil is subject to debate. Corporations, after all, are comprised of people who are just trying to make a living by providing a product or service. There is nothing immoral about that. The actions they take can be considered immoral sometimes, particularly when they try to co-opt the state's fiat power to further their agendas, but does that make the whole corporation immoral? I think it does not.

Furthermore, though there may be many examples of firms, companies, and corporations acting in an immoral fashion, virtually all of these examples involve co-operation with the state. Even if every corporation in the world was inherently evil and devious they must still produce goods that you choose to buy or they will die. They can bombard you with advertising and try to influence your opinion in every way possible, but the ultimate responsibility lies with you, the person who is free to buy their products or boycott them. The person who is free to work for such an entity, or seek other employment. In a free-market environment, the responsibility lies with everyday people who make everyday choices, which is exactly where it belongs.

Corporations do not start wars because wars are counterproductive to trade and stability, which is something the vast majority of legitimate business needs to function. Even military companies cannot sustain themselves through war. People hire mercenaries with the understanding that there will be an end to the conflict and they expect results or they will not pay. States, on the other hand (and this is aimed squarely at you, Skybird, my longtime friend and respected adversary) have a tendency to prosecute ideological wars with hidden and often plutocratic motives that result in casualties and suffering that cannot be described by the English language. There are simply no adjectives that can adequately portray the amount of horrible, painful, literal, and spiritual death that states have committed and/or endorsed. Medieval mercenaries and the 30 years war and whatever else you can throw out be damned. All the casualties of mercenary conflict were still bought and paid for by states, and I am somewhat insulted by the idea that you would imply that paid mercenary companies were somehow responsible for the suffering and war that plagued our mother continent in the dark and medieval ages. Do you honestly believe that the existence of mercenaries somehow caused more conflict? You should take another look at the horrendous consequences of state conflict. There is nothing you can say, and no incident you can point to, where mercenary warfare resulted in more casualties than state warfare.

I will readily admit that I do not fully understand your as-yet unexplained views on a neo-feudal society and as such I am not prepared to dismiss them entirely but I will now and always remain steadfast on the view that feudalism itself was inherently wrong. The reason that feudal societies hired paid, professional mercenaries was because their own populace was too ignorant, poor, and inept to form a professional military force or afford proper equipment. The populace was made so because it was subject to the whims of an emplaced power structure that was doubly enforced by a religious power structure that discouraged literacy and individualism.

As a foolish aherent to protestant religion I swear to Christ the Saviour Almighty, I would really like to know what method lies behind your apparent madness, Sky. I have read tens of thousands of your words and spent countless hours contemplating them, but I still can't really figure out what makes you function in the way do. For the sake of my own sanity, please describe what makes you say the things you say. Spare nothing. If you think I am an idiot, just explain why you think so and why, but be honest. You have my word as a Christian, bound by the Nicene crede, that I will neither judge you nor condemn you.

[Skybird]

Your naivety stuns me time and again, Lance. No offence meant, but that's how it is. How one could ignore in such totality the difference between how theory claims things would be under ideal conditions, and how they really are if people are free to do like they want, I cannot even closely understand. Idealism that ignores human realities to such extents, is doomed to never become anything more than just this: an utopic, surreal ideal.

That's why I usually do not reply to you. You live in a different solar system than I do.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Your naivety stuns me time and again, Lance. No offence meant, but that's how it is. How one could ignore in such totality the difference between how theory claims things would be under ideal conditions, and how they really are if people are free to do like they want, I cannot even closely understand. Idealism that ignores human realities to such extents, is doomed to never become anything more than just this: an utopic, surreal ideal.

That's why I usually do not reply to you. You live in a different solar system than I do.

And your naivety leaves me simlarly stunned, as does your apparent intelligence. How can you be so intelligent and perceptive and yet be so blind to the true nature of things? I prescribe a limited state that cannot be co-opted by private industry and you prescribe what, exactly?
Nonetheless, I often reply to your statements, and I do so in great detail, only to be met with the same tired, invalid responses.

You and I have sparred against each other in every topic from politics to trade to chess games. There has never been a clear winner, except for in the chess games, where I will fully and willingly acceed the title of Champion to you. Despite all you have taught me, I still cannot compete with you in that field, yet.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for you, Sky, but I fear for our continued friendly rivalry. I have tried to learn from you and I am sure that you have tried to learn from me, but we are approaching an ideological impasse. Thusly, since you are a man of honor in every sense of the word, I challenge you to an ideological debate. The results shall be determined by a poll of our peers. You are free to name the subject of the debate, so long as it is a subject we disagree upon.

In truth, I would rather meet you face-to-face, whether it be in debate or in a contest of arms, but I trust that this medium will suffice for the time being. Since I am a native English speaker and becuase most of the active contributors to this forum hail from the US I will grant you a 25% handicap in the final poll results.

Do you find these terms acceptable?

[Skybird]

We have been there, Lance. What you say is not something new, it is old-fashioned classical economy theory, that's how it is called over here, "klassische Wirtschafts-Theorie". It is part of history courses in any economical studying at university - with the accent on "history". And not only do I think this theory is wrong, but it has been demonstrated to be wrong and dysfunctional since decades, causing plenty of havocs where it was brought to life, and creating welath for the few at the cost of the many facing the dirty side of it. Many of the goals you aim at I find not desirable at all, and the way you want to acchieve them I find unrealistic, and I see myself being confirmed by realities in that assessement. You always criticise the evil political caste and the state, but you are totally ignoring that this political caste especially in the Anglosaxon world, namely America, is that way you label it due to massive influence by that economical system having had many of the freedoms your demand for it. The policies you complain about - are to quite some degree the exact result of the theory you defend. Nevertheless you see no reason to question the economic side of things. And when you imply, in the above, that business that makes it's income with the business of war, nevertheless has an interest in peace and when you totally ignore how business influences political decisions and that the war 2003 last but not least was launched massively by lobbying of major parts of the economic system in the US and close relations between a dumb president and his business buddies to whom he owed (going much beyond Haliburton and Carlyle Group) and you seriously assume that the policy-making remains unimpressed by huge mercenary-companies and this thing that is called the industrial-military complex (Eisenhower) that is a major pillar of the american economy and has never been driven back since WWII, in fact seems to increase - well, then i am simply so stunned that I cannot imagine any argument any more that would have use here. Because in my perception you are too much, too totally off the reality that I live in.

If positions are too far apart, discussion not only makes no sense, but is not even possible. Your description of the sky does not match the colours and clouds that I see when looking up there. We have had long, good and friendly talks in the past, and we certainly can speak again on profane things or do some chess etc etc, but another debate on these things will only see you having a monologue i cannot connect to, and me wondering how two so extremely different planets can exist in just one place. Not to mention that it would be repetitive and very time-consuming.

Again, no offence meant, but we could not be any more apart on many things. That's why I have stopped replying to your posts.

Originally Posted by UnderseaLcpl

Well yes, they do create jobs. Every mercenary serving overseas has a job that was provided by companies like these, as do their support staff. I hope Iraqi morticians are not relying on them for business, though, or they'll be having a pretty lean profit margin.

Well there have been quite a few cases that have caused quite a few ripples in Iraq. As is exemplified in my OP.

It's also good to notice that there are no two similar wars. Every war is pretty much 'improvised' as it goes on. They say wars create a lot of innovations. Unfortunately wars also create a lot of dead bodies and the merc companies have engaged in this activity far too much. The Iraqis might have more reasons to dislike the mercs then they publicly say and I don't really want to speculate on that but there are probably other cases of civilian casualties or they wouldn't be so adamant about it.

Well, first of all, 462 is not that high of a number considering the length of the occupation and the number of attacks, especially compared to the number of military casualties, which are in the tens of thousands already, and insurgent and civilian casualties, which are incalculable but very much higher. It may also be tempting to link KBR truck drivers and the like in with combat casualties suffered by armed PMCs but doing so does not give us a clear picture of the situation. Every single day there are lightly-guarded miles-long convoys of unarmored semi-trucks and other civilian transport vehicles driven by contractors in broad daylight or with headlights on at night, driving all over the country but particularly in Al-Anbar and around Baghdad.. What is really amazing is that their casualties are so low, and those casualty rates say volumes about the performance of suppression measures and the ineptitude of the insurgents.

I watched the video, and I wonder how you or anyone else arrived at the conclusion that the Iraqi vehicles in the video were being shot at "for fun".
In every single clip shown there was a vehicle approaching quickly from the rear - a favored tactic of suicide vehicle bombers in the first years of the occupation, and one that remains in some areas. Watch the clip carefully. It may seem like the camera vehicle is using an unusually large number of bullets, but that's because they are trying not to kill the driver. The first shots are warning shots. As the vehicle gets closer they fire at the tires, then at the grill, and finally at the windshield. Most of those clips showed legitimate procedure for engaging potential vehicle-borne threats and all of them were within acceptable parameters.

Tragically, both mercenaries and regular US forces kill a large number of innocent Iraqis in this manner. Most of the Iraqis in the AO I served in (Camp Fallujah, Al-Anbar province and subsidiary OPs) knew that when you see an American convoy, military or contractor, you pull the hell over and don't do anything stupid. Some, however, either just don't get it or aren't paying attention or are visitors to the country. The really dumb ones will actually try to pass the convoy, and the one thing you do not ever, ever want to do in Iraq is accelrate towards a convoy, checkpoint, ro*******, or guard station in a civilian vehicle. You will be dead, wounded, or severely shaken in no time flat.

Now that the Americans including the mercs have reduced the street patrols the war is to a large extent over for them. I wouldn't say 462 is a small amount for basically people who are outside the military. Not sure if the Blackwaters etc. have hired Iraqis too and if their casualties are counted into those figures. The real big figure is the Iraqi casualties, both military and civilian, unfortunately.

I wonder how the Americans informed the Iraqis about these rules concerning how to behave behind and around convoys. How about when meeting a convoy head on? Drive off the road? I think it's foolishly optimistic at best to think that people who still use camels for transportation etc. would be really quick to pick up special driving methods in a crisis situation.

And the American mercenaries think it's ok to blast the civilians who...well, they just feel like shooting at. Because that's about as restrained as that looked to me. But then again different militaries have different mindsets and philosophies of doing things, maybe that's the problem here.

And I wholeheartedly agree. You should hear some of the things they tell those poor fools to get them to join up. Ask anyone in the service if they got what they were promised. A few will answer in the affirmative, the rest will tell you stories with the general purpose of explaining how their recruiter screwed them and how badly. I am one of those. I endured a lot of rigorous and difficult testing in an effort to become a cryptologic linguist, that is, a cryptologist who deciphers codes in foreign language. After passing my exams I was informed that there were no slots available. "Too bad, pick another MOS". So then I wanted to be a tanker. I figured if I couldn't get in as a technical specialist in a field I had great aptitude for then I might as well do something cool, like driving a tank. Again, I was refused because no slots were open, despite the apparently grave need for personnel in all fields. I finally decided to become a reservist because I didn't think I could endure 4 years of doing whatever garbage jobs were needed and was finally granted a position as a Field Radio Operator. I'm a communicator by nature, so the idea appealed to me, but I was sorely disappointed by what I experienced afterwards. For one thing, I was not given my original enlistment bonus; something I learned after I was sworn in and had completed recruit training. I was also denied immediate promotion to E-3 despite recommending two other poor SOBs who subsequently enlisted, and despiute being the company standard-bearer (which involves the dubious honor of carrying a big flag on a heavy pole in all marches and runs) and despite being what essentially amounted to the administrative recruit co-ordinator.

Maybe they thought that'd you're too much of a 'rambo' to waste away in a cushy linguist position.

Nonetheless, I pursued my occupational specialty with fervor and determination. I went to great lengths to learn about the nuances of radio and wire communications and delved into antannae theory and waveform propogation with singular force of will. In less than two years I was regarded as the preeminent radio operator in 14th Marines HQ Battery. Communications officers with a lifetime of experience sought my aid, and everyone in the comm field sought my advice and training. When the Iraq War came I was eager to prove my worth in an actual theater of operations. I volunteered three freaking times before I was finally granted a chance to deploy and they made me a goddamn truck driver.

Even then, I was undeterred. I strove to be the best freaking truck driver ever and I worked constantly to improve the performance of the Marines placed under me, as well as my own. One of the few things I consider as a real accomplishment in my life is that no truck under my command was ever hit, and no personnel in them were ever injured. Some of my drivers were wounded in convoys commanded by others, and some of the trucks in my care were destroyed, but not while I was leading them. Nobody under my command dies without me dying first! I will not allow it!

Hmm.. I seem to have gone off on quite a tangent there. I'm tempted to delete it, but I won't, since it feels good to type it.

Moving on.....

Oh radios and trucks then? Well the truck driving was a dangerous aspect of the war, maybe the most dangerous aspect of the war. Maybe they had a shortage of volunteers in that department, would seem logical. And then they forced you to do that. Pretty irresponsible of them. But those officers, they rarely ponder on the moralities of things, they just luurve giving those unpleasent orders.

I don't entirely agree but I agree enough that it is not worth all the typing to expose and debate minor differences of opinion.

What I will say is that my philosophy is that the US should not be involved in any wars at all. If we weren't so damn interventionist we wouldn't have three-quarters of the rest of the world hating us and the remaining quarter intent on our destruction. Trade with all nations, alliances with none, don't get involved in foreign wars, all that crap. The world would be better off without us trying to fix everything all the time.

None of that precludes the use of mercenary forces, however. The world still needs help from time to time, and mercenaries are the perfect agencies to project American military force where it is needed without the political agenda and related nonsensical horse-crap that usually accompanies it. If a nation wants a military solution to a problem it can simply hire an American mercenary firm (or one of any other nationality) and that is that. Mercenaries will accomplish the task in the most efficient and public-friendly means possible, because that is what they do. We have already seen the drastic measures Blackwater has taken to avoid negative PR, including changing its own name and radicaly revamping its organization in a matter of months. It has to do such things or else it risks losing credibility, and credibility means a lot to consumers, whether they are individuals or nations. Nations themselves are not so subject to such concerns. Right or wrong, they are developed and seriously entrenched power structures with the life-earnings and lives of millions at their disposal.

Well it seems like you really like Blackwater/XE, Triple Canopy, Aegis, etc. Maybe you should join them instead of the US military who clearly don't appreciate your talents. I think the salary they pay is better too.

Well I can't blame you for not understanding. Finland is Finland, and it is full of Finns. It is not a culturally diverse super-state whose whims can seriously affect the entire world both economically and politically. Whether or not Finnish labor unions are superior to US labor unions I cannot say, never having been there myself and without really understanding the culture. A quick glance at the finances of the Finnish government s per the CIA world factbook tells me that your nation is in debt and does not posess the economy to make your lifestyle sustainable. Your nation, as well as many others, has fallen prey to the belief that more unsustainable spending today will result in a sustainable future. Most of that belief is based upon hedged bets upon the US economy in the form of foregin investiture and monetary policy. Believe it or not, if the US suffers, your nation will suffer. We literally hold the weight of the world's economy on our shoulders and we are rapidly losing our strength because of unwise fiscal policy. Mark my words, there will come a day when US fiscal policy will really destroy the consumer base of the world's most prosperous and populous free nation and the resultant gap in demand will be felt all over the world, even moreso than the current recession.

You know, I have to say, I'd almost accepted your defending and tender lovin' caressing of the mercenary companies but lately I've read a little economics and I will no longer blindly, mutely and deafly (?) accept the notion that the whole worlds happiness, economic status and entire existance hinges on whether or not the "consumer base" of US is consuming well or doing this or that. In plain English, ******* the US consumer base, ******* it with a pitchfork!

A little grain of salt from the OTH book of economics.

I would, however, love to visit Finland sometime, as well as the rest of Scandanavia.

Oh, ok. Welcome. Right now it's a bit cold (-21 deg Celsius). Not sure what that is in Fahrenheit.

[CaptainHaplo]

It's also good to notice that there are no two similar wars. Every war is pretty much 'improvised' as it goes on. They say wars create a lot of innovations. Unfortunately wars also create a lot of dead bodies and the merc companies have engaged in this activity far too much.

War does create a lot of dead bodies. No doubt about it. But where do you get that "merc companies" are the cause of it? First of all, despotic dictators create a lot of dead bodies when they gas their own citizenry, or kill political prisoners, or just condone the raping and killing of women by the secret police "just because". So let's not act like there was not a rather large body count, ever increasing, before the "war in Iraq". Also, your inferring that somehow the war in Iraq is responsible for all the death. Who is it that is killing the vast majority of the Iraqi civilians, and law enforcement / army personnel? Could it be the extremists who want to take over and rule? Oh, but that little tidbit of fact doesn't fit well the "blame Blackwater, America and the mercenaries" does it, so you left it out.

The Iraqis might have more reasons to dislike the mercs then they publicly say and I don't really want to speculate on that but there are probably other cases of civilian casualties or they wouldn't be so adamant about it.

If you don't want to speculate - then don't speculate. What you just did was say you didn't want to do something, and then you did it anyway, as if you had some knowledge that you "can't" or "won't" share.... In other words, your trying to create the image of something without there being any facts to back it up. If you have fairly numerous instances where mercenaries were the cause of unprovoked and innocent civilian death, put forth the info so it can be evaluated fairly.

Your hypothosis of "there must be more or else they wouldn't press this so much" is flawed because there is a much more rational and obvious reason why this is a big matter to the Iraqi government. One huge claim the insurgents make is that the existent Iraqi government is simply a pawn and extension of the US government. If they were able to hold up American citizens that were punished for something that the common Iraqi person thinks was wrong (regardless of whether they had reason or not for their actions) - then the claim of the Iraqi government being a pawn is severely weakened. No "pawn" can force its master to sacrifice its own citizenry.

I think it's foolishly optimistic at best to think that people who still use camels for transportation etc. would be really quick to pick up special driving methods in a crisis situation.

Ok, so in one sentence you demean the average Iraqi as being so simple that they use camels for transportation, and so dense they can't understand - on pain of possible (and likely) death - not to act like a suicide bomber when approaching an armed column. This alone tells me you have never been in the region for any length of time, or had much dealings with Iraqi nationals. Just because they live in a country that the "first world" deems arse backward does not mean they are stupid. Far from it. They may be a "simple" people compared to first world nations, but they are far from intellectually void. In fact, the average civilian has a very good level of common sense that lends itself to preservation - of person, family and tribe. These are a people that have survived brutal dictatorship, extremely violent wars with their neighbors, and now move forward while a foe that hides within their own populace lashes out and kills them. You so severely underestimate and stereotype them its unbelievable.

And the American mercenaries think it's ok to blast the civilians who...well, they just feel like shooting at. Because that's about as restrained as that looked to me.

Oh - you were there? You have already convicted these people without a trial, based purely on your own biases against them, their nationality, and your views on their activities. Not to mention apparently you have become a psychoanalyst capable of mind reading across both time and space - because you have deduced without a doubt (in your own mind at least) why they did it.

You were not there, so you don't know the whole and true story. Yet you want to condemn these people based on what you THINK happened, based of whatever media reports you can find that lays the blame all on Americans. It is this kind of thing that makes your biases blatently clear.

But those officers, they rarely ponder on the moralities of things, they just luurve giving those unpleasent orders.

Apparently we aren't done with your expertise are we? Officers in the US military just "luurve" to give unpleasant orders? And where does this expertise come from? Or is it once again just another way to simply find ways to slam the American military? Thats a rhetorical question, by the way. I can tell you this, I don't know of many men, be they warrants, officers or enlisted, who had to give orders or make decisions that took lives that did so lightly. In fact, I don't know a single one. Those that have no moral compass are (or were I should say) weeded out before ever entering into a conflict theatre. I have no reason to think that has changed.

You can continue with your despising America, but don't be suprised when folks like me - who still have a moral compass and don't hate others blindly - point out the flaws in your hate mongering.

Have a nice day

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

War does create a lot of dead bodies. No doubt about it. But where do you get that "merc companies" are the cause of it? First of all, despotic dictators create a lot of dead bodies when they gas their own citizenry, or kill political prisoners, or just condone the raping and killing of women by the secret police "just because". So let's not act like there was not a rather large body count, ever increasing, before the "war in Iraq". Also, your inferring that somehow the war in Iraq is responsible for all the death. Who is it that is killing the vast majority of the Iraqi civilians, and law enforcement / army personnel? Could it be the extremists who want to take over and rule? Oh, but that little tidbit of fact doesn't fit well the "blame Blackwater, America and the mercenaries" does it, so you left it out.

Imagine a world with really powerful merc companies. I mean, merc companies with their own navy with all the trimmings. And huge tank armies. It could happen today. And all one had to do was walk up to one of those companies with a big enough check that doesn't bounce and you'd have yourself a military at your disposal. A lot of people with checks that don't bounce in the Middle East if you catch my drift.

If the US wants to give birth to these merc companies they'd better be sure they know what they are doing.

So what you're saying is that it's ok to engage in offensive warfare against any nation of your choosing? It would be ok for Finland to attack, say, Estonia and then blame the Estonians for the war?

If you don't want to speculate - then don't speculate. What you just did was say you didn't want to do something, and then you did it anyway, as if you had some knowledge that you "can't" or "won't" share.... In other words, your trying to create the image of something without there being any facts to back it up. If you have fairly numerous instances where mercenaries were the cause of unprovoked and innocent civilian death, put forth the info so it can be evaluated fairly.

Freedom of speech buddy. I can tell you don't really like it. And it's not like I'm even engaging in any racist hate speech as is common here in SS Radioroom.

The merc companies are operating more and more in the States as well, only a matter of time before they engage in some civilian shooting there as well, or maybe that's already happened. You reap what you sow.

Your hypothosis of "there must be more or else they wouldn't press this so much" is flawed because there is a much more rational and obvious reason why this is a big matter to the Iraqi government. One huge claim the insurgents make is that the existent Iraqi government is simply a pawn and extension of the US government. If they were able to hold up American citizens that were punished for something that the common Iraqi person thinks was wrong (regardless of whether they had reason or not for their actions) - then the claim of the Iraqi government being a pawn is severely weakened. No "pawn" can force its master to sacrifice its own citizenry.

That really bothers you doesn't it? Ok I tell you what, when I find some free time I'll look into the matter. Also because I'm interested in the subject. I'll get you (and Lance) some info with a source.

I don't think the Americans really put that much value on their own soldiers. They are expendable so it doesn't take much wrangling from the Iraq puppet government to get US troops.

Ok, so in one sentence you demean the average Iraqi as being so simple that they use camels for transportation, and so dense they can't understand - on pain of possible (and likely) death - not to act like a suicide bomber when approaching an armed column. This alone tells me you have never been in the region for any length of time, or had much dealings with Iraqi nationals. Just because they live in a country that the "first world" deems arse backward does not mean they are stupid. Far from it. They may be a "simple" people compared to first world nations, but they are far from intellectually void. In fact, the average civilian has a very good level of common sense that lends itself to preservation - of person, family and tribe. These are a people that have survived brutal dictatorship, extremely violent wars with their neighbors, and now move forward while a foe that hides within their own populace lashes out and kills them. You so severely underestimate and stereotype them its unbelievable.

I didn't say the Iraqis are stupid, they are very wise people. Unfortunately no amount (and I guess in this case there hasn't even been much) preparation can truly prepare an entire nation for the full scale occupation by not just by a regular military that adheres to the rules of war (something the US military doesn't do) but by several merc companies with their own set of rules. As exactly why the Iraqis hate the mercs I'm sure we'll find out more later on, they are however entitled to their opinion and will enforce the ban mentioned in the link in the OP.

Oh - you were there? You have already convicted these people without a trial, based purely on your own biases against them, their nationality, and your views on their activities. Not to mention apparently you have become a psychoanalyst capable of mind reading across both time and space - because you have deduced without a doubt (in your own mind at least) why they did it.

You were not there, so you don't know the whole and true story. Yet you want to condemn these people based on what you THINK happened, based of whatever media reports you can find that lays the blame all on Americans. It is this kind of thing that makes your biases blatently clear.

The mercs mentioned in the link in OP will most likely go to retrial with a more resounding result then before. We'll see what happens. In any case it doesn't strike me that the relationship between the Iraq puppet government and it's 'creator and master' the US is particularily warm at the moment. Doesn't look like a successful ending to a war no matter how you look at it.

Apparently we aren't done with your expertise are we? Officers in the US military just "luurve" to give unpleasant orders? And where does this expertise come from? Or is it once again just another way to simply find ways to slam the American military? Thats a rhetorical question, by the way. I can tell you this, I don't know of many men, be they warrants, officers or enlisted, who had to give orders or make decisions that took lives that did so lightly. In fact, I don't know a single one. Those that have no moral compass are (or were I should say) weeded out before ever entering into a conflict theatre. I have no reason to think that has changed.

You can continue with your despising America, but don't be suprised when folks like me - who still have a moral compass and don't hate others blindly - point out the flaws in your hate mongering.

Have a nice day

I wonder if the guys who are actually ordered to the potentially life threatening tasks by the officers agree with you on that or are you just like, taking the officers words on that. Cause you know, that would be kinda, one sided and all. Which I'm sure you understand when you think about it for awhile.

[MothBalls]

Originally Posted by Snestorm

@UnderseaLcpl

You've spent quite a-bit of time on a very well written post.

The only statement you've made that is debatable is:
"Haliburton and companies like it will eventualy merge themselves with the state".

Who reports to whom?



Haliburton, KBR, Blackwater, etc. Mixed feelings on that. One one hand there will always be war, therefore; there will always be the requirement for contracted services. I don't think a company is evil because they target those services.

Did Blackwater cross the line? Who knows, I wasn't there. I can tell you in any combat or life threatening situation that everyone who was there, saw and heard a different version of the same events. When there is gunfire or panic, things look a lot different depending on your perspective. (When you're being shot at, everyone is an enemy.) The thing is that people have the expectation that security or police issues should be handled the same everywhere. Not going to happen in a war zone.

Back to corporate evil. There's nothing wrong with any company bidding on Government Services. If you think that there isn't any back door politics or back scratching going on in the defense industry, stop reading now, you're wasting your time, go back to looking at porn.

Bottom line is we need those companies and contractors [mercenaries] to get the job done. War sucks, then you die.

Originally Posted by MothBalls

Back to corporate evil. There's nothing wrong with any company bidding on Government Services. If you think that there isn't any back door politics or back scratching going on in the defense industry, stop reading now, you're wasting your time, go back to looking at porn.

Bottom line is we need those companies and contractors [mercenaries] to get the job done. War sucks, then you die.

There is nothing wrong with a company bidding on gevernment services when both the President and Vice President have a financial interest in those companies?!?!
Yes, it does happen, and all too frequently. I don't think being diverted from reality, by porn is very constructive, but thanks anyway.

"Bottom line is we need those companies and contractors [mercenaries] to get the job done."
Who is We???
Perhaps you are part of the problem?

UnderseaLcpl,

to answer a couple of points you made, Blackwater/Xe/Triple Canopy/etc. create jobs? Well to the Iraqi hearse people sure, and unfortunately it's been quite a few innocent civilians as was mentioned in the link in the OP.

There are evil people in corporations too and not just in governments. Corporations and big global companies aren't limited by treaties that govern the nations, they can and do crap on things such as human rights and antipollution measures. This serves as the base on which the US wants to build it's new, unrestricted mercenary military.

Yes it's true that the US military based on more or less voluntary joining is a kind of mercenary force in itself. Although for the US military recruiting for cannon fodder in places like the slums and other areas devoid of possibility of eduction etc. could be seen to be quite immoral.

Even if the US military shares some qualities with a mercenary military doesn't mean that it's ok for the US to fight it's dirty wars with a mercenary military or even to create them. This is yet another attempt by the US to try to evade the rules of war and codes of conduct that govern warfare. The issues of torture etc. are another example of the same mindset. By following this route the US is doing exactly what the those that oppose it want it to do, to be the bad guy. That's the only thing the extremist such as Al Queda want, for the US to use mercenary militaries, to torture, etc. That is their victory.

Constructor casualties (another euphemism that includes mercs and similar) in Iraq as to date number 462. That's a pretty high number when compared to the total US casualties in Iraq. A lot of civilian casualties have been caused by the haphazard activities of the mercenary forces, a good example of their conduct is this video that was released some time ago. In the vast sea of violence in Iraq it's more then likely that incidents of acts of violence by the mercenary troops have gone unreported.

Aegis video.

As for the labour union-stuff, not sure what you mean with all that. In Finland the labour unions have done a pretty good job in securing all Finns with basic rights that even Canadians don't have and can't believe when we tell them. Feel welcome to visit and acquaint yourself.