Private commandos shoot back on the Iraq firing line

Yahoo - AFP ^ | Today, 50 Mins ago | AFP

[dila813]

Good for the troops, Private Military replaces Spanish Troops being removed.

[AdmSmith]

The Spaniards have a very good Intel capacity, that is lacking in the private military.

[BenLurkin]

"raising some deep concerns"

Only with the American left and the other enemies of America.

If coordination with other coalition forces is the problem, then I am confident it can and will be solved.

[RobbyS]

"Based on this, it is very clear who is the one benefiting from igniting this war and from the shedding of blood. It is the warlords, the bloodsuckers, who are steering the world policy from behind a curtain." Boy, yellow journalism never dies.

[lowbridge]

"raising some deep concerns"

Only with the American left and the other enemies of America.

Exactly.

[dila813]

This was written by a Frenchman no doubt.

[Bonaparte]

"It is more a coalition of the billing than of the willing," Singer said.

What is it about guys named Peter Singer? Is he suggesting that these private soldiers are in Iraq against their will? That the companies who employ/deploy them have somehow been forced into contracts they don't like or want? That casualties among professional soldiers in combat are unacceptable and unusual? If so, Singer doesn't understand how these things work. Mercenaries are well-paid to take these risks and the squeamish need not apply.

First the liberal media disingenuously complains about the loss of US soldiers' lives. Now they complain that we're employing mercenaries who are sparing the lives of many US soldiers. Let's face it, nothing will satisfy them except immediate allied withdrawal from Iraq, restoration of Saddam to his brutal dictatorship, reinstatement of French/German/Russian corruption in that country and the resignation or removal of President Bush from office. Until those things happen, we can depend on the media to complain about absolutely everything -- from the liberation of the Iraqi people to the defense of our own cities from terrorist attack.

[dennisw]

Guts!! May God bless and protect our "commandos" and other retired spec ops guys in Iraq. They are all valuable Americans.

[Khurkris]

ping

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Thanks, Khurkris.

A Contractor Tells About His Mission

The hogs of war: 'outsourcing’ of Iraq security work is adding to the chaos

[monkeywrench]

Many of them are. But, thanks to articles like this, they'll all be labeled by Iraqi's as "mercenaries".

[monkeywrench]

Have you noticed the war going on under the wire over there? The special ops guys from Germany, china, etc? Perfect enviornment for our own "mercenaries".

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Calling mercenaries civilian contractors gives the real contractor a bad name.

Security professionals employed by firms with contracts in Iraq are contractors. Many work for security firms not as employees but as independent contractors.

The very existence of private military companies offends the Left, providing as they do a capitalistic solution to the risks of relying on government monopolies on the use of force to protect lives, property and investments. Thus the name calling. The word "mercenary" is one of those emotion-laden words like "fascist" and "nazi" and "racist" with which the Left voices their disapproval.

[Moonman62]

Ex-military commandos armed with M4 rifles are fighting insurgents in Iraq (news - web sites) as part of a private contracting force, many of them hired by the US-led coalition, raising some deep concerns.

I doubt they are involved in offensive action, and I saw nothing in the article to indicate they are.

[elfman2]

I spoke with a special forces guy 3 days ago. He said that these contractors were presenting a problem for retention in the upper ranks. He said that people with 20 years in Special Opps were being lured away with $150k per year contracts with these guys.

BTW, the 3 Blackwater mutilations, 2 former Seals and a former Ranger.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Unlike the military, there are no laws preventing the PMF's from operating in side the US. Perhaps to guard the Clinton Library.

[JOAT]

The concept of a corporate army, with no elected oversight, doesn't seem to bother anyone on this thread?

Interesting.

I'm no liberal, but the idea of 15,000 ex-special forces personnel that answer only to a board of directors and not a bona fide chain of command doesn't strike me as anything to get "patriotic" over.

"What If.." some large corporation that sees itself as multinational (and no longer American) has a force of former special ops guys from various countries. Our government has goals that don't mesh with big corporation, and we tell them to get out. They say 'no' and back it up with 'contractors.' I don't find a corporate army anything to be enthusiastic about.