[starlifter]

Am I the only one who is troubled that the US government is funding a bunch of Rambo-wannabees who apparently have no accountability for their actions?

[freedomdefender]

Am I the only one who is troubled that the US government is funding a bunch of Rambo-wannabees who apparently have no accountability for their actions?

I don't know about others, but I'm with you. There are too many Bushbots on this board - they choose to ignore the voice of their own common sense when it conflicts with some policy that has Bush's name on it.

[Alberta's Child]

Dude -- that's exactly why they're over there.

The whole purpose of using private contractors in military roles is three-fold:

1. These companies spend a lot of money lobbying in Washington, and they are paid accordingly.

2. Their employees aren't oeprating under U.S. law and are not subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

3. Once the U.S. military reduces its combat operations in Iraq, nobody is going to hear any media reports about what these contractors do as they work for their "new" employers (i.e., an Iraqi government that is basically just a puppet of the United States).

[ChurtleDawg]

no. I also find it highly disturbing

from what I have heard from people who have been over there, these Blackwater guys (and other privatized paramilitary outfits) are pretty much despised by everyone

[anymouse]

Am I the only one who is troubled that the US government is funding a bunch of Rambo-wannabees who apparently have no accountability for their actions?

Yes. Next question?

Welcome to FR, troll.

Blackwater employees former Special Forces troops, who are the best of the best. Their job is to keep VIPs alive in hostile and uncertain situations. They get the job done. In case you haven't been paying attention to CSPAN, Blackwater has been raked over the coals and they have fired the few of their personnel that have done inappropriate actions.

It is too easy to "Monday morning quarterback" what they should have done now. I doubt that you could stand in their place for more than a few minutes without wetting your pants or soiling yourself, knowing that snipers, IEDs and RPGs may be waiting around the next corner.

[Proud2BAmerican]

Color me more than troubled. It p****s me off to no end that these guys are mowing down civilians and in the process putting our U.S. soldiers’ lives in danger.

[DCPatriot]

Am I the only one who is troubled that the US government is funding a bunch of Rambo-wannabees who apparently have no accountability for their actions?

And now you know why the US government isn't too keen on hiring ex-Minutemen to help protect our Southern border.

[SteveMcKing]

A wealthy, dumb political suit sends a man to kill and to risk being killed -- and the man is accountable? To whom... to the politician?

That's just backwards.