Posted on 06/16/2022 3:36:11 AM PDT by Candor7
A contracted mercenary has no legal recognition or protection as a prisoner of war. Two American mercenary soldiers have been captured by Russian forces and now present a rather unique issue for the Biden administration. The traditional end result for captured mercenaries is execution; however, Russian President Vladimir Putin may not want to hang these two State Dept. conscripts.
(Via Telegraph) – Two former US servicemen have been captured during fighting with Russian forces in Ukraine, The Telegraph has been told. The pair were taken prisoner during a fierce battle outside the north-east city of Kharkiv last week, according to comrades who were fighting alongside them.
Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, had been serving as volunteers with a regular Ukrainian army unit. They are believed to be the first US servicemen to end up as Russian prisoners of war. They join a growing number of Western military volunteers captured by Russian forces, including at least two Britons.
Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner have already been told they face the death penalty as “mercenaries”. The capture of the two Americans will be diplomatically sensitive as the Kremlin may seek to use it as proof that America is becoming directly involved in the war. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, is likely to demand significant concessions to release them.
Referenced article: "The Telegraph" https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/06/15/exclusive-first-two-us-fighters-captured-russian-forces-battle/
Let me reword my comment: “They are not being treated as POWs.”
I agree that they should indeed be treated as POWs.
I never said anything about “illegal mercenaries.” I just think they operate at their own risk and should have no expectation that they’d be treated the same as their Ukrainian counterparts.
Regarding your other point about non-citizens serving in the U.S. military, I would simply suggest that this is a bad idea that has serious risks for the U.S. as a sovereign nation, and seems to follow the same pattern of decline in the Roman Empire.
“Tell me what makes either of these Americans any different than Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.”
Easy. Western volunteers are fighting with, and as members of a nation’s army. The jihadis are not.
I’m kind of surprised that this is still considered breaking news here on FR, but Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s side WON in Afghanistan.
Oh no! Who will wave the rainbow flag in Ukraine now ?
There are many non US citizens currently serving in the US military. And when we were in Iraq or Afghanistan, they were not citizens of those countries either.
Russia should re-educate them and then have denounce the pervert Western plutocrats.
You should be denouncing the pervert Western plutocrats as well.
So what about all the Syrian troops Russia bought in? Not Russian citizens, and not citizens of the Ukraine (foreign soil).
Sorry, no officers of the US are non- citizens.
Enlisted may be, but officers, by law, must be sole- US citizens.
I beg to differ. In knew of an armor officer who was a citizen of Ireland and chaplain who was a citizen of Poland.
I stand corrected in regard to the Chechens, but the Wagner Groups are foreigners.
If we had minded our own business in the first place the war would likely be over with much less damage to Ukraine. Both sides are massively corrupt and this conflict between reprobates isn’t worth us being involved. I mostly blame our media for stoking up morons to go fight for our preferred gang of criminals in this conflict.
Gee, it must really blow to be them in that situation right now. What must they be thinking now about that honest peaceful job that they turned down at the Jiffy Lube and instead went for the big bucks in Ukraine?
I hereby denounce all pervert Western plutocrats. Easy.
The Russians themselves are using Syrian mercenaries.
They are, supposedly, volunteers that joined the Ukrainian military.
The British “mercenaries” captured in Mariupol are Ukrainian citizens, in the Ukrainian army.
This is just Russian propaganda.
Actual, paid mercenaries are like Russia’s Wagner group, the chechens and Syrians.
The US military has tens of thousands of “ mercenaries”,according to Russia, i.e., immigrants who join the military, to gain citizenship, when their service is finished.
For some, on this site, it’s bad for the invaded country to use mercenaries, but perfectly fine for the invading country.
The hypocrisy is astounding.
I have read the threat and I think everyone here is missing the point. There is more here than meets the eye. Some people volunteered as foreign mercenaries and may be paid form non-Ukrainian sources. There are also those sent by Western governments and in this case Russia is forcing France, Britian, and the US to admit we sent in military personnel or intel agency assets to assit in direct combat operations. The NATO declared personnel that are doing training are not these people, but there were reports last month that France had 50 military officers assigned to NATO captured with no official resolution - however, no public trails either.
Contractors such as Wagner, or the French Foreign Legion, are sanctioned combatants who take on more risk than common soldiers and are treated as lawful combatants. These type of soldiers are paid from governments openly.
America is going to probably leave the CIA assets on their own rather than admit publically we are involved directly in this war.
NATO staffed joint command posts in the Ukraine and Russia has worked hard to capture them when possible. The same for Biden family Hunter Biden biolabs to which the Pentago admits.
British Intel will not get their assets back. NATO might. Volunteers not paid by Ukraine will be sentenced.
IF you are determined enough to go somewhere and fight someone elses war, why would you not be determined enough to fight to the death?
” why would you not be determined enough to fight to the death?”
What this stunt by Russia will do is cause the foreign troops to do just that. Very foolish to give your enemy that extra motivation.
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