Who the hell are the Iraqis to determine anything or exercise authority over anyone? Tell them to drop dead. They can't interfere with our operations. If they object, put them up against a wall and shoot them.

We need a free fire force in Iraq. Meddling Congresspersons are hampering operations. Restraints imposed by the Administration are themselves far too much.

"We need a free fire force in Iraq."

You envision what role for yourself in this?

503: you need to fine tune your sarcasm meter.

Briwo. Johnson is either serious, recently off the rails or the best satirist I've seen on Drudge. His earlier posts could have been written by Tony Snow.

I'm going with satire. If he means otherwise, then all options are on the table.

I think he was just expressing his lack of bowel movement in a lyrical way.

contractors in a combat role are a bad idea but im weary of the malformed judicial system in iraq prosecuting any foriegner....buyer beware eh?

Anyone looking to make more money in war than they would in peace is morally suspect in my book. Particularly when fomenting hatred is to their advantage.

They should throw in a clause about taking care of sick kids to give Bush some political cover when he vetoes it.

contractors in a combat role are a bad idea but im weary of the malformed judicial system in iraq prosecuting any foriegner....buyer beware eh?

Posted by Doem

there needs to be regulation of these guys, of course. but if they are subjected to the iraqi judicial system will they even continue to take contracts in iraq? and if they don't, won't that put a major strain on our forces?

will we then have to alocate good/experienced soldiers to protect dimplomats while they could be doing something more usefull?

""will we then have to alocate good/experienced soldiers to protect dimplomats while they could be doing something more usefull?""

Oh, you mean will we actually have to recruit an Army large enough to accomplish the mission???

Will the potential for profit be eliminated from providing man power for war??

When war is profitable you will find yourself in wars that don't need fighting.

danni, i hear ya. there is something inherently wrong with mercenaries.

however, keep in mind that the % of jobs being filled by these blackwater contractors is not gigantic. so its not like half our force is merc.

its simple economics really, (and yes i know you hate economics), but there is a high demand for experienced bodyguards, and a short supply of them as we need to have our experienced soldiers out and about.... not driving in a car next to some random official. its not that we don't have the supply of men (that counters your "we can't recruit an amry large enough" bs comment), but that we don't have a large enough supply of experienced bodyguards.

sure there may be some greedy blackwater execs making tons of money off this that you would love to go and 'take care of'. but i doubt the majority of the blackwater guys in the field are exactly loving their job. they do it because the price is JUST right. i doubt there are tons of them signing up to get out there asap.

this 'war' may be profitable for a select few, but i don't believe its the entire reason behind it. its a 'war' that will determine the future of the middle east, and consequently, determine the future of world energy supply.

the % of jobs being filled by these blackwater contractors is not gigantic


Blackwater isn't the only company supplying mercs.

Estimated...because no one knows for sure...30,000 to 45,000 plus another 80,000 to 100,000 who provide logistical services.

Almost one for one military - contractor.

The idea has been to outsource the regular functions of the military as they reduced the force. Bush/Cheney started it, and Cheney opened the door to Halliburton and KBR by letting out a contract for a plan to do just that when he was SecDefense.

It's the sort of thing that makes sense on paper if the military action is of short duration, and of minimal involvement.

But occupying a country for 4 1/2 years?

That's where the cost benefit analysis got trashed.

Of course I remember when Marines guarded our Embassies.

i hear that. but the GRAND majority of those contractors are doing logistical services, and don't carry weapons... from what i understand. they aren't the ones affected by this law. the cost benefit is aplicable to the bodyguard contractors because they have expertise in that field. if we used our own military experts, it would be a waste of resources. but these guys just take money, something we like to pretend we have an endless supply of.

The FACT that if we had a draft we would not now be in Iraq should wake some of you up. The fact that some of you think it is ok to have mercenaries makes me think that America is an experiment which failed. This isn't the country that our fathers fought for, it is rapidly becoming more similar to the nation our fathers fought against.

""the cost benefit is aplicable to the bodyguard contractors because they have expertise in that field.""

Gee, if there were no jobs for contractors with that type of experience then where would those guys probably be???
Like in the military that paid to train them.
Why do we want to allow Blackwater or any other company to lure our soldiers out of our military???
America should outlaw all mercenaries.

Gee, if there were no jobs for contractors with that type of experience then where would those guys probably be???

-danni

they would be doing some other type of private security around the globe. they wouldn't go back to the military if there wasn't iraq.

sure they lure soldiers our of the military, and its unfortunate because they also work side by side yet their pays aren't side by side.

and danni, since you are a communist, you're in no position to talk about what type of nation america is supposed to be.

;)

""they would be doing some other type of private security around the globe.""

Yeah??? Where are they going to earn that kind of dough except working for the crony capitalists who are trying to privatize our military???
If there were no contractors making the big bucks in Iraq our trained personnel would stay in the military.
If there had not been billions to be made in the war we would never have been there.

"The fact that some of you think it is ok to have mercenaries makes me think that America is an experiment which failed. This isn't the country that our fathers fought for, it is rapidly becoming more similar to the nation our fathers fought against."
-Danni-

Danni, I usually think you are pretty far out there, but I have to agree with you 100% on this one. Its scary to take a step back and look at what we have become in such a short period of time. Thats why it is important to elect someone out of the main stream 1 party system of Hillary, Guiliani, etc. Also, I would like to see more restrictions put on the Presidents power to go to war.

BEN you think I am pretty far out there only because you don't recognize that the issue of mercenaries is just the tip of the ice berg.
The same administration that hires mercenaries has taken this country into a disastrous war in Iraq pretending that it had something to do with security here in America. It seems that most Americans don't want to recognize how criminal the administration is and thus they think anyone who does is "far out there."

Oh, I have no doubts about the criminality of the Bush administration. I think most Americans are just to lazy to care. But, when you start talking about 911 theories I start to distance myself. Its just my opinion.

-Ben-

Ben, while I do feel we have not been given a full and accurate explanation for the events of 9-11 and while I am suspicious of the administration and its possible motives for ignoring the potential threat I do not actually support any specific conspiracy theory. I didn't really question it until that attack was used dishonestly as an excuse to justify invading Iraq. When they did that then I realized that we cannot really trust anything they say or do and thus suspicions about 9-11 began to grow. I just do not consider that to be "far out." It seems to me that it is naive to not be suspicious.

I just love how Blackwater gets immunity for shooting Iraqis, but we have border agents in jail for shooting Mexican drug dealers.

Where is their immunity?

Why do we want to allow Blackwater or any other company to lure our soldiers out of our military???
America should outlaw all mercenaries.


When I was on active duty, it really surprised me that KBR was allowed to actively allowed to recruit out of our unit. In fact, we actually had a mandatory company meeting about career opportunities at KBR. At the time, all of our post security (Camp Monteith, Kosovo) was being transitioned over to them, and just about every other support service was already run by them.

Posted by 503jc69 at 2007-10-30 02:22 PM

"Tell them to drop dead. They can't interfere with our operations. If they object, put them up against a wall and shoot them"

again we get to hear a so called christain calling for more killings....you truly are a piece of shit.
i hope you will enjoy that pitchfork up your ass for eternity

503jc69, I don't know how subtle or how overt you are. Possibly your code if there be one also uses the 69 bit to refer to simultaneous reciprocal performance of cunnilingus and fellatio on each other by a man and a woman, or for the impaired possibly by a same sex couple upon each other.

Well, I'll be familiar and address you as 503, which also may have some significance for you other than as an identifier.

Whatever you are, 503, you can be redeemed. There is no sinner so low and so debased that he may not obtain salvation through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who died on the cross at Calvary for our sins and for our absolution.

Again, I bear you no ill will, especially knowing the burden you must bear as an unredeemed sinner. I wish you the best. May you live a long, fulfilled, and happy life, despite your seemingly being additionally burdened by such malice as you have expressed.

I'll pray for you in the spirit of communion for all mankind, and for those in the botherhood of Christ.

{burp}

(scratching balls)

Amen. Praise jeebus.

Pass the ammunition. Gotta kill me sum interfererers.