For those of you who still wonder what a private "contractor" in Iraq is, check out the picture.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20819065/
caw
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20819065/
caw
This'll help
- Thread starter blacbird
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2006
- Messages
- 4,672
- Reaction score
- 3,566
- Location
- Spurs Country
- Website
- www.jayyoungweb.com
I assume you're talking about the picture of the helicopter, not the "plus-size models" in the ad on the left. Although . . .
Sounds like jumping the gun to me. I'm not saying they didn't do anything wrong but nobody knows whether they did or didn't. At this point it's just a propaganda tool.
From the article:
"Unlike soldiers, the contractors are not bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Under a special provision secured by American-occupying forces, they are exempt from prosecution by Iraqis for crimes committed there."
Anybody who doesn't recognize this as a potential problem? Back in 1970, that guy hanging out the chopper door with the rifle would have been a Spec-4 making a couple hundred bucks a month, with PX privileges. This dude probably makes a couple hundred grand a year, tax-free, with a license to kill. Can you spell M-E-R-C-E-N-A-R-Y? Sure you can.
caw
"Unlike soldiers, the contractors are not bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Under a special provision secured by American-occupying forces, they are exempt from prosecution by Iraqis for crimes committed there."
Anybody who doesn't recognize this as a potential problem? Back in 1970, that guy hanging out the chopper door with the rifle would have been a Spec-4 making a couple hundred bucks a month, with PX privileges. This dude probably makes a couple hundred grand a year, tax-free, with a license to kill. Can you spell M-E-R-C-E-N-A-R-Y? Sure you can.
caw
I always thought it would be cool to be a door gunner.
I imagine since our ROE are so screwed up that our military uses some form of these kinds of folks to do things that we can't do in some situations.
I imagine since our ROE are so screwed up that our military uses some form of these kinds of folks to do things that we can't do in some situations.
billythrilly7th
Banned
It has nothing to do with Rules of Engagement. It has everything to do with the desire of Donald Rumsfeld, prior to the war, to reduce Army troop strength in favor of flashy Shock-and-Awe high tech war gadgets. That, and the mind-set of the Administration as a whole that "privatization" is universally good, why not extend it to military endeavors as well. And, hey, you got some good ol' boy types running these private, for-profit military academies, drinking buddies of people in positions of political clout, so the recipe is complete.
caw
Why, Rumper, did you miss the Big TV Event back in March 2003? You know, that surprise attack we warned them was going to happen? Big noises, flashy lights, just like the Fourth of July in Central Park. We sure did scare the willies off them Iraqis then, didn't we?
caw
Joe270
Banned
Mercs sure get paid better than they used to. A friend of mine went to Rhodesia, '400 bucks a month and all you can steal' was his catch phrase. He wanted me to join him. I decided against it. He died there.
Perhaps the Rhodesians should have paid their mercs better.
Perhaps the Rhodesians should have paid their mercs better.
My dad worked as a contractor (telecommunications) in Baghdad in 2004 for about five months. He lived in the Green Zone but had to travel outside it for work. His firm assigned him a security detail he likened to the Keystone Cops (they often got lost driving him around downtown Baghdad, were slow and overweight, basically had what amounted to water pistols, etc). He was there just as they were kidnapping contractors and cutting their heads off (he was acquaintances with one of the guys who was executed). We all would have much preferred him with the Blackwater guys.
billythrilly7th
Banned
i guess the gaffers short answer bit is over..
shame
thoiught it had years left of life
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2005
- Messages
- 6,326
- Reaction score
- 855
Blackwater expelled from Iraq by Prime Minister.
Conflicting reports of how the incident played out - an attack against a Dept of State convoy or overreaction to nearby carbomb (can one under-react to a carbomb?).
Blessing in disquise? Contractors out, troop cuts looming for next year, Iraqi government growing a spine?
Conflicting reports of how the incident played out - an attack against a Dept of State convoy or overreaction to nearby carbomb (can one under-react to a carbomb?).
Blessing in disquise? Contractors out, troop cuts looming for next year, Iraqi government growing a spine?
Just as an aside, the man who established Blackwater Security, father of the ex-Navy Seal who now runs the operation, was a millionaire by means of an auto-parts business, and a major contributor to the Republican Party over many years. He was also instrumental in establishing Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family organization, one of the leading Christian Fundamentalist political groups in the nation.
I'm sure that had nothing to do with them getting their 800+ million dollar contract for Iraq, however.
caw
I'm sure that had nothing to do with them getting their 800+ million dollar contract for Iraq, however.
caw
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2007
- Messages
- 5,378
- Reaction score
- 288
- Location
- New Jersey
- Website
- infinitygoddess.net
billythrilly7th
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2006
- Messages
- 5,336
- Reaction score
- 1,446
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2005
- Messages
- 6,072
- Reaction score
- 4,324
I'm curious if anyone knows of any other time/era/incident etc. where security of American interests, government officials and diplomatic personnel were handled by non-military personnel.