Mercenaries for Hire

[thetorch]

This points to the biggest problem with the outsourcing of war: there is far less accountability to the American public and to international law than if real troops were performing the tasks. In the 1990's, several employees of one company, DynCorp, were implicated in a sex-trafficking scandal in Bosnia involving girls as young as 12. Had these men been soldiers, they would have faced court-martial proceedings. As private workers, they were simply put on the next plane back to America. Think about it: a private military firm might decide to pack its own bags for any number of reasons, leaving American soldiers and equipment vulnerable to enemy attack. If the military really can't fight wars without contractors, it must at least come up with ironclad policies on what to do if the private soldiers break local laws or leave American forces in the lurch.

[no1cardfan]

Wow. That has got to be the longest link I've ever seen.

[007]

Originally posted by no1cardfan@Apr 3 2004, 04:27 PM
Wow. That has got to be the longest link I've ever seen.

I can never get my links to be as long....

[hansolo]

another downside with the use of contractors is that its drawing away our best of the best from our elite troops for higher pay.

the SAS are experiencing the same problems.

han solo

[kah2523]

Well, at least we know why the media and the government refuse to call them what they are, mercenaries.

Turns out the use of mercenaries is a war crime. Oops.

http://www.vbs.admin.ch/internet/gst/KVR/e/e-merc89.htm

[madyaks]

It has been like this for a long time.

When I was in the Air Force there was a very open well known offer from the Saudis to go over and guard their bases.
The CIA and other intelligence groups hire our people away too.
Private companies also have "relationships" with the military.

[thetorch]

Another plus, hired mercenaries can use weapons that are banned by American and International accords. Contractors are now using a bullet that acts as it it has an exploding tip which results in death if a target is hit anywhere on his/her body.

Private Contractor Tests New Illegal Ammo By, Killing An Iraqi