Were the murdered Americans in Iraq mercenaries?

[spanone]

As I understand it, these guys were soldiers outsourced from the pentagon, privatized so to speak. I heard these guys make around $500.00 a day. Seem like expensive soldiers.

[Jacobin]

1. Yeah. They worked for Blackwater Security

Google that for a very ironic picture on their web page.

[ithacan]

3. outsourced Special Operations forces

check out the company's website, it spells it all out in black and white.

[arcane1]

4. feel free yet? If not, take a look:

http://www.blackwaterusa.com

[Bonhomme Richard]

6. Stormtroopers of the Empire

Or the new empire of neocons.

[Jacobin]

12. Good grief

If this isn't some black ops front I don't know what is.

Bunch a fucking soldier of fortune wingnuts.

[democracyindanger]

2. "Contractors"

is the term they're using. But one had a DOD ID card--which is curious. I'm sure the press will follow up on that. :eyes:

[arcane1]

7. so, since they are technically non-military, that means...

that they can be called "innocent civilains" in repube propaganda, and they can even call their attackers "terrorists"


I wonder how many people even realize we are doing this... these guys are making a ton of money while the troops live in squalor, buying their own armor. Disgraceful

then there is that (pruely coincidental, I'm sure) little detail about not being bound by Geneva, etc...

:grr:

[spanone]

5. Thank you

That is some scary website.

Blackwater EXECUTES WITH SPEED AND EFFICIENCY. Blackwater has THE PEOPLE TO EXECUTE ANY REQUIREMENTS.

[ParanoidPat]

8. You tell me.....

.....From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary :evilgrin:

Main Entry: 1mer·ce·nary
Pronunciation: 'm&r-s&n-"er-E
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -nar·ies
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin mercenarius, irregular from merced-, merces wages -- more at MERCY
: one that serves merely for wages; especially : a soldier hired into foreign service

If it walks like a duck.......:)

[spanone]

9. Quack!

[lapfog_1]

13. The really sad thing is...

that this incident will likely be a financial windfall for the
Blackwater set of companies... it's a lot of free advertising and
media exposure - even if somewhat negative (these expert ex Navy
Seal types get caught by a rag tag bunch of ill trained Iraqi
terrorists). I wonder if the Carlyle Group is funding them?

[Mr. McD]

10. So

why is it when we kill Iraqi civilians it is collateral damage but if they kill American civilians it is murder?

[supernova]

11. "Private Security Firm"

is the preferred phrase these days.

[spanone]

14. CNN TALKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW!!!!

[suegeo]

15. How about Privatized Navy Seals?

Or Corporate Combatant?
Soldier with corporate sponsorship?
Corporate-sponsored marine?

Contractor is just plain stupid and misleading.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Yes, one of them had been on the show COMBAT MISSIONS

Scott Helvenston:

I wonder how many of those other guys are either serving or working privately over there or in Afghanistan.

http://www.usanetwork.com/series/combatmissions/squads/delta.html