Contractors accused of firing on civilians, GIs (AP)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20231579/

Iraq contractors a reckless force?
Huge private force operates in Iraq with little supervision or accountability

The Associated Press
Updated: 11:33 p.m. CT Aug 11, 2007

There are now nearly as many private contractors in Iraq as there are U.S. soldiers — and a large percentage of them are private security guards equipped with automatic weapons, body armor, helicopters and bullet-proof trucks.

They operate with little or no supervision, accountable only to the firms employing them. And as the country has plummeted toward anarchy and civil war, this private army has been accused of indiscriminately firing at American and Iraqi troops, and of shooting to death an unknown number of Iraqi citizens who got too close to their heavily armed convoys.

Not one has faced charges or prosecution.

There is great confusion among legal experts and military officials about what laws — if any — apply to Americans in this force of at least 48,000.

...

Much more at the link, a worthwhile read.

[Hieronymus]

1. They are not subject to any law.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Privatizing our military is working so well!!

:sarcasm:

[Nomad559]

3. Video: Contractors Open Fire on Civilians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4BnEVP8hc0

[SalmonChantedEvening]

4. Anarchy IS the plan.

Endless anarchy means endless war and occupation, and that means what matters most: Endless Profiteering.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. On the eve of invading Iraq, Bush signed an Executive Order that protected contractors

from liability.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

6. PBS Frontline did an excellent show on this topic, available as a stream here:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/view/

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. Thank you for the link! I'm going to bookmark it! eom

[Solon]

7. May I just say that if there is any group of people I hate, its Mercs...

These fucking soldiers of fortune are no better than Mafia hitmen, I hope they all choke on their own feces and die.

[seemslikeadream]

8. There are now nearly as many private contractors in Iraq as there are U.S. soldiers

Who do they take orders from?

Oh that's right they don't have to follow military orders. :shrug:

[lonestarnot]

10. 5th branch of military that we don't need to worry about bringing home.