Has anyone proposed law banning mercenaries?

[yurbud]

Like no private contractors shall be used to bear arms, interrogate prisoners, or interact in any hostile way on behalf of the United States government in another country?

It's a small thing, but it would make us look less vicious and more accountable in the rest of the world.

It would also cut off one of the revenue streams of war profiteers.

Frankly, I think we need to undo most of the privatization that's gone on in the military. When KBR can threaten to withhold food from the troops over a billing dispute, that by itself shows the system should not continue.

[annabanana]

1. This would be a hard one...

The most prominent Democrats don't seem to have much of a problem with them...

[pitohui]

2. do you want a draft?

mercenaries are a reality in prosecuting an unpopular war

[yurbud]

5. then stop the war. If it's unpopular with the people we've invaded,

then we aren't pursuing Democratic values.

[pitohui]

17. yes i actually agree

i am anti-war as far as iraq goes

[yurbud]

19. I am only pro-WWII and Korea, so if we ever go back to 41 & 50....

I would approve.

[tk2kewl]

14. wars of choice would be much harder to enter into if there was mandatory

service. if everyone was required to serve 2 years and if every family in america had a child in the armed forces, the likelihood of elective conflict would go way down

[tx_dem41]

3. Believe me...if I am a private contractor for the DOD and sent..

over to Iraq, I better have the right to defend myself (i.e. bear arms and act in a hostile manner if personally attacked).

[yurbud]

4. that's slightly different that having that as your job description

the primary problem is they aren't subject to the UCMJ, and therefore there's a greater temptation to use them in criminal ways.

[tx_dem41]

8. How are you going to define "private contractor"....

I work for a defense contractor...I could get sent over there. I want to have the right to defend myself (and quite frankly I'm not certain that the U.S. Government would have the legal authority to tell me that I can't).

[yurbud]

11. Are you contracted to kidnap, interrogate, or get in fire fights?

If not, that's a different situation than what I'm referring to.

[tx_dem41]

13. No...but that definition is easily "gotten around". n./t

[yurbud]

15. yeah, some of current mercs were hired through dept. of ag

fertilizing the crops with blood I guess

[tnlefty]

6. Could we first have a law banning them from use in the US?

I can't believe that people arent' freaking out about their being used on the streets of NO!

[yurbud]

7. did US hire them or is it just "private security" for the rich?

[tnlefty]

16. It is my understanding that the rich folks hired theirs and that the

feds hired contractors from Blackwater to patrol the streets of NO.

[Shadowen]

9. To be honest, I don't mind mercenaries, to a certain extent.

To me, they make a good point. If you're going to ask someone to fight and kill and die for your organization, at least pay them enough that they can live comfortably above the poverty line. If you can't, the smart ones will go somewhere else, so they can. Veteran soldiers with half a brain should realize they can probably make a much better living (and get to choose their jobs) as freelancers, as opposed to being paid shit for something you didn't necessarily sign on for.

A part of me half hopes that more and more veteran soldiers do realize this until all we're left with are the idealistic and the rookies, so we might eventually realize that our soldiers, if they are used justly, deserve a lot more than they're currently given. The other part of me realizes that means that it'll be the non-idealistic types getting paid scads of money to kill people, and that is a disturbing thought.

[yurbud]

10. we aren't saving money, and soldiers resent pay differential

it's fairly obvious that in addition to being freer to commit war crimes, the point is not to save money but to put it in the pockets of cronies instead of our troops.

[yurbud]

12. TOON: another reason why mercenaries and other expat contractors bad

[dusty64]

18. Or here in the United States.

WTF, I can't believe this story isn't covered at all. When I bring it up everyone looks at me like I'm crazy, they don't have a clue. WHY is this being ignored by the "opposition" and the media? In light of *'s increasing insistence on deploying the military against the People (flu, hurricane, whatever) this is an EXTREMELY important issue. Being an ardent believer in MIHOP and knowing the shitstorm that likely awaits the regime very soon, I really believe this is the plan to hold onto power and you can bet your life this Captain Tripps bullshit is headed to a blue state near you.

[yurbud]

21. MIHOP gets into a whole different ball game

Whenever I bring up anything remotely close to that, no matter how mainstream the source is, like say a US Senator who was on the joint congressional inquiry, people don't process it. They can't.

I've posted several times about the coming war in Iran, and people don't seem to process that either.

I got to admit, I don't even "feel" the potential domestic dangers of mercenaries, I'm just thinking of war crimes overseas and how it hurts our reputation.

[dusty64]

22. It shouldn't be allowed

anywhere. Being aware of what they've done in Iraq makes me extremely against them being used here and aboard and that should be our argument. The fact that they are accountable to no one is VERY worrisome. It seems like our regime is just itching to find some kind of excuse to get permission to use our military on our soil against US, this is at least the second time * has talked of this in the last month. This can NOT be allowed period.

[mmonk]

20. This abuse

of the use of mercenaries is troublesome. They seem to obey no military laws, act outside of domestic law as well as international law, and follow no real rules of engagement. Just who are they accountable to?