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Cedar Park Dad wrote:

VMI77 wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

If not, ok. Not sure what to do about it though.
I'd bet air strikes (drone strikes if you prefer) will start hitting within 24 hours.

Not mercenaries, employees of the DOD there to prepare a transfer of fighter jets to the Iraqi government.

Why are we giving them fighter jets?

Looks like we "sold" them to them.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1 ... 3683383242" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AndyC wrote:In other news - my Brit team-mate is home after what he called a "hairy week". I just found out that an American I know is still there, trying to make it out.

Andy, that's great news. I am so relieved for your friend. As for the American, let's pray he suffers a similar fate - rescued before the evil beasts can get to him. Like you, and your buddies, in that situation I would take as many as I could with me, but I would be dead at the end (or all of them would be.)

AndyC wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

Define "mercenary", because I didn't meet any over there.

Hired private ex-soldiers, now AKA security contractors.

Beiruty wrote:

AndyC wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

Define "mercenary", because I didn't meet any over there.

Hired private ex-soldiers, now AKA security contractors.

Why do we not care about them again?

I'm late to the party, I realize this, but I'm trying to catch up. I have some good buddies over there and in other parts of the world.

Beiruty wrote:

AndyC wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

Define "mercenary", because I didn't meet any over there.

Hired private ex-soldiers, now AKA security contractors.

Exactly.

gigag04 wrote:

Beiruty wrote:

AndyC wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

Define "mercenary", because I didn't meet any over there.

Hired private ex-soldiers, now AKA security contractors.

Why do we not care about them again?

I'm late to the party, I realize this, but I'm trying to catch up. I have some good buddies over there and in other parts of the world.

Live by the sword. Die by the sword.

Cedar Park Dad wrote:

gigag04 wrote:

Beiruty wrote:

AndyC wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

Define "mercenary", because I didn't meet any over there.

Hired private ex-soldiers, now AKA security contractors.

Why do we not care about them again?

I'm late to the party, I realize this, but I'm trying to catch up. I have some good buddies over there and in other parts of the world.

Live by the sword. Die by the sword.

The same can be said for those who pack firearms. Those contractors are human beings, and more than likely American citizens. The fact that they earn a living using a different skill set than you does not make them useless and allow them to be thrown away like garbage.

Anygunanywhere

Cedar Park Dad wrote:

gigag04 wrote:

Beiruty wrote:

AndyC wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

Define "mercenary", because I didn't meet any over there.

Hired private ex-soldiers, now AKA security contractors.

Why do we not care about them again?

I'm late to the party, I realize this, but I'm trying to catch up. I have some good buddies over there and in other parts of the world.

Live by the sword. Die by the sword.

You do realize that the country you live in exists, in good measure, because of mercenaries, right? It was Hessian mercenaries that trained the Americans to fight, thus contributing to their success in the Revolution.

And you also realize that our military are all mercenaries? IOW, they are paid to fight for us?

baldeagle wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:

gigag04 wrote:

Beiruty wrote:

AndyC wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

Define "mercenary", because I didn't meet any over there.

Hired private ex-soldiers, now AKA security contractors.

Why do we not care about them again?

I'm late to the party, I realize this, but I'm trying to catch up. I have some good buddies over there and in other parts of the world.

Live by the sword. Die by the sword.

You do realize that the country you live in exists, in good measure, because of mercenaries, right? It was Hessian mercenaries that trained the Americans to fight, thus contributing to their success in the Revolution.

And you also realize that our military are all mercenaries? IOW, they are paid to fight for us?

To equate our soldiers with mercenaries is...misplaced thinking.

The same can be said for those who pack firearms. Those contractors are human beings, and more than likely American citizens.

They may be humans but there's no reason to go to war for them.

Why do you have such a negative opinion of them? Do they not support our mission and fill roles that aren't filled by traditional military personnel? I know the term mercenary sound scary kind of light assault weapon but they do fill an important role. I think general statements like that are shortsighted and unwarranted.

baldeagle wrote:You do realize that the country you live in exists, in good measure, because of mercenaries, right? It was Hessian mercenaries that trained the Americans to fight, thus contributing to their success in the Revolution.

What an interesting viewpoint on what the Hessians were doing on this side of the pond.

The two former Navy SEALs killed at Benghazi protecting the embassy were contractors, the same sort of individuals some are denigrating on this forum as mercenaries. There are many more examples of contractors who have given their lives for the missions our military have undertaken in many areas around the globe. They are no less patriots just because they were contractors.

I need to stop before I say something in response that is not allowed here due to decorum rules.

Anygunanywhere

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Obama creates new Pacific Marine Sanctuary today.

275 Marines to Bagdad to protect US interests.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/mar ... d=24152521" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Obama multitasks.

The Hessians probably didn't realize they were training our soldiers to fight at the time.