tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811369.post6397461988339624737..comments2023-10-24T01:23:36.470-07:00Comments on Thin Places: The whores of warroyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00508828835908673347noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811369.post-77679005685484540482010-04-07T16:12:50.927-07:002010-04-07T16:12:50.927-07:00Michael, the solution is for the military to have ...Michael, the solution is for the military to have sufficient personnel to handle these jobs.<br /><br />The fact that we have chosen not to have these folks as sworn soldiers is allowing our leaders a free pass when it comes to war.<br /><br />We all know that there is no way we could have gone to war in Iraq without the PMC's.<br /><br />It was just simple numbers. So congress would have had to draft, or call up the rest of the needed folks for the war.<br /><br />This simple fact alone would have prohibited our leaders from going to war without the political backing of the citizenry.<br /><br />The solution is simple. If a war is worth fighting, and we need more soldiers than we have sworn, then it is worth the entire country sacrificing, and we start that with a draft.<br /><br />If our leaders cannot muster the leadership to get it through, maybe America doesn't really believe in that particular war.<br /><br />At the very least, it will make us really think about where we want to invest the lives of our soldiers.Dave Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16777087329254991970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811369.post-38218050156110267402010-04-07T10:18:29.400-07:002010-04-07T10:18:29.400-07:00In a perfect world, Roy, no. I would much prefer...In a perfect world, Roy, no. I would much prefer that these jobs are done by sworn military personnel, or at the very least, with military officers in charge of them.<br /><br />But the world is hardly perfect. I truism of war is that you need bodies on the ground. Given a fixed amount of human resources you are left with several unpleasant choices. (And don't give me "withdrawal" - even Obama knows that's not an option at this point) <br /><br />1. Compromise your mission by diverting front-line personnel to support roles. This also has the effect of compromising the safety of everyone involved.<br /><br />2. Contract some of the support roles to the PMCs. <br /><br />The vast majority of the PMCs in Iraq are doing things like running mess halls and supply depots and medical facilities. Yes, there are some doing bodyguard work and escorting convoys, and yes, there are some running prison camps. IMO, I would rather that military personnel fill those roles, but not at the expense of taking them from where they are needed more. <br /><br />I can't support these bills, because they offer no options. I cannot support something that is quick to point out the problem, but fails to attempt a solution. <br /><br />And as for the embedded journalists, the issue with them seems to be that the law requires that they be answerable to the unit commanders. Prior to 2007, if a journalist failed to comply with a military restriction, the worst that could happen was they get sent home. Now, they can be charged with a crime under the UCMJ. The point is largely moot, as there are actually very few embedded reporters left in Iraq.Michael J Mahoneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06239057043899114566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811369.post-37192266357170809672010-04-07T06:28:43.853-07:002010-04-07T06:28:43.853-07:00Michael, here is the real question, and I'm se...Michael, here is the real question, and I'm serious... do you think using and encouraging the formation of mercenary armies is a good thing? And if so, why?royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00508828835908673347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811369.post-38636646105405026362010-04-06T22:41:27.159-07:002010-04-06T22:41:27.159-07:00hmmm... Michael, why is the UCMJ an issue for embe...hmmm... Michael, why is the UCMJ an issue for embedded journalists? <br /><br />As for being out of date, the question is whether or not they are actually being held to any standards. Have any "contractors" been tried for braking the UCMJ? 6 or 7 incidents? You mean 6 or 7 incidents that have been investigated... that is a very different statement.<br /><br />Mercenaries go way back... they were a significant issue in the fall of Rome. And yes, they have been used by the US since the Revolutionary War and certainly in Africa, Kosovo, The Gulf War... and the US is certainly not the only country that uses them... but they are still immoral. They still are a threat to our national security. The fact that they literally are armies for hire makes their use by our government in areas that are significant to our national security just stupid.royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00508828835908673347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811369.post-54745067004158060152010-04-06T20:05:35.633-07:002010-04-06T20:05:35.633-07:00Your info is a little outdated. Since 2007, PMCs ...Your info is a little outdated. Since 2007, PMCs have been under the jurisdiction of the UCMJ, just like any sworn soldier of the US military. <br /><br />That came, BTW, in an amendment to a defense spending bill, an amendment which was written by a Republican senator, Lindsey Graham. Of course, the liberal media actually does not like this law, because it also applies to embedded journalists. <br /><br />Absolutely, there have been issues with these guys. But there are over 100,000 of them currently in Iraq, and there have been six or seven incidents... hardly endemic of a major issue. And PMCs have been around a long time, in Africa, Kosovo, the Gulf War. And the US is not the only country that uses them.Michael J Mahoneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06239057043899114566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16811369.post-675894624027786282010-04-06T17:07:51.295-07:002010-04-06T17:07:51.295-07:00As always, Roy, you've got something worthwhil...As always, Roy, you've got something worthwhile to write! Thanks!Randy Creathhttp://www.krethtunez.biznoreply@blogger.com