RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,152046,00.html

All the private 'security' forces should get out and leave the job to the military. This is the time for professionals, not mercenaries.

Pretty touchy situation here, I think we all know the true role Blackwater plays in this- to kill people the Army/Marines are not "allowed" to kill. I don't think they are really providing protection for dignitaries, they are more like highly trained mercs and they are not as secret as they were originally intended. The US is on thin ice as far as ethics and law are concerned, probably time to get the mercs out before it blows up in our face.

I agree that all security in a war zone should be under the direction of the military. We should take that a step further and return to the military units all those jobs that we contract out (i.e. laundry, mess, supply, etc.) Obviously we have to procure items from civilian sources, but for the security and safety of the boots on the ground, the work should be handled by fellow military personnel.

We do not have the troops to replace Blackwater. If Blackwater goes, we will have to follow. We only have Blackwater there because our military isn't large enough to handle this war on its own thanks to the privatization of a large portion of our military. We can thank a large group of certain politicians for gutting our military and now we are paying the price.

S/F Gordon

Or we can thank Rumsfeld for going into the war even without the right amount of troops...or we can thank the policies of 2000-2004 for not building back up the military...I agree with you uh34d, let's place blame on the policies it belongs on...

quote:

Originally posted by uh34d:
We do not have the troops to replace Blackwater. If Blackwater goes, we will have to follow. We only have Blackwater there because our military isn't large enough to handle this war on its own thanks to the privatization of a large portion of our military. We can thank a large group of certain politicians for gutting our military and now we are paying the price.

S/F Gordon

quote:

Originally posted by StantonL:
RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,152046,00.html

All the private 'security' forces should get out and leave the job to the military. This is the time for professionals, not mercenaries.

First off, Blackwater people are every bit if not more professional than most active duty military currently serving in Iraq. They are former military and law enforcement personnel who want to still be in the fight but for certain reasons they chose to go private. They do so without having the backup afforded active duty military, so why shouldn't they get the higher salary? They have already done their duty so don't say why don't they sign up for the military if they want to fight. That is unfair. Private security has it's place in a war zone. It just needs to be supervised by the state department. For the amount of negative publicity versus the good they have done, there should be no complaints. The fact is, Iraqis are just sick of Americans period and want all of us to leave. My son just came home from his third tour and he will be going again. He has voiced this opinion of the Iraqi's feelings toward Americans. So to blame Blackwater is ludicrous. They have done a good job.

time to come home. all of us

You all that have been over there know that BW has way to many cowboys in their group...My brotherinlaw worked for them and was appalled at their attitudes 2 yrs ago so he quit and went back to work with another co over there doing the same job. It is just afew cowboys that r stupid enough to screw blackwater,,,they should be kicked out...and about 75% should be investigated...because their brotherinlaw was hired.But to withdraw would be to shoot ones foot...

quote:

Originally posted by StantonL:
RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,152046,00.html

All the private 'security' forces should get out and leave the job to the military. This is the time for professionals, not mercenaries.

Please, allow me to rebut your blind point.
Had you paid attention to the intensity of the fire fight you'd have known that the civilian population refused to exit the area.

The Mahdi Army has been known to use human shields for operations just like this.

Al Durkhah does the same.

As for mercenaries? No, As the one poster put it, most are former SOP's and SWAT. They have a stringent recruiting policy, they have a PT program harder than the US Military. They are trained professionals who gave their lives (Remember, four were burned and strung from a bridge a couple of years ago)for the people of Iraq.

"We want them out, WELL IF YOU WANT THEM OUT!? HOW ABOUT GETTING THE INSURGENTS OUT OF YOUR GAWLDAMN COUNTRY FIRST!? YOU UNGRATEFUL F'ERS! THESE GUYS ARE LAYING IT DOWN FOR YOU AND YOUR COUNTRYMEN AND YOU'RE SITTING THERE LETTING OVER 50K OF YOUR OWN DIE AT THE HANDS OF THE MAHDI ARMY, AL DURKAH AND THE MANY OTHER MILITIAS YOU SHOULD GET UNDER CONTROL FIRST!"

BW falls under the DOS or Dept of State for those who can't read acronyms.

We are letting the politicians rule the engagement of war, this is a warriors fight and they have my support.

So, all of you people out there that think you can do better, get your weapon, get on a boat and go stand post.

If not, put some rigging tape over your gawldayum mouth and stfu!

Bring our people home now...all of them. There is nothing there for us. They are now in the middle of a civil war which is theirs to win or lose. We cannot force stability down their throats at rifle-point any more than we can western democracy. No matter what happens in Iraq, it will not be because the United States decides it...it will be because the Iraqis decide it...alll we're doing now is keeping the body-bag salesmen in jobs. (prosthetic limbs are doing a bang-up business too)

As a Former SF Soldier who's Motto is Liberate the Oppressed, you make me sick!

I looked at your profile and saw a proud soldier with the Green Beret and Master Jump Wings, The SF Tab and Diving Badge.

Those are badges of honor and brotherhood.

You just let your brothers and sisters down.

You have a better idea there Einstein, what would be our exit policy, how would it impact the overall view and mission of the world in the next two Presidential Terms?

I would love to hear from a guy who claims to be SF come to the table and please, in your most politically incorrect way as any good SF guy I know would tell me to f off with a pleasant smile and good punch to the chops.

So Einstein, tell me, how would you do it?
And...obviously you have forgotten what it feels like to be in their situation.

Enough of this defeatist attitude people, do you want another 9-11?

Or...do we help a country that we helped gain their freedom only to have sand nazis tell us since 1979 that we are "The Great Satan" and want you dead?

Come on SF, you should know more about this than the average joe.

Retort your comment...it's cruel and disrespectful to all of the brave men and women who've died for this country and those who've lost a limb/sense and lastly, have some f'ing respect for the families of the dead.

SF...pshah...right...you smell of liberal.

quote:

Originally posted by StantonL:
RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,152046,00.html

All the private 'security' forces should get out and leave the job to the military. This is the time for professionals, not mercenaries.

I have to agree with the quote above. To many times I have heard from fellow soldiers and even my Son that the Blackwater personnel were acting like the wild west cowboys and at time cause great frictions between them and military with their Rambo antics. Other quotes I have been reading in this forum say we don't have the manpower. We do have the manpower! When you have over 300 million citizens living in the U.S. their is no excuse of manpower shortage. This shortage was artificially created by our own government so that Congress can have all the money to spend on themselves and their pork barrel peace projects. So when we OUTSOURCE a lot the jobs that use to be handle by the military to CORRUPT RAMBO Organizations what do you expect! We are our own worse enemy for we AS VOTERS, allow this. So we have met the enemy and the enemy is US!

quote:

"We want them out, WELL IF YOU WANT THEM OUT!? HOW ABOUT GETTING THE INSURGENTS OUT OF YOUR GAWLDAMN COUNTRY FIRST!? YOU UNGRATEFUL F'ERS! THESE GUYS ARE LAYING IT DOWN FOR YOU AND YOUR COUNTRYMEN AND YOU'RE SITTING THERE LETTING OVER 50K OF YOUR OWN DIE AT THE HANDS OF THE MAHDI ARMY, AL DURKAH AND THE MANY OTHER MILITIAS YOU SHOULD GET UNDER CONTROL FIRST!"

Key words "YOUR GAWLDAMN COUNTRY"..
Yes it is their country, not ours; and who exactly are you to chide them on their priorities? If they decide that blackwater's exit is the best thing for them at this particular time, then they should go.

Either they are a sovereign nation, on its way to freedom, and free to choose its destiny; or they are a puppet state, beholden to US priorites, and the US military for its exisitance and direction...

you can't have it both ways.

56 Incidents thats it with Blackwater. It's not like they have an enemy uniform to shoot at. Get real people. This is a war!

    bw out,no more q.about it. mil. take over is job

quote:

Originally posted by 7741546:
    bw out,no more q.about it. mil. take over is job

gbeumer@cox.net

Cancel Blackwater's contracts and have BW leave the country. Make BW pay fines...No. Turn over the contractors to Iraqi "justice"....No.

Screw diplomacy and "rebuilding", let them settle their own affairs.

I would like to see the troops come home, but I dont see that as happening anytime soon, maybe not even in my lifetime.
Rome fell when it extended it's reach too far.... thats something to consider.

"It said Blackwater's license to operate in Iraq expired on June 2, 2006, meaning it had no immunity from prosecution under Iraqi laws set down after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003."


This could be trouble for Blackwater. At the time of the last shooting, their license had expired. Interesting.....