Page 1 of 1
In-Depth Discussion - Mercenaries
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:42 am
by user
lets get our braincells moving
Like the situation in Iraq right now, the US Army simply doesn't have enough man power to escort civilian companies on the streets, so the US Army contracted such tasks out to Private Military Companies (PMC), eg. Blackwater USA or Executive Outcomes. Such companies then hire security contractors do the jobs that were originally meant for US Army persons.
Here is the problem, are the security contractors considered mercenaries? I can't seen to decide on a definitive answer because of:
1. They are - they are filling in the roles of US Army persons.
2. They are not - say what if the PMCs hire truck drivers from the US to drive trucks in Iraq? They are not considered mercenaries.
EDIT: - Question bolded because of dom
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:46 am
by dom
Bush is the antichrist, it's his fault. I don't understand why, but everyone says it's his fault, so I will agree. He's the reason why american soldiers die, why the iraqi population live in fear, why pedophiles exist, and why global warming is happening.
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:48 am
by user
dom wrote:Bush is the antichrist, it's his fault. I don't understand why, but everyone says it's his fault, so I will agree. He's the reason why american soldiers die, why the iraqi population live in fear, why pedophiles exist, and why global warming is happening.
what the fck are you talking about? it has nothing to do with the topic?
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:18 am
by Reise
Basically if you work solely for profit you're a mercenary. Or if you fulfill a military role for money you're a mercenary. So yeah, that makes things like Blackwater a mercenary organization.
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:10 am
by Sharp324
PMC are mercenaries but more on a legal side of it all. As long as they dont take up arms agaisnt a country its all good. They get paid to do a job. Depends most mercenaries dont care what they do as long as they get paid, usually operating outside the law..
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:30 am
by satman83
Well there not mercs at all...because there just paid contractors to
provide a security role...its not like there out there fighting a war soloy
for cash.
Basicly there just a security company
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:56 am
by CrimsonNuker
satman83 wrote:Well there not mercs at all...because there just paid contractors to
provide a security role...its not like there out there fighting a war soloy
for cash.
Basicly there just a security company
Question Answered.
Re: In-Depth Discussion - Mercenaries
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:24 am
by Biscuit
user wrote:[...]
I can't seen to decide on a definitive answer because of:
1. They are - they are filling in the roles of US Army persons.
2. They are not - say what if the PMCs hire truck drivers from the US to drive trucks in Iraq? They are not considered mercenaries.
[...]
Well, looks like there really isn't a definitive answer. My guess would be, that we'd have to look up a definition of "mercenary" we all agree on and then compare the private companies, active in Iraq for example, to that definition. Sadly I don't have any english dictionaries at hand, so I can't provide one.
An online definition (
Geneva Conventions@Wikipedia)
Code: Select all
Art 47. Mercenaries
1. A mercenary shall not have the right to be a combatant or a prisoner of war.
2. A mercenary is any person who:
(a) is specially recruited locally or abroad in order to fight in an armed conflict;
(b) does, in fact, take a direct part in the hostilities;
(c) is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party;
(d) is neither a national of a Party to the conflict nor a resident of territory controlled by a Party to the conflict;
(e) is not a member of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict; and
(f) has not been sent by a State which is not a Party to the conflict on official duty as a member of its armed forces.
Since I don't agree on (d), I think part (b) is worth discussing and also where it gets difficult to decide one way or another. For example, in a country on the brink of or in civil war, is there really such a thing as not taking a direct part in hostilities for those companies? Is it a direct involvement if someone takes over logistical functions that free capacities of the coalition troops that are more directly involved in conflicts?
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:57 pm
by user
CrimsonNuker wrote:satman83 wrote:Well there not mercs at all...because there just paid contractors to
provide a security role...its not like there out there fighting a war soloy
for cash.
Basicly there just a security company
Question Answered.
but like Reise said, they are fulfilling a miiltary role for money
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:47 pm
by Sharp324
user wrote:CrimsonNuker wrote:satman83 wrote:Well there not mercs at all...because there just paid contractors to
provide a security role...its not like there out there fighting a war soloy
for cash.
Basicly there just a security company
Question Answered.
but like Reise said, they are fulfilling a miiltary role for money
Well all it comes down to really is what they are doing.
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 6:25 pm
by Valkasdar
Bush is terrorist !
OK ?
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:04 pm
by dom
Valkasdar wrote:Bush is terrorist !
OK ?
LOL! I win.
Re: In-Depth Discussion - Mercenaries
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:58 pm
by StuckUP
user wrote:lets get our braincells moving
Like the situation in Iraq right now, the US Army simply doesn't have enough man power to escort civilian companies on the streets, so the US Army contracted such tasks out to Private Military Companies (PMC), eg. Blackwater USA or Executive Outcomes. Such companies then hire security contractors do the jobs that were originally meant for US Army persons.
Here is the problem, are the security contractors considered mercenaries? I can't seen to decide on a definitive answer because of:
1. They are - they are filling in the roles of US Army persons.
2. They are not - say what if the PMCs hire truck drivers from the US to drive trucks in Iraq? They are not considered mercenaries.
EDIT: - Question bolded because of dom
if u kill for profit ur a mercenary