Blackwater

[ratcatcher55]

http://patdollard.com/2008/01/08/blackwater-rescues-christians-from-kenya-violence/

Good people doing dangerous things.

Ratcatcher 55

[2HOW]

Would rather have them on my side than against me. 

[Pathfinder]

MB's blog the other day reminded me to order some Blackwater gear, not to be cool, just to show some support. These are good guys.

[Dougdubya]

And sure and beggorah, no Mainstream Media coverage of THAT news.  Nawwww.

[eric_marsh]

I am not cool with private, essentially unaccountable mercenary army doing work for the government in this country (AKA New Orleans). Once the camel's nose is under that tent we could be in big trouble. Who are they loyal to? Whoever pays their salary. You notice that they are essentially a bunch of cowboys in Iraq, accountable to nobody. Private military forces is a big step down the road to fascism.

[Sponsor]

[ratcatcher55]

“I am not cool with private, essentially unaccountable mercenary army doing work for the government in this country (AKA New Orleans). Once the camel's nose is under that tent we could be in big trouble. Who are they loyal to? Whoever pays their salary. You notice that they are essentially a bunch of cowboys in Iraq, accountable to nobody. Private military forces is a big step down the road to fascism."

I am a bit taken back but not surprised by you posting.

First off I am not an employee of Blackwater, Kroll, Triple Canopy or any other security firm but I have provided training, or worked in conjunction to several of them in the past.

1) I am unaware of Blackwater providing anything but security officers in New Orleans. They were used to protect hospitals, private residences and buildings after the local LEO left the town to save their own butts. I am much more concerned with the behavior of out of state law officers from CA.

2) Yes I agree they are mercenaries. So what? It’s a profession that’s hundreds it not thousands of years old. As a whole they are older and more experienced because of their service years.  I would be pretty confident my property was still the way I left if Blackwater was in charge. Please contrast that with NOPD after Katrina or LAPD during the riots there. The point is here in the USA they still follow US law. Overseas they follow an agreed ROE with their employer, usually the national government.

3) Don't badmouth Blackwater to the Poles. I was in Warsaw when Blackwater employees, not US forces, evacuated their wounded Prime Minister.

4) Only governments can be called fascists. How in the world could you make that leap? It won't be a private contractor kicking in your door if and when that day comes.

I don't like them cherry picking NCOs, but I can understand the folks leaving for the pay and a much shorter deployment overseas. I try not to second guess folks who have lived through combat on whether they should have shot this one or not shot that one.  The bad press just makes me think they must be doing things right.  It’s funny the press says nasty things about contractors but they all hire them in country when they don’t travel with US military.

[tombogan03884]

Eric, Its obvious you do not know very much about the history past or present of private security companies past or present. I find that when I get myself in a hole of ignorance my best choice is to stop digging. You are reading a gun website so you aren't a S#%t Head Liberal. Do some research, These guys are following a tradition older and nearly as honorable as The USMarines, where some of their people come from.

[tumblebug]

Rember it took FEMA 5 days just to get water to N.O..

[jaybet]

Rember it took FEMA 5 days just to get water to N.O..

Yeah, but how long 'till they got POTABLE water?