<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nqM4tKPDlR8"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nqM4tKPDlR8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> And they're immune to Iraqi legal prosecution.
Wow! You are completely off base with that kind of mentality towards this vdeo. No doubt this is biased left wing propaganda, so I could see how you would be lead to believe that this is some kind of bad thing and another example of Bush being a tyranical villain. And considering you're located in the "Fascist Dictatorship of Amerika" it becomes easy to see why you would jump to such conclusions. But for your own benefit and the benefit of the Grass City community, please know that the privatization and outsourcing of military personnel and equipment is a good thing. America has been using private mercenaries since the Revolutionary war. We would not be where we are today and our Armed Forces would not be what it is today without private contracts and mercenaries in the Armed Forces. Humans have been utilizing mercenaries for thousands of years. This is nothing new or something to fear, it's capitalism in military... lowers prices and increases quality. Of course they're immune to Iraqi prosecution, so are our soldiers. And, umm... what kind of legal justice system to you think there is in Iraq right now? For someone that appears to be against the war, you should have known by know that that Country's in ruins. All the intellectuals and anyone that can afford to leave has gone by now... surely that includes any judges, lawyers, and court officials.
http://www.oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm (See this link for greater detail than what is provided below) [web]http://www.ellensplace.net/fascism.html[/web] For those who would rather watch something, check out the following video from YouTube. <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/keKsYVResL8"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/keKsYVResL8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Some more reading for those interested. http://www.truthdig.com/dig/item/200601003_white_supremacism_sexism_militarism/ http://www.counterpunch.org/albert08232005.html http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=WOL20070425&articleId=5487 http://antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=5070 http://www.freedomtofascism.com/ http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=26309 http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=72&ItemID=12671 http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0828-23.htm And after much searching I have found some responses from the right. Which, as always, are wonderful Ad Hominem fallacies. http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=20424 http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/14133.html http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/21342.html I'm having difficulty finding articles where the right actually talks about fascism in America, to dispute it if nothing else. Of course, some on the right do agree with the assessment that the current administration is on the road to fascism. http://www.jbs.org/search/node/fascism Of course, I believe both the left and the right are moving towards fascism... Which leads to some interesting questions, none of which I will bother to go into here. I will however say that people who ignore all this and believe it could never happen have their head in the sand and are ignoring evidence. I am not saying that tomorrow you will wake up to the SS storming your house, but there are some disturbing trends that bare close watching. My mind is not fully made up, but I am not so willing to trust those in power and believe them to be on the level simply because they tell me they are. The problem is not with mercenaries, the problem is the fact that they are not held accountable for their actions. Do you not have a problem with that? I mean, I would personally love to be able to do anything without repercussions, but somehow I do not think the rest of the world would enjoy it.
Even if this video is way of base and only a quarter of it is true, it's still not the way that a democratic nation should conduct itself in world affairs. Inexcusable. MelT
Maybe I worded that wrong, they are immune from the usual constraints and regulations on armies. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/faqs/ ^ That site gives a good summary of private military contractors. And I don't understand why you are so quick to jump to call this "left wing propaganda".
Fascism- a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fascism America is not and never will be a fascist dictatorship. You could not be any more wrong and I cannot put it more simply than that. Please, for the sake of not looking like an ignorant moron, quit inferring that we have a fascist political system. Liquidtruth, you point out your distain towards ad hominem rhetoric, yet you post that article on Fascism? One that does not remotely describe American politics or ways of life and is clearly a bad definition of Fascism. But hey, MusicMaker appreciates it so keep up the propaganda and slandery. Thumbs up! They are held accountable for their actions... in an American court of law. Where all American soldiers are held accountable. They adhere to the Geneva conventions and execute Government orders. Our soldiers do not have to worry about prosecution in foreign courts of law... or every soldier we sent to Iraq and any other Country in the world would be tried and hung in that Country's court of law. Acting like these soldiers just go around doing whatever they want, killing innocent people and not following any code of ethics, and that they aren't held accountable for their actions at all is pure delusional propaganda. MelT, that is exactly how a superpower of our stature should conduct itself in foreign military affairs. We are not debating the morality or necessity of the war in Iraq, the debate is wether or not we should be using private mercenaries. Again, this is nothing new for humans as a whole or Americans. It is capitalism in military. I could only hope that one day our entire Armed Forces will be privately contracted. It will ensure better trained soldiers, cost the Goverment less, and hopefully contribute to the end of conscription (males being forced to register into the Selective Services System,) which I would think is something we could all agree would benefit this country. Blackwater isn't some rogue group of rebels doing whatever they want under no authority. They are people who want to be a part of a military and want to serve and protect our Country... but instead of making $20,000 a year doing 12 (now 15) month tours, they are making $50,000 a tour that only lasts 8 months.* *I believe is what I recall a Blackwater mercenary saying in a video one time. If anybody really wants to learn about Blackwater, try going to http://www.blackwaterusa.com/ They aren't trying to hide this information at all.
I've been following this organization since that incident in Fullujah. Interesting to say the least. It's a private organization with considerable military forces at it's disposal -- How smart is this?
The most interesting fact, is that these privatized soldiers would not have to come home if we pulled our troops out. Essentially, Bush could keep the 120,000 privatized men he has in Iraq as long as he wants. The incident in Fallujah was due to the rushed planning of the mission, and because safety was put on the back burner for profits. WE CREATE TERROR! WE ARE THE TERRORISTS!
You might want to reread that article, especially the "What is the legal status of private contractors in Iraq? Are they accountable under U.S. or Iraqi law?" section. I watched the video. I could go through it and point out every arguably biased statement in the video if you can't notice them yourself, but you can start with the last line. But you're right, this video is really more nihilistic than left-wing.
You DO realize that the vast majority of the 120,000 are things like truck drivers, laundry workers, etc.?
I am aware of what fascism means. And I never said that America is a fascist dictatorship. Wow, will never be? How is that you are able to see the future? I actually went and found some sources to help back up what I was saying, care to do the same? How is that article an ad hominem fallacy? And which article are you talking about exactly, I did post a number of them? As for it not remotely describing American politics... Uh... Okay. May I have a link that will provide some light on your position? They adhere to the Geneva conventions even when the US does not[1][2][3]? Wow, I am no longer worried. I hold these mercenaries in higher regard than I do the US Armed Forces[1][2][3]. Thank you for pointing that out... Source? Source? Right... That is what everyone wants. Corporations in charge of the nation's military. You're right, that is not fascism... It is a step beyond. http://prorev.com/fascist.htm From Wikipedia. Also, how is it cheaper for a private company to train and field an army than it is for the US Government? Oh, and before you respond... Source? And to end this post here are some more links! (Yes, I do enjoy those) http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Fascism/Fascism.html http://prorev.com/fascisthints.htm http://www.virtualcitizens.com/articles/CapitalCoke http://www.barefootsworld.net/nortonuc08.html http://www.barefootsworld.net/nortonuc10.html http://www.publiceye.org/fascist/corporatism.html http://www.nicklewis.org/ideology/f...ce-president-wallace-warns-it-can-happen-here http://www.fdrs.org/fascism_definition.html http://www.assassinationscience.com/fasc.html
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by Perpetual Burn MelT, that is exactly how a superpower of our stature should conduct itself in foreign military affairs. We are not debating the morality or necessity of the war in Iraq, the debate is wether or not we should be using private mercenaries. Again, this is nothing new for humans as a whole or Americans. It is capitalism in military. I could only hope that one day our entire Armed Forces will be privately contracted. It will ensure better trained soldiers, cost the Goverment less, and hopefully contribute to the end of conscription (males being forced to register into the Selective Services System,) which I would think is something we could all agree would benefit this country. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> "..Right... That is what everyone wants. Corporations in charge of the nation's military. You're right, that is not fascism... It is a step beyond." I could give no better response than the one I quote above from Liquid Truth. It is scummy politics, scummy policing and reprehensible. It's as much what this move represents as it is in them being there at all. MelT
Although I agree with most of what you're saying, The portion quote above i do not agree with. Furthermore, I find it a somewhat troubling proposal. It has already been demonstrated in Iraq and Afghanistan that private military contractors of any capacity are reckless in the pursuit of profits, though the American government continues to use them. (see "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers"). When you privatized something like war, something like the military, the corporate administrations will be responsible to their shareholders to MAKE MONEY. How do they do that? By having wars. An industry that would be worth hundreds of billions of dollars would incredibly powerful. The influence they would exert in capitalist countries including it's own would be immense. but, contractors *are* important. To assist the military as stopgap measures. Be it military force, production force, medical force, or support force. Governments shouldn't be able to privately fund entire wars. You create armies which become answerable to the highest bidder.