Regarding the cost-benefits of hiring contractors vs. deploying regular military for security services, I covered this in an earlier post: http://www.frumforum.com/no-army-marches-into-battle-alone

“There are not enough regular military service men or women to man . . .” . . . the answer is to get more professional military.”

To this I say it is MUCH more expensive to “get more professional military” than simply going out for bids on security requirments – especially when you consider that expanding the size of the military, TO&E’s, etc, requires YEARS of bureaucracy AND Congress has to get involved . . .

“Make it worth something besides patriotism. ” The military is ALREADY a good deal, the pay ain’t bad; by the time I hit the 18-year mark in the Army I was making six-figures – not bad for a guy who didn’t earn his bachelor’s degree until he was forty. They housed me & my family, covered our health needs (even though Govt Healthcare is only one level above Prison Medicine), fed us, housed us, transported us around the world, insured me AND paid for my college education. Oh, AND they trained and equipped me – easily over a million dollars worth by the time I’d been in five years. And when it was all over, they pay me for the rest of my life – and when I die, they continue to pay my survivors.

“You’re a Battalion Commander. Part of your area of operation includes a State Department facility.”

Okay they LET’s go over your scenario:

PROBLEM #1: – What the hell is the State Department doing in a combat zone? I thought the military picked up where the diplomats left off?

PROBLEM #2: – OK we’re watching the State Department types – who’s watching the UN, the World Bank, OXFAM, the Ford Foundation, the Peace Corps, UNICEF, World Food Programme, EU-Afghanistan, British Agencies Afghan Group, Afghans for Civil Society (Based in USA), Land Mine Awareness Education, Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, CARE, Dutch Committee for Afghanistan Veterinary Programmes, Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, USAID (US Agency for International Development), Physicians for Human Rights, Christian Aid, # International Rescue Committee, Norwegian Refugee Council, World Vision International, Japan Center for Conflict Prevention . . .

. . . you starting to get the picture? There are over 180 NGOs just in Afghanistan alone, and that’s not counting CNN, MSNBC, the BBC, the rest of the media, financial institutions and everybody else . . .

How the hell are you going to send out patrols, maneuver and close with the enemy when you’ve got to hold all these people’s hands, blow their noses and wipe their butts? AND escort your supply trains? AND secure Corps level supplies?

There aren’t enough MPs in the Free World to handle the security requirements out there – AND perform their duties in Korea, Okinawa, mainland Japan, Bosnia, Germany, Italy, Romania, Horn of Africa, the UAE, Kuwait, the rest of Africa, South America – never mind Stateside; we’ve already contracted out the policing of our bases to free up the MPs for all of the above.

The armed security contractors are REQUIRED to behave within the constraints of their contract – they’re all a part of the support and security team. Operational planners schedule convoys and use of the MSR – and nowadays the TOCs and the JOCs include civilian contractors. The contractors are held to a much more rigorous ROE than their military counterparts, and they do not enjoy the protection of a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) like regular military. They MUST “obey lawful orders” because by nature, they are legal – the contractors are covered by UCMJ and civilian laws enforced by the DOJ. Let me ask you this: if the contractors are “outside the law” how is it those Blackwater guys were charged and indicted?

“How “dedicated” would they be if the guano gets hot and heavy?”

I think the contractors have already demonstrated this, the hard way.

“In the end they’re only going to fight as long as the money holds out or they agree with you.

Well YEAH – you don’t pay us, we go home. That’s a no-brainer, and anybody who doesn’t agree with the deal can go home, any time. The only difference is in the military it’s called desertion.

Regarding Patrice Lamumba; the CIA was complicit in his overthrow and ultimate demise, although the firing squad that did the actual killing was led by a regular Belgian military officer. FYI the Special Operations Group of the CIA’s Special Activities Division has included civilian contractors for decades – I’ve known a few; good buddy of mine, KIA in Afghanistan – the irony of it was the CIA thing wasn’t what he thought it was and he was talking to the people in his old outfit about coming back INTO the Army out of retirement, but he had to finish up his contract with The Company first.

His star is on the wall in Langley.

Despite your protestations, I still think you’re “shilling” for someone. (“Its cheaper to hire a contractor even for the money WE make”). I’ll concede about the legality of the contractors. That said a couple of points:

“There are not enough regular military service men or women to man…” Well, the answer is to get more professional military. Make it worth something besides patriotism. Pay what these people are worth (are you aware some lower ranking married enlisted people qualify for food stamps ?). If its worth $100K to pay a “private security person” then why can’t we pay a junior enlistee more ?

“…It’s not even their mission” Wonder what MP’s have been doing all these years.

Now let’s do a situation based on your assumptions:

You’re a Battalion Commander. Part of your area of operation includes a State Department facility. Normally, MP’s would provide a security contingent, backed up by your Battalion as a secondary mission. You now have full MILITARY control of your area. The Division Commander could place that facility in your “Logistic Operations Centers”, their mutual support plans, rapid reaction forces..

In your situation there is an enclave with bunch of armed “private contractors” who might or might not want to talk to you and coordinate support and security. After all, the bottom line is they only respond to their supervisor who could be anyone. They do their convoys on their schedule and on their terms, possibly upsetting operational plans like unscheduled use of your Main Supply Route (MSR). They are likely not going to follow the rules of engagement or even a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) like you are. Please don’t mention contract clauses requiring coordination. Its a contract clause, not an oath to “obey the lawful orders”.

How “dedicated” would they be if the guano gets hot and heavy ? How “loyal” are they to the interests of the US or your mission ? In the end they’re only going to fight as long as the money holds out or they agree with you. Patrice Lamumba (SP?) found out the hard way back in the 60’s.

Maybe I’m being simplistic or ingenuous but I still would not want these people there.

The mercenary series began as an opinion piece on a singular event involving Blackwater – in that piece I declared that I am not a fan of that outfit; in fact, I would never work for them. I stated then and I maintain that private security contractors are not mercenaries, anymore so than postal inspectors are Federal Law Enforcement.

Then I had some downtime over the long weekend and my intent was to explore the historical role of mercenaries over the ages; what I found surprised me, despite my 26+ years in the soldiering trade. I wish to present this information in an objective format. What I wrote here simply states the definition of a mercenary, and the legal status of mercenaries under Geneva, the United Nations and how the security contractors are regarded under US law and the UCMJ.

Criminal activities may have been perpetrated by security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan – this does not make every security professional a criminal, much less a mercenary. Soldiers of every army that has ever walked the face of the Earth have committed crimes, and armies exist to fight wars; this does not make every soldier a war criminal. American soldiers have committed war crimes – but only the most unhinged extremists are equating the United States military to the Wehrmacht.

There ARE mercenaries out there; I have known a few. At best, you could say these people are adventurers, guns-for-hire, but more often than not they are involved in illegal or unethical activities. I am a security professional; I retired honorably from the military, but it’s a stretch to call me a mercenary. I certainly am not a criminal, and there are things I simply will not do for pay.

Bottom line is there are not enough regular military service men or women to man every security requirement in the challenging environments out there; it’s not even their mission. In a future post I will explain this in detail; I’ve already pointed out how it’s cheaper to hire a contractor – even for the money we make – than it is to use regular military for the service we provide.

The role of the private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere is not illegal soldiering; the UN doesn’t think so, Geneva doesn’t think so, and the Obama administration doesn’t think so. To back this up, I would like to point out that all the private military companies currently engaged in operations supporting the DoD are in the hire of . . . Barack Obama.

“During the Second World War, two additional variants of the M1919 were adopted by the US military. One version is the coaxial M37 variant, with the ability to feed from either the left or the right of the weapon. ”

GOProud: I’ve been a registered Republican since 1972, Military for 28 years and I STILL think mercenaries are a couple of levels below dog poop. I’ve also been around weapons and demolition for almost half of my adult life. Just because I don’t agree with you or Sean does not mean I’m a granola eating wing nut.

Please specify what “liberal” idea enslaved people ? Was it the Marshall Plan ? Welfare ? Social Security/Medicare ? Just to be clear, I agree welfare was enslaving but it was changed during a Democratic administration.

Sean: In the interest of full disclosure can you tell us who is paying you for the time you’re spending writing apologias for “Blackwater type” organizations ? NO ONE spends this much time and research on a subject unless they’re getting something in return. Unless, of course, a hobby has turned into an obesssion…

So your argument is that all conservatives are real men and that all liberals are not real men.
Aren’t you a homosexual? You are such a wingnut.

Actually, the better saying is: Left wing Democrats don’t kill economies and enslave people, liberal ideas do.

Glad to fix it for ya.

Sean: it feeds from the left side. None of the usual Frum trolls have ever been near a real gun, let alone a real man. They wouldn’t know.