[xzins]

This is a stupid article.

Many former special ops guys are hired by our own government in other agencies.

For them to be hired as security agents for organizations that provide other services in Iraq is not the definition of "mercenary."

A mercenary is "a soldier hired into foreign service (Merriam Webster.)"

These are our own soldiers, so they are not hired into foreign service. Additionally, they are not hired into "fighting" service. We do our own fighting quite nicely, thank you.

Check with Tommie Franks on that one.

[endthematrix]

However, a private company with world wide contacts and freedom to hire locals. If a foreigner is hired under US contract to say, defend convoys. Does that define a merc?