Here's a classic from the late 1970's:
The pay & bennies were good. But the working conditions sucked.
Posted on 10/06/2012 3:54:12 AM PDT by Timber Rattler
It seemed like a simple idea: In the chaos that is Somalia, create a sophisticated, highly trained fighting force that could finally defeat the pirates terrorizing the shipping lanes off the Somali coast.
But the creation of the Puntland Maritime Police Force was anything but simple. It involved dozens of South African mercenaries and the shadowy security firm that employed them, millions of dollars in secret payments by the United Arab Emirates, a former clandestine officer with the Central Intelligence Agency, and Erik Prince, the billionaire former head of Blackwater Worldwide who was residing at the time in the emirates.
And its fate makes the story of the pirate hunters for hire a case study in the inherent dangers in the outsourced wars in Somalia, where the United States and other countries have relied on proxy forces and armed private contractors to battle pirates and, increasingly, Islamic militants.
That strategy has had some success, including a recent offensive by Kenyan and African Union troops to push the militant group Al Shabab from its stronghold in the port city of Kismayu.
But with the antipiracy army now abandoned by its sponsors, the hundreds of half-trained and well-armed members of the Puntland Maritime Police Force have been left to fend for themselves at a desert camp carved out of the sand, perhaps to join up with the pirates or Qaeda-linked militants or to sell themselves to the highest bidder in Somalia’s clan wars — yet another dangerous element in the Somali mix.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Only a NYT reporter could write that sentence. I'd like to see them go to Somalia and set up a popsickle stand.
If our State Department was involved, I have a good idea why it didn't work.
Sounds like something from “The Wild Geese”.
“Sounds like something from “The Wild Geese”.”
I was thinking something from “The Dogs of war.”
Yeah, that too. Probably better analogy.
If the Old Gray Whore is agin’ it, it must be good
I thought they said Hillary was involved in it.
... dozens of South African mercenaries .. the shadowy security firm that employed them .. secret payments (blah, blah, blah)...
Sheesh, only the New York slimes can write something so insipid.
(Mommy mommy, the evil trained killer Mercenaries are coming for us)
Here's a clue for you NY Slimes, while you've been contemplating your naval for the last 60+ years, Professional Soldiers aka: Mercs, have been saving the bacon of the people in Africa.
Do you think anyone else would go into the Hell Holes of Africa, from the Congo to Angola and/or Rhodesia? Not on your elitist lives you asshats. And yeah they do it for money -- whoopee. Your precious UN didn't do shiite in any of those places. Only 'Mercs' would risk their lives.
And I take exception to the way you use the word mercenaries. Treat those Professionals with respect.
The pay & bennies were good. But the working conditions sucked.
FAL bump.
I wouldn’t mind spending some time as part of the puntland whatever. Nyt can suck it.
“Vive la mort, vive la guerre, vive le sacre mercenaire.”
Somewhere, Colonel Mike Hoare is laughing and grinning.
My best friend and business partner was a Merc.
Also former 5th SF Group RVN.
His girl friend was transferred to Florida and he soon followed her.
I did not hear from him for some time when he called from a hospital in Florida. He had been wounded while ‘working’ in Africa.
He said the feds knew where he had been, what he had been up to and all about him.
That was the last I ever heard from him.
I have known a few of that breed and some talk of money, but it is never about the money.
But dollar bills wouldn't factor into it that much for a Snake-Eater. SF live their motto and many kept looking for The Good Fight after being separated, and Africa was about it back then.
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