War contractors ready for battle against Islamic State

Stars & Stripes ^ | December 1, 2014 | Jennifer Koons

[Timber Rattler]

President Barack Obama has stressed that the U.S.-led coalition fight against the Islamic State can be won without “boots on the ground.” But it depends on who’s wearing the boots.

Thousands of private security contractors, who played critical, below-the-radar and at times controversial roles in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are being asked to consider joining this latest battle against Islamic extremists in Iraq and Syria and possibly elsewhere in the Middle East. What specific jobs they will fill, and which departments or countries will be paying for their services, remains to be seen. But the demand for their considerable and varied expertise is expected to be high, and that’s welcome news for both the contracting companies and politicians, according to policy advisers and industry experts.

[Timber Rattler]

On one hand, Uncle Sam likes to demonize these guys and throw them to the wolves when its is politically expedient, but on the other, needs them do the dirty work in the sandbox.

Any security contractor taking such a job from the U.S. government, especially the State Department, should stop and read this article first:

What Blackwater Founder Erik Prince Learned About the Business of War

[DBrow]

So basically mercenaries.

Congress can do something- pick a “security contractor” and grant them a Letter of Marque and Reprisal, as is their Constitutional authority to do so, give them funding and spoils of war rights, and let the privateer company do the boots on the ground part.

[StoneWall Brigade]

That was Dr. Ron Paul’s idea when we first went into Afghanistan.

[AlaskaErik]

I always thought the French Foreign Legion was an excellent example of how to project power without the consequences of flag-draped coffins coming home.

[3Fingas]

This is what most wars are moving towards. Political leaders in the West do not want to have face the consequences of using official military forces. They can also more easily blame the “contractors” and than regular military forces if anything goes wrong.

[Valin]

A mind blowingly stupid idea then...that has not improved with age. Dr. Runt Paul...on the cutting edge of 15th century thought.

[StoneWall Brigade]

I support total war against the Islamic Nazi’s in my humble view the politicians should stay out.