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Hired Guns
Esquire Magazine ^ | Mar 01 '04 | by Tucker Carlson

Posted on 02/13/2004 12:24:40 PM PST by Geronimo

Hired Guns

by Tucker Carlson | Mar 01 '04

Never before in a war zone has the United States relied so much on private citizens to perform military functions. Security firms such as DynCorp and Kroll, retained on State Department and Pentagon contracts worth billions of dollars, have sent thousands of civilian contractors to do the work that the undermanned U. S. military can't. Here, for the first time, the inside story of the private armies of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

About a hundred yards into Iraq, we stopped to pick up weapons. A half dozen Kurds in white Citroëns met us in a trash-strewn lot just over the border from Kuwait.

They were unloading the guns onto the trunk of one of their cars as we pulled up. The pile amounted to a small armory: German MP5 submachine guns, AK-47's newly liberated from the Iraqi army, 9mm Beretta pistols, and dozens of magazines of ammunition.

Just a few feet away, American soldiers stood by the side of the highway directing convoys of fuel trucks heading north. They must have noticed the cluster of men in plain clothes arming themselves with automatic weapons. They didn't acknowledge it. No one demanded to see our identification or weapons permits. No one ......

(Excerpt) Read more at keepmedia.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: civiliancontractors; dyncorp; iraq; kroll; mercenaries; rebuildingiraq; tuckercarlson
This is a teaser for the article which is available in the newstand edition out now.

I used to think Tucker Carlson was a total wussy, but after reading his account of this recent trip to Iraq I have changed my opinion of him.

There is also a great photo of him standing with a couple of ex-marines with an AK-47 in his hands! Highly recommended reading.

1 posted on 02/13/2004 12:24:40 PM PST by Geronimo
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To: Geronimo
I used to think Tucker Carlson was a total wussy

You mean that silly bow tie of his is just a disguise?

2 posted on 02/13/2004 12:36:26 PM PST by Gritty ("The relevant lesson from Vietnam is:the enemy's one hope was America would defeat itself-Mark Steyn)
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To: Gritty
You mean that silly bow tie of his is just a disguise?

I know, who would of thought it, but in this article he makes Geraldo Rivera and all the other 'dashing' types look like a bunch REMF's in comparison.

Check it out if you see the magazine on a newstand.

3 posted on 02/13/2004 12:51:06 PM PST by Geronimo
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To: Geronimo
I'm a military reservist who has so far been unable to get a slot for overseas service. (I'm field artillery, and once the major killing is finished on the battlefield, there isn't as much need for FA.)

One of these contractor jobs might be interesting. Does anyone know if these firms are hiring?
4 posted on 02/13/2004 1:02:21 PM PST by 68skylark
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To: 68skylark
http://jobs.escapeartist.com/Openings/Iraq/

http://www.alicp.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3

http://www.gulfjobsites.com/jobs/Iraq/
5 posted on 02/13/2004 1:14:40 PM PST by philetus (Keep doing what you always do and you'll keep getting what you always get)
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To: 68skylark
I've read that the pay is fantastic, 150K a year and up tax-free...be careful please God if you go for it.
6 posted on 02/13/2004 1:35:46 PM PST by Geronimo
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To: philetus
Cool! As soon as I'm not at work today, I'll spend a little time with these links.
7 posted on 02/13/2004 1:36:20 PM PST by 68skylark
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To: Geronimo
I used to think Tucker Carlson was a total wussy, but after reading his account of this recent trip to Iraq I have changed my opinion of him. There is also a great photo of him standing with a couple of ex-marines with an AK-47 in his hands! Highly recommended reading.

Is he wearing his stupid bow tie when he's holding the gun? I'll take your word for the article being good, but Tucker Carlson is the original metrosexual.

8 posted on 02/13/2004 3:17:42 PM PST by NYCVirago
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To: Geronimo
Maybe I'm a little strange, but I think Tucker is sorta cute....
9 posted on 02/13/2004 4:22:23 PM PST by texasflower (in the event of the rapture.......the Bush White House will be unmanned)
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