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A couple counter points: > America's use of PMCs is as old, actually older, than the country itself. Yes, but the use of PMCs back in those days was largely b
by bane 11y ago
A couple counter points:
> America's use of PMCs is as old, actually older, than the country itself.
Yes, but the use of PMCs back in those days was largely because the colonies and the early nation couldn't muster a large enough military on its own. There's absolutely no reason the U.S. needs to use PMCs (at many times the cost). If there's a need for long-term need for specific skill-sets, the military can always add more MOSs that fill those needs -- or use any of the available official paramilitary organizations that it has at its command. That government run units weren't selected to fulfill those essential security functions implies a great deal about the function the State Department wished the PMCs to fulfill.
> Erik Prince is not some crazy Christian zealot out to wage a holy war;
The problem is that Erik Prince is those things, and his company (among many, or given the official available organizations at the government's disposal) was selected and continued to be selected is important.
- peteretep 11y agoAs per other commenters, your argument appears to be with DoD policy and not with Blackwater.
- TheCondor 11y agoWhat if he is? To run a mercenary corporation you are going to need a somewhat flexible set of morals or at least an "alternative" set of world views. Is that any different than the Ceo of a pharmaceutical corporation that chooses to treat erectile dysfunction instead of real diseases? Or the CEO of a tobacco or alchohol company? There are a lot of CEOs with kind of funky world views and opinions of themselves and rationalization about the "good" that their companies do. Being a bit sociopathic is almost a job requirement for them. Erik prince is in a nasty business and I'm not defending that but as portrayed it seems like he developed a world view that is somehow compatible with the work, that just seems like a normal ceo to me.
- afarrell 11y ago> chooses to treat erectile dysfunction instead of real diseases If pfizer, in researching a drug to treat a heart disease[1], discovers a drug that treats a different bloodflow disorder, what is wrong with it offering that treatment? [1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8466118.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8466118.stm
- ryanlol 11y agoHow is erectile dysfunction not a real disease?
- rs999gti 11y ago> There's absolutely no reason the U.S. needs to use PMCs (at many times the cost). As long as the US does not reinstate conscription (the Draft), it will need PMC's to fill the gaps for military force. http://thehill.com/policy/defense/236365-rangel-renews-call-for-war-tax-national-draft http://thehill.com/policy/defense/236365-rangel-renews-call-...
- drivingmenuts 11y agoOr maybe they could, you know, fight a few less wars in countries that aren't even interested in what we have to sell.
- rs999gti 11y ago> fight a few less wars in countries that aren't even interested in what we have to sell. How? The next democratic candidate for the POTUS already has a global mindset for the US: > In Clinton’s view, the apparent purpose of America’s existence is to lead the world. http://www.theglobalist.com/clinton-in-the-bush-league-on-foreign-policy/ http://www.theglobalist.com/clinton-in-the-bush-league-on-fo... Under her view, you can't be the world's policeman without having to bust some heads.