It's less spin doctoring than technical jargon. Security contractors guard things - buildings, convoys, etc. To call someone a mercenary implies that he's goi

It's less spin doctoring than technical jargon. Security contractors guard things - buildings, convoys, etc. To call someone a mercenary implies that he's going to be engaged in offensive operations. Most of the contractors we had in Iraq and A-stan weren't doing any fighting. They were people who did things like cooking and driving.