Guns For Hire (Afghanistan)
6.32
Ratings: 6.32/10 from 31 users.
Documentary about the secretive world of private military companies.
Included is a unique interview in Kabul’s Polecharki jail with the infamous American prisoner Jack Idema – an ex Marine Special Forces soldier who turned rouge.
Jack was hunting for Bin Laden in the hope of winning the 2 million dollars U.S. award offered for Bin Laden’s head by the Bush Administration.
Eventually, Afghan authorities arrested Idema on charges of kidnapping people and interrogating them in a private prison.
With their existing armies overstretched, Britain and America rely heavily on mercenary forces. In Guns For Hire: Afghanistan, former war reporter Sam Kiley investigates the shadowy world of the modern soldier of fortune.
These men are performing an honorable job...protecting Westerners from getting killed, while going from point A to B. The client, a human being that they're protecting, could be someone who is helping to benefit Afghanistan. The "hired guns" are not lining up Afghans+executing them like ISIS does/did in Iraq. If they fear for their lives+run a car full of good Afghans off the road, that doesn’t make them horrible men. Until they get better with experience, who else is willing to do the job they do?
There the best at what they do yes , and make good money can you put a prise on a mans life NO every day they put there lives on the line . one mess up will cost them there life , there is no let's do that over again men don't work that way. AFGHANISTAN ant no joke , my cap goes off for you men.. J w bridges
I am 24 years old and would like to start doing this sort of work?
You should first get a life. Only then you will truly understand what it means to take the life from a man.
how can to do soldir men help me skype ID Aslam.khan2011
how can you join? first head must be removed from ass!! once that's cleared up you might just realize that the foreign legion has real history and honor!! if you want to fight go the the legion you get a new life if you life through your time enlisted with them if your a felon in your country after you come out not in a box like many do ! you will get everything fresh like you got born with a new life ahead of you your past is wiped clean and you are given an EU passport of french origin !! papers everything finger p[prints all changed so you get a second chance at doing life better then you did in your youth !!
it used to be like that however they do checks to make sure your not wanted by any authority etc so you cant just rob a bank then join up for example. however they do still grant you a full name change and a french national passport. and fingerprints are kept by policing authorities who are notified of the changes to identity so you can still be found guilty of past crimes through dna and fingerprints. Basically if youve been penalized for the crime they accept you regardless, if not they refuse until you have been punished so to speak.
how can you join? lol maybe in another life mate.
It depends of what you did during this one.
If you are a soldier, a member of special forces, a policeman etc. Got some skils with guns and fight. You need to have those skils in high standards - they will not learn you those kind of things - this is a bussines not a school.
If you have friends that can recomend you for that kind of companies (like blackwater)
And most important - are you ready to die for money?
i agree with you, but your grammer is very bad (they will not learn you those kind of things).
how can join you guys
how can i be able to apply to be a private security. in afganistan
Great documentary, managing to get it all in such a short amount of time. The footage of Idema is priceless. He is the most real figure in the film. Though his initial jump into Afghanistan seems misguided, it seems a good lesson in the end, that he was abandoned by the US Gov't, as would be the case were any subject to misbehave and go rogue. But the corruption that war begets is evidenced in the circumstances of his imprisonment. Is he really imprisoned?, satellite TV and internet, plush couches and alcohol.
At least he seems to be enjoying and appreciating the male paradise of the Afghani male dominated system. As for the ignorant and aging, bored, mid life crisis male mercenaries, refugees from the West's corporate upbringing, well they are just incapable of growing out of adolescence. They are motivated solely by money and the prospect of killing another human or being killed as they have outlived their own usefulness to the planet and their species. A bunch of ignorant apes with guns, the worst excuse for a human being, misguided folly. And the guy who prays not be killed for his 3 yr old daughter's sake, feeling that his going to kill poor people 10,000 mls from his country of origin, he is willfully and arrogantly, deluded. He does not even question the poverty he sees all around him, the distance he is from his comparatively,'space aged', country of origin, nor why anyone would want to kill him while he is invading their country by his presence.
I was in Afghanistan before the 30 years of war wrought by the Soviets and now the Americans, and though women were oppressed then, it was possible that Afghanistan would have come into a state of egalitarian modernity had they been left on their own without the bombs dropped by the USA. Mazari Sharif was a free city in those days, women were free to take education and to walk around uncovered. This has all gone back to the dark ages now, thanks to the poison of the 'testosterone wars'.
The soldiers of misfortune are allowed by the US Gov't to tote guns in unaccountability, living off the US tax payers enslaved to their lack of understanding and financing the biggest, most illegal boondoggle since Viet Nam. While the 'stuck in adolescence' Generals apologize for mistakes made, and then continue the same insane policy of wasting billions of dollars on nothing.
Thanks to the people who made this insightful well done doc. for staying on message.
Brilliant film, well done for a subject that would seem to need more time. The interview with the abandoned American was excellant because he seemed to have the same craziness of the other American who prayed and felt that his god wanted him to be 10,000 miles away from the US continent in the Himalaya/Hindu Kush killing poor people in order to defend the US empire. What hogwash! But at least the 'imprisoned' Am. was far more real and was a true adventurer who got into the culture he was in. Albeit, after being caught for murder and mayhem. These mercenary guys really do have the 'Peter-Pan' syndrome. They are as ignorant and adolescent in their thinking as a 13 year old, but they are old men gone to kill poor people and to f*** enslaved women for a thrill. They are a big part of the problem with the human species. All around them is the death and destruction of culture and the earth that they have wrought upon the rest of us but they walk through it as blind men or perhaps more appropriately, as ignorant apes who walk upright. I was in Afghanistan before the Soviet war on Afghanistan. As an intact culture, though extremely oppressive to women, at least there was a possibility that they would progress into a modern country then. Women in Mazari Sharif were liberated then, and this would likely have occurred in all of Afghanistan had 30 years of war by the Soviets and then the Americans not intervened. The way to an egalitarian society is not through war, profiteering and the destruction of families and then the culture itself. The US and European war is solely for profit and the adolescent needs of the generals and the petty mercenaries from the West who will never grow up, who choose to remain ignorant to keep themselves from feeling the violent effect that they are having on the whole of the planet. What they do over there impacts the whole planet. They are involved in the destruction of these cultures which will hasten the destruction of their own. It is evidenced already in the loss of their own humanity, their inability to feel, where money is their primary motivation, and their ultimate effect is the destruction of everything living.
both comments well written.
The end of the movie is great! Really cool!
Man, that Idema guy is like a modern-day Lawrence of Arabia, lol(z) ;p :)) !!!
"Canadian #22
Why are so many americans so dumb, ignorant and evil ?
so ******, honestly, if this is what democracy and capitlaism leads to…. its no good."
I don't know. Last time I checked, Canada also has democracy and capitalism. So is that why you cannot spell and capitalize nouns properly? Stupid is as stupid does.
pulunco,
yeah, thanks, agreed.
As for democracy in this region, it has been a battlefield of differing regimes for millennia. The peoples there tend to identify with family & tribe, less with politicians. Iraq as such did not exist until Britain drew its boundaries after WWI, on the expert advice of oilman Calouste Gulbenkian. Gulbenkian knew where the best/most oil was. His reward was 5% of all extracted oil, which made him the richest man in the world. The French missed out.
During WWII, there was a failed nationalist uprising against British rule. Independence came later, but always subject to the interference & corruption of the big oil corps. Eg., the popular nationalist Kassem regime was overthrown by the CIA in 1963. The reason was oil. Kassem had helped set up OPEC to get better prices for Arab countries. Kassem & hundreds of supporters were tortured & murdered. Hooray for democracy.
Coastal Iraq had some very ancient cultures, but little in common with the desert peoples. All the ingredients for a grand, ex-colonialist screw-up are found in this poor country. God give them some peace. OGT
Whats wrong is that he said the US is rightly over there (Iraq). The US has killed enough people for no reason. Weapons of mass destruction never did exist. Too many people have been killed on both sides. For what, there is no democracy there now and the US can't impose it.
That war is making money for Halliburton and other companies, nothing more. I respect the people in the military but the war is serving the big American companies and nothing more.
Pulunco,
who is, what is wrong? OGT
MS
Sorry buddy but you are wrong.
Freedom,
things change in the world when people's minds change. Here, in a very small way, we are trying to upgrade their thinking, I hope. OGT
Is this where s*upid is as s*upid does comes in?
RR
OGT and realsense give up already? before even trying anything?
Well opposing is meaningless with no actions. The vietnam war was like david vs goliarth. Under equip, poorly train vietcong and north vietnamese army defeated the world superpower. Do you know why? Because the North vietnamese were willing to fight to the end with whatever means or tactic. "Nationism" the Vietnamese people started to help the vietcong against the US because they were sick to death getting push around by foreign powers for centuries the Chinese, the French, the Jap ect. Now if you people don't like the way things are, why sitting doing nothing? you see its not because you can't beat them just how far are you willing to go in taking back your country and liberty, war is dirty doesn't matter where the fight is or who is with, with guns or no guns.
It's ROGUE - not rouge..turned red? pink?...
realsense,
amen to that; things are looking bad. I can't quite believe how bad. Now the fat rats want the allies to fight Iran for Israel? Yes, I'm very much afraid they are serious. OGT
Old Git Tom
Well said, it aches me to watch young lives wasted in a banker's war. But what can we do, exposing these rascal has not brought any change. In fact it has emboldened them, the mainstream media belongs to them, they print the money and congress bows to their demands, I am afraid all that is left for us to do is to watch powerlessly as they loot and destroy the world.
The main enemy is at home and the second ammendment provides the solution.
RR
realsense,
no hard feelings from this end for 3rdinfantry. It is a psychological necessity for soldiers to feel they are fighting for a just cause. If they start to doubt, they can start to make mistakes. I do not want to undermine anyone's morale. I absolutely don't want to contribute to somebody's bad luck. I want to see them all home safe.
On the other hand, something nasty should happen to the cynical rats in high places who start wars for profit & power, their lying mouths full of peace & sweet reason. OGT
3rdinfantry,
An intellectual debate requires civility and mutual respect, OGT deserves respect, because of the way he presents his views. Insults just show how limited you are in reasoning and presenting facts, and that goes to all who think insulting others make their argument credible. We all know not every one likes peace, if you are one of those just say you prefer war to peace noone will arrest you for that. The principles of justice and fairness requires that force be used only as a means of self-defence. Can you 3rdinfantry prove that current American military action in the middleeast is a matter of selfdefence and not the pathetic "national security" rhetoric which tyrannical states use to assuage their lust for power? The day martial law is declared in the US maybe you will start seeing clearly, or maybe you are just one of those individuals whose mind does not belong to him anymore.
3rdinfantry,
Saddam Hussein played cat & mouse with UN inspection teams for years. But they did inspect, & found no WMDs. Scientist David Kelly was one expert. He was unwise enuf to tell a journalist as much. The UK gov was not pleased. He was found dead.
And maybe Israel would let UN inspectors look over its nuke industry? No chance, of course, & no squawks from the West.
Armies have been marching all over the Middle East for over 3 thousand years - pretty much why it's mostly scrub & desert. Neither peace nor democracy can be exported.
As to lies, IISS London report said about 50 Al Quaida in Afghan. There is no global AQ. That's a product of Bush II's propaganda machine. The present turkey, Obama, is sending more troops so he can end the war & pull out more troops! Sure, as Big Brother said in George Orwell's 1984, "War is peace, peace is war".
Now he's going to invade Iran? If he really wanted peace, he would stop sending US arms & money to support Israel. Then Israel would be forced to do a peace deal with the Palestinians. End of 'Moslem' problem.
Good luck, watch out, & get back fat & sassy. OGT
3rdinfantry,
story One was Iraq had WMDs - a lie. Story Two was, Iraq was training Al Quaida. Very unlikely, since Saddam Hussein saw them as power rivals. He pretty much saw everyone else in the Middle East as enemies, & killed off whoever he could. So this is likely another lie.
The essence of a soldier's job is to kill the enemy. Soldiers don't start wars, & don't get to choose which ones to fight in. They deserve our respect for doing what our governments tell them to do - dirty, dangerous, damaging work for which there is no adequate reward.
I am not a hippy. I hope you get/got home in one piece. If wars did any good, why are there so many? OGT
This is a volunteer adventure is it not?
RR
@ Old Git Tom
Yes, war is a very bad business. Let us put an end to it. Lets hold hands, light up a few joints and start a drum circle and hope i@#$%& like us can stop it. Wake up you mushroom headed hippy. Go hug a tree.
Iraq had alot to due with 9/11 in the fact that alot of al quida training camps were their. Saddam doesnt have to be BFF's with bin laden for that to happen. But wait, let me guess what your gonna say. "Im brainwashed", save it for someone who gives a f#ck.
@ jingwa
Is your comment saying that all our Military trains us for is Killing and that's all we are good at? I highly suggest you grow some balls and actually join the military yourself. You will see that alot of our training isnt on "killing". And these Iraqi freedom fighters you speak of, are they the some ones that launch RPG's at their own military and police forces? Yeah, we shouldn't count them as terrorists. Cause those are the guys we want in control of that country. Stop breaking down terrorists into different categories.
No you get alot of religious training as in born again Evangelical Christian variety
In WWII, more civilians were killed than combattants. As the technology of killing got more efficient, the less did the weaponry discriminate. Also, war became democratized & politicized. The killing turned less on what kind of uniform you wore, more on what 'side' you were perceived to be on.
In short, war is a very, very bad business. Let's put an end to it. Its only results are death & misery. Screw nationalism & patriotism. OGT
Ditto
regard to tyler's comments
"FACT: 90% of civilian casualties in the war on terror have been at the hands of insurgents."
- actually not a fact, generally speaking its around 50/50 if you look at insurgents as majority...but looking within their indidual grps primarily splitting towards 2 lanes...such as freedom fighter or terrorists...you find freedom fighters who are fighting for freedom against foreign lead invasions be it in their own countries or a neighbour, do not go around killing covilians intentionally...while terrorists on the other hand are in it for their own slefish reasons and dont care about civilians...much like the US.
"FACT: 90% of insurgents are not from Afghanistan or Iraq."
- not a fact again, but it also depends on if you looking at freedom fighters or terrorists or other...some are more local, some are not so local.
"American soldiers outperform civilian counterparts in every aspect of life – period. They are far more educated, and far more successful in civilian life. This is an inarguable statistical fact."
-This is a egotistal statement which points to denial, ignorance and well simple stupidity. In general a soldier only out perform civilians in one thing and that is for what they are trained for...in the case of standard marine on the front lines...it is to kill people...not exactly something to be proud of. A soldier/mechanic...well sorry again just killing people, in terms of mechanic his skills are equal to people who are civilian trade...in many cases civilians skills are superior...as the military out sources contracts, specially in the design and construction side of things...making military personal in relation inferior as they never receieve such training...but the civilian does.
Generally speaking a military life is a very restricted life, the only real benefits is has is improving one's health, purpose, self confidence and oportunities...those are often more greatly available outside the military anyways....overall the military is a very limited/restricted life for most individuals and they live a very predictable life, though naturally you dont join the army because you hate this sort of thing and most peoplewho like it amy not even notice how restricted their life is.
More vets kill themselves today then are killed in combat-something wrong with this picture
Really interesting s@#$, thanks SeeUat Videos.
MS,
they say the first casualty of war is truth! Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11. Saddam had no WMDs, & Osama & Saddam hated one-another.
You have been lied to, son. Don't worry, we all have. Mushroom syndrome - you are kept in the dark, then you get a bucket of manure emptied over you weekly.
Keep your head down & go home in one piece. Good luck, OGT
These guys are there because they want a high paying job. They don't go there to simply kill people or innocent civilians as it is ignorantly said by many tards here. But they will obviously kill if they need to, in defense of what they are being paid to secure because those "innocent civilians" do violate and then get violated , too bad.
We are over there because of 9/11 and rightly so, to destroy the Taliban and if those throwbacks over there don't like an invading force then they should not let people like Al Queada crap and Taliban rule over them and have terror training camps over there, again but they did, so too bad. We don't owe them anything and as someone said above, the vast majority of deaths and atrocities happening there are the result of the Muslim terrorists who obvioulsy have no problem blowing up the people they are supposedly so concerned about just to make the news because they hardly ever kill soldiers.
US Soldiers actually treat those people better than they treat themselves and their own.
Taliban didn't bomb WTC. Supossedly Al Queda did-bought and paid for by Saudi Arabia. So why are you in Afghanistan again?
RR
@ Old Git Tom
Yeah you are right there again. I respect you a lot for the way you have been responding. It is very rare these days to have a decent debate online.
realsense,
Brits invaded USA in 1812 when it was independent of Brit empire. As for the rest, I can agree with much of what you say. Just, democracy has been suborned & neutralized in the USA & UK, by the banks & big money boys. They are a minority; they are not 'America', but they are behind 'The Allies' & command the international mass murders.
But, democracy is not dead, just bound & gagged. Ordinary people are the victims, so it serves no purpose for them to engage in nationalistic disputes - is all I want to say. OGT
Old Git Tom
You are right. However I do not totally agree on the British invasion, Britain never invaded America, America was alreay part of the British empire,the evidence shows Americans paid taxes to the king of England. History books says the war broke out due to new taxes imposed by the crown, as well as the writings of Tom paine and popular revolutionary ideas popping up in France. What I know is that Europeens including Britain were originally welcomed by the "native red indians" who they later killed and occupied their lands. I am not bashing Americans I just do not stand hypocrisy. If your goverment covet the resources of other countries,let them just outrightly declare war and occupy these territories, hiding behind false excuses to set up military bases all over the world just shows, your government is no different to Hitler who had his own men shot at the czcech borders,to find a pretext to invade the sudetenland. Or again the cowardly terrorists the american governmwent is indirectly funding,by bribing some factions not to attack important military convoys.
You must be naive to think there is democracy in the world. Where I live the American government is responsible for sponsoring the current dictatorship who overthrew a popular government because it prioritised the people over big American Corporations. If American democracy according to you, prevails over the world, how comes most Arab, African countries, are dictatorships. Most of these countries have leaders sittingon vast oil/petroleum reserves who won't mind choking their people for a few dollar crumbs. That's the reality. If America is the foremost democracy how comes the congressmen voted for the bailout despite the people's outright rejection of it? Your government just gave all of you the "middle finger" overtly disobeying the people's will, meaning, you the people are not the boss, the banks and private interests are.
Will these same soldiers who swear to defend America against both foreign and domestic enemies,not hesitate to beat and if necessary shoot the people should they rise against the government or the banks. The army which you americans are so proud of only obey one master, the president(and co-corporatists), they would blindly obey any orders given them should the people wake from their slumber. As long as you are obedient and brainwashed sheeple your armies will be your heroes.
Most people in the world including me love what America as a nation represent,I respect the American constitution a lot,it is a shame the people do not value it enough to defend its precepts with their own blood.
realsense,
America-bashing is fun, but too easy & unproductive. Most Americans are decent people who have no control over what their government does. But who does?
And yes, America was invaded by Britain from Canada in 1812. The Brits burned down the White House, then left becos they were more concerned with Napoleon in Europe. The Americans claimed a victory, but who knows? I couldn't give a flying duck. I prefer football.
Nationalistic wrist-wrassling is for schmucks in bars. The important issue is that the USA is the world's foremost democracy - that is why it is being destroyed from the inside out by rat-fink bankers.
If American democracy falls, democracy falls all round the world - pretty much what Abe Lincoln said at Gettysburg. Forward the boys in blue, says non-yank OGT!
Nickyred & Tyler : Question for you has bush,dick Cheyenne and co sent any of their family members to war? Regarding all the doggy evidence on 911 have you Americans really experienced an invasion? I will never join an army to fight somebody else's cause but I will fight to defend my family and friends. Why don't you Americans show how good you are and invade North Korea or your show of strength is limited to countries who do not have the same military arsenal as you have. You hypocrites, I will respect a nations that goes to war with clear aims.
America has lied the world repeatedly to go to war and you fools are just willing pawns in the game of financial and political elites. You are more enslaved than people in poorer countries because you do not even know you are slaves (willing slaves and happy to be slaves) continue licking the crumbs from your masters table, nobody buys your false sense of justice.
All I see are brave clowns who shoot when they are told to shoot. What's the difference between you and robots. If you want to clean up peoples house clean yours first because America's house is dirty and the people stink of ignorance, brainwashing and decadence, yet you want to pull the pebble out of other nation's eye.
hypocrites, hypocrites, hypocrites
Why are so many americans so dumb, ignorant and evil ?
so stupid, honestly, if this is what democracy and capitlaism leads to.... its no good.
The story of Idema is amazing. I'm glad we could see that interview.
I don't know if its a good idea to blanket all mercs as bloodthirsty warmongerers. They are just selling their skills to a boss because they want the money. They wouldn't be there if they were not in demand by the allied command. That is why Idema is in jail, he was not a real merc, he was operating according to his own rules. So don't blame the mercs, blame the commanders of the war. An American citizen is actually more responsible for the war than these mercs, after all they are just our employees.
And what a misleading description and slightly inaccurate bit about Jonathan Idema. Jonathan Idema states that he has served many years as a part of the United States Special Forces. However, he was never a US Marine. He also left the Army in 1984, he had qualified for Special Forces within the Army but upon entering his performance records were poor and he was dropped and continually put in lower positions within the US Army. He hasn't served since the 80's.
@tyler
Well said
@aaron
Why? Most of the people on these comments are irking me too. He's completely right.
You blurb says our boy 'turned rouge'. Did the marines notice his non-issue lipstick, or was it that way he marched? Whatever, from what I've heard, a cunning way to get close to Arabs. OGT
Tyler, I think you need to take a bubblebath.
Wow, delusional i***** with fire power.
My friend kicked me...so I punched him....but then he kicked me again...so I beat him to hell....but when he recovered he kicked me yet again.
Hold on while I go punch my friend...I hope he doesnt kick me.
Welcome to warfare.
If your tone and attitude is to be judged upon, no wonder nobody likes you guys. Seeing world in black and white only must be hard, you poor soul...
Finally, at least some of you a--holes are owning up to the fact that you never supported actions in Afghanistan, either. To you, I whole-heartedly wish a painful, miserable shortened life.
FACT: 90% of civilian casualties in the war on terror have been at the hands of insurgents.
FACT: 90% of insurgents are not from Afghanistan or Iraq.
The anti military comments prove that these self-proclaimed bleeding heart liberals never cared about the deaths on September 11, 2001, never cared about Saddam's mass graves filled with over 10,000 people a piece, and never cared about the fact that these barbarians consider women to be property. The war is simply an excuse to vent your hatred for America and Americans - nothing more. the only thing that differentiates you from Al Qaida is the fact that you haven't tried to murder Americans out of your hatred....yet. Acutally, some of you have.
American soldiers outperform civilian counterparts in every aspect of life - period. They are far more educated, and far more successful in civilian life. This is an inarguable statistical fact.
Regardless there is no justification for the wars in either Afghanistan or Iraq. America supports worse dictators and propagates worse conditions in many other countries round the world so your humanitarian facade is just that a joke played on suckers to get them to enlist in a cause. If they can't get enough to enlist they will hire mercenaries who are to screwed up to live in society so they "choose" to remain hired guns no different then when they first joined only now they realize it.
RR
Great documentary. I don't agree with what the U.S is doing over there for obvious reasons, but I do understand why these guys do what they feel they have to do. We don't know what personal reasons or problems they have that make them feel this is thier only option.
Oh and George B I'm sure you are licking the boots of your employer for a paycheck as well, or maybe you are unemployed.
some expert mercenaries!
why would you park your car strategically next to a petrol tanker? what would happen if a firefight broke out?
but really, wouldn't you notice the unoccupied car sitting next to it in an empty lot?
besides that, they should have kept in constant contact with the other group as soon as the first bomb went off
anyways, i digress...
good doc, i may not agree with all the views but i learned a fair bit
Trash depends on perspective really. Why did you join, money? You set yourself up to kill for the money so that makes you a killer for hire. You are a dog of war licking the boots of your masters who now control the opium trade and run an oil pipeline through Afghanistan.
Is that patriotic opium and red, white and blue oil? Before you sign up you can be a human being and judge for yourself. Once you are in you do what your masters tell you for your paycheck. You are not a patriot. Blackwater ruined Americas image in Iraq but they probably didn't care anyway.
I'd pick up a gun to defend my family and land but you a--holes take it to a whole new level invading other peoples land and you don't even know why. You dumbasses still think Bin Laden is still alive. He was on kidney dialysis in 2000.
Wow I just went on the web site for a job in Iraq. The uk goverment has cashed in on the "Dogs of war"
Im ex military close protection trained 17 years service Brit army. And I am now required to attend a 136 hour yes 136 hour Close Protection course in deepest Surry UK and pay a penny just off 3000 quid plus a medical and a psyco test for F##ks sake! I need a job! I will only end up as a barrier technition anyways. Then you need to go to the police and get a check that your not a villian, and after that u go on a another batch of test before you are shipped out. By the way, the pay has dropped to 40k a year from 100k in 2004 Happy days!!
Believe what you want, but I've been in the Army 6 years now (uneducated, bloodthirsty trailer trash to you freedom hating liberals) but these private DOD contractors (that's what they're called, not mercenaries) can't pull combat ops over-seas. They're missions are limited to security, either that of supply or foreign national political figure heads. Now these guys dont spend their money on multimillion weapons platforms like the military does. Their money goes to state-of-the-art armored vehicles, high dollar rifles, and body armor all the likes of which our army wont have until perhaps 2035. The next piece of funding goes to the worker himself, almost always former special forces members from all branches of the military. These guys are highly trained, highly experienced, and highly motivated doing a job that would usually be reserved for an 18 year old army private who has little training, substandard armor, and who doesn't even know if he/she will want to be in the army in 5 years time. The army can then reserve soldiers for more technical and or higher value ops while these guys go on the convoys that every soldier dreads due to the danger factor. So whilst you libs blog in your a/c, safe from Islamic extremists because they are preoccupied with fighting the bravest of our nation right now in their front yard, take some time to thank some of us instead of spreading the REAL hate through your pacifist rhetoric blogging about that which you no not the first thing about.
country taring itself apart ?
what the hell do they mean by that
people came in and tore it apart !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
then it got worse and worse and worse
and now every european is a target
duh
I do not think 250 dollars is worth the risk. Thousand dollars maybe. Civil war would really suck, and negate the initial initiative. Sucks to be the leaders that have to make these decisions.
Real easy for people to talk about what goes on over there. Especially when they are not there, or do not have loved ones over there.
And for those of you talking about peace; thankfully the men and women of the First and Second WW's, didn't just talk trash, and put on peace badges. For if they did not step up fight and make a stand against tyranny, all of us would be under the flag of a swastika (except those of us who are colored, or non-white).
Do not be so quick to forget, and pretend you live in an ideal world.
Without fail the hiring of mercenaries as a method of obtaining national military objectives heralds the downfall of that society.
I'm a big fan of peace and ya gotta love the Kool-aid drinking neocons that believe violence will ever create anything but more violence.
On a seperate note, I wonder how the salary of a mercenary compares to that of your average soldier?
The average mercenary makes 4 times as much or more than they did while in the US military I read somewhere.
Interesting indeed and provides possible answers to a question that's been puzzling me a while.. How did Big Money convince people killing people abroad is OK? They don't seem to have them convinced, but since this is the life they know, high adrenaline and ever changing environments, they just tend to their addiction. Like anyone gone to deep into an addiction, they go beyond reason to get their fix.
Interesting yet depressing at the same time. If war is such a booming business, why in such a greed obsessed world do people wonder why peace is a rarity? These individuals are the caveman trash of our species.
Excellent view into the serious game of guns for hire. Glad someone is shooting the bad guys. No fan of War here but gotta love to kool-aid drinking liberals who think love and peace is the answer. Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror by Robert Young Pelton is a excellent read as well ..... Its amazing the money these folks make as private security consultants... I guess getting shot at and/or some jihadist chopping your head off warrants the high pay
Mercenaries are simply a bunch of under-educated retards that 'love' war and violence, and play god because of the immunity for Iraqi and Afghan laws. Guys that get their dic*s hard from blowing innocent civilians to pieces, should be put to sleep for lack of social contribution.
Sickening and stupid doc, they portrayed the situation completely upside down. Stating everybody there could be a terrorist is short-minded to say the least, you'd be killing invaders too if they killed half of your family just for fun (Or maybe dumped 2.020.000 kilo's of depleted uranium in your backyard). Too "America, fu*k yeah!" oriented for my taste.
"The business of war" :( Makes me sick to my stomach.