In the first Gulf war the ratio of military troops to on private military contractors was 100 to 1, in the current Iraqi conflict that number is 10 to 1 and getting smaller as the government subsides sizable chunks of the military machine to PMCs. PMCs are also hired for a variety of other tasks, such as escort of VIPs, escort of supply trucks, and additional force components in large scale engagements. For the administration this is a win win situation, some of these companies have direct links to people in power (Haliburton with Kellog Brown and Root), and replacing US army people with paid individuals is great, since this is a force reduction and thus the same high recruitment numbers don't need to be met. However PMC contractors get paid more then the military soldiers, so there is a large problem about soldiers who do far more dangerous tasks for less and thus leave service to go to a PMC. Some of you might remember the events a while back regarding the American PMCs who were killed and hung up on a bridge, evidence shows that it could have been prevented had the requisite rear gunner been present, however there was no one available that day so the convoy left without a rear gunner.

However there is an inherent problem with this, the PMCs do no fall under the military's arch of judicial power or information exchange for that matter. Following the military's ROE is at best optional. Coordinating tasks on the ground becomes an issue, especially with a dynamic battlescape such as Iraq. Further more abuses by PMC troops are not handled, the individual is usually simply shipped out of the country, and can return for another assignment or contract within 6 months. PMCs are notorious in their tactics, close approaching vehicles are indiscriminately shot at (as shown in the video, proper enforcement of warn, shoot 10m off, shoot vehicle, shoot target are not adhered to).

Hearts and minds and this, is clearly a serious clash of strategic objectives. There is more here.

I like the video, it's striking when something entertains and horrifies at the same time.

farhad, great post and your comment is extremely well put. I'd love it if you added a music tag too.

I hate seeing pointless macho stuff like this.. but upvote because it's important to see what's really happening, not rah-rah rhetoric. With cowboy shit like this, is it any wonder that polled Iraqis said:

• Forty-five per cent of Iraqis believe attacks against British and American troops are justified - rising to 65 per cent in the British-controlled Maysan province

• 82 per cent are "strongly opposed" to the presence of coalition troops;

Wow.
They can hit an empty sand dune.
And innocent civilians.
My heroes.

Very interesting article in this week's time magazine that argues that not only should the US withdraw from Iraq and allow it to split into 3 countries, but that a partition into 3 countries has already effectively happened.

Frontline did an hour special on this: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/view/

You can watch it online. It was interesting.

Highly recommend that Frontline episode. They do great work.

...we need to bring the people of the middle east up to pace with the rest of the world...and they need to know how to play well with others....or this bullshit won't end, until we all have free energy, or the antichrist comes with pitbulls....or some dumass opens a suitcase nuke.....hell, the catylist for ww1 one was an assination.....simple ways of looking at things are usually the best....Stop buying Plastic, Stop driving, (and stop thinking you need to) stop using pharmaceuticals...and don't pay yer freekin' taxes....COLLECTIVELY!-only way bullshit will stop......

Or...Liove with it! We are in Paradise......

Well put, Farhad. PMCs are mercenaries, hired guns -- what value do they serve besides paying their own mortgage? Military personnel have their own set of stringent rules that keep them in check, and are instilled with the idea of their own unlimited liability as well as a sense of honour (usually). These Blackwater types are privateers and I look on them with great distrust.

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Gold Star invocations (dead) cannot be executed by arrendek because arrendek is not a Gold Star member - sorry.

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Wow!!! That was amazing.. they were shooting at any cars that got near them... it looked like innocent civilians just driving along and these morons just shot them up! This is an outrage to humanity.

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Adding video to channels (Waronterror) - requested by raven.

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