Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

I wouldn't have gone so far to surrender to them though.

And the funny thing is, there is no United States Military Law that American Troops Surrender as a first option, no matter if the people threatening American Troops are also Americans or not.

Originally Posted by 03USMC

Thats because the Military has ROE'S and a violation of said ROE's in country ends up with the unit and it's commanders having a microscope shoved up their collective 4th POC. By your friendly neighborhood CID/NCIS etc etc. The military is held to a higher standard than these PMC "Shooters" and not adhering to that standard ends careers.

They did'nt light em up because they knew who they were and judgement was the better part of valor in this case.

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If a American Merc unit can get the courage to point weapons at US soldiers, than that means they have no qualms about using those weapons against US soldiers if they needed to. Remember they might act like us, they might like baseball, apple pie, hot dogs, and such. But these guys are only loyal to their paycheck, -thats the nature of being a Merc. Thats why mercenary work is such a dirty business.

I'd sooner have an Iraqi guard my a** because at least he's fighting for his home.

Just a matter of time before one of those trigger-happy yahoos does decide to fire on US troops. Just what we need in Iraq ANOTHER independent armed group that we have no control over. i

Would trust any one that you saw in uniform in Iraq until you could get close enough to identify them. Of course the terrorist would not stoop to such under handed tricks to get close enough to any one to kill them and of course this has never happened before in Iraq and troops have been taken captive and killed by these methods.

I was referring to 'in general' I am not referring to insurgents who dress as Iraqi soldiers. I am talking about real authentic Iraqi soldiers.

And how would you know the difference?

Originally Posted by mmarsh

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If a American Merc unit can get the courage to point weapons at US soldiers, than that means they have no qualms about using those weapons against US soldiers if they needed to. Remember they might act like us, they might like baseball, apple pie, hot dogs, and such. But these guys are only loyal to their paycheck, -thats the nature of being a Merc. Thats why mercenary work is such a dirty business.

I'd sooner have an Iraqi guard my a** because at least he's fighting for his home.

Just a matter of time before one of those trigger-happy yahoos does decide to fire on US troops. Just what we need in Iraq ANOTHER independent armed group that we have no control over. i

Preachin to the Choir. My point was that while these PMC Clowns are out of control the Military is held to a higher and enforced standard.

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I'd sooner have an Iraqi guard my a** because at least he's fighting for his home.( end quote)



This could be a perilous position.

[quote=Del Boy;371053]

Originally Posted by mmarsh

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I'd sooner have an Iraqi guard my a** because at least he's fighting for his home.( end quote)



This could be a perilous position.

It is a perilous position. And not one to be taken lightly if you've ever been in the position of having an IP or IAF walking your slack. You just never know.

On balance, I think I would have to opt for the merc.

These men are mercs, and not really subject to military justice, as I understand it- less liable to ROEs as much as local laws. As a result, I don't believe that the U.S. government should come under fire for it. They screwed up, sure, but they're still being criticized primarily by people in this country who have no combat experience or knowledge of the reasons why mercs are helpful to the conflict in Iraq. People hear "mercenary" and go bat**** because they don't understand the implications.

I think that, in a conflict as politically sensitive and divisive as Iraq, it may be a good thing to have an organization that does not have to always answer to military justice- within reason. But that's just me.