American Mercenaries
I first read about “private military contractors” a few years ago, and I was so bothered by what I’d learned about them, that I included them in my comic book, “The Alberic Heresies.” I find it troubling that mercenary companies, acting under the aegis of being mere providers of “security services,” are filling the role of the traditional military without being held to the high standards of conduct that apply to the U.S. armed forces. Because they’re contractors, they can pretty much act with impunity.
The fact that that they are tied so closely to the Republican party is equally disturbing. Should we really be entrusting our defense to partisan organizations who wage war not for the sake of defending the American people, but for profit? I think this is an important question.
The Nation magazine has posted an extended excerpt from a new book by Jeremy Scahill entitled, Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army . It’s definitely worth a read. Especially revealing is that Blackwater “contractors” were secretly deployed to New Orleans in the wake of Katrine to provide “security.” Am I crazy to be bothered by the thought of American mercenaries taking on the role of the traditional police in the United States? I really don’t think I am.
