Originally posted by Toad:
Mercenaries? WE (the US government) SENDS mercenaries?
Of course we do. They work for companies such as DynCorp, Airscan, and Military Professional Resources Inc.
Current law caps the number of military contractors in Columbia at 300. The limit on military members is 500 and the military is restricted from engaging in combat activities. The House of Representatives is about to vote on the $15.2 Billion Foreign Operations Bill. Contained within the section earmarking $676 Million for counter-drug operations, is this line, "These funds are in addition to amounts otherwise available for such purposes and are available without regard to section 3204(b)(1)(B) of Public Law 106-246: Provided further, that section 482(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 shall not apply to funds appropriated under this heading."
What that means, is the U.S. will be able to increase the number of "military contractors" in the Columbia if the bill is passed. Military contractors are not prohibited from engaging in combat.
So yes, the United States does employ mercenaries. We always have. It's a way to circumvent the restrictions on the use of military forces.
