Blackwater told to leave Iraq!

[VWE]

I see these 'mercenaries' all over here... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070917/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=AtBcrKr9OwJl3t_Foz64TGgDW7oF

[storch]

how do you think their removal will affect operations there?

[VWE]

The 'reason' given to me as to why I see so many contrators here is that they are doing jobs that would normally be done by soldiers. That being said, from what I've seen it takes 3 times as many of them to do what one soldier can accomplish.

I have yet to see Blackwater as a benafit to operations so their removal, if it actually happens, I'd see as a possitive move. They opperate within the grey areas of law and seem to think they are above it. Personally I don't care for them and would much rather see special forces doing their jobs.

[DREDIOCK]

""They're famous for being very aggressive. They use their machine guns like car horns. But it's not the goal to kill people."

I stumbled across a bunch of Black Water Iraqi Footage a few weeks ago.

funny the only films they had of them. Were them Sniping what I assumed to be insurgents.

They seemed to be having a good ol time of it too

[john9001]

i'm selling my haliburton stock.

[BBBB]

Originally posted by VWE
The 'reason' given to me as to why I see so many contrators here is that they are doing jobs that would normally be done by soldiers. That being said, from what I've seen it takes 3 times as many of them to do what one soldier can accomplish.

I have yet to see Blackwater as a benafit to operations so their removal, if it actually happens, I'd see as a possitive move. They opperate within the grey areas of law and seem to think they are above it. Personally I don't care for them and would much rather see special forces doing their jobs.

 I agree with you. I was appalled at their behavior while I was over there. They walk around like they run the place.  Imagine every 80s mercenary cliche you can think of, rolled into one and then you have a Black Water employee. Sure the founder of the company might have been an EX Navy SEAL, but most of the employees are trigger happy ex-cops and ex-military supply officers.

 I knew this day would come.  I think a lot of these guys are confused about what their mission in Iraq is. They run around thinking they are Special Forces since they got their 40 hours of high speed training out at Black Water. Now that kind of thinking has them in hot water.

-Spot

[crockett]

Originally posted by VWE
The 'reason' given to me as to why I see so many contrators here is that they are doing jobs that would normally be done by soldiers. That being said, from what I've seen it takes 3 times as many of them to do what one soldier can accomplish.

I have yet to see Blackwater as a benafit to operations so their removal, if it actually happens, I'd see as a possitive move. They opperate within the grey areas of law and seem to think they are above it. Personally I don't care for them and would much rather see special forces doing their jobs.

Yea the whole contact part of this war is a bigger sham than the war it's self. I've seen several interviews of US soldiers whom had their job given away to a contractor.

Hell one guy was trained to repair radios or something like that, and had his job taken over by a contractor. The army then put the soldier on guard duty because they didn't have anything else for him to do.

I was also watching the Military Channel yesterday one of the shows that were made with soldier's personal videos from Iraq. The guy was talking about how haliburton bills their meals, by "plates" rather than by what's actually served.

So each plate used by a soldier was billed at $40 each or something close to that.  So if a solder took a second plate to cover his food to keep it warm, his meal then cost US tax payers about $80 dollars.

In reguards to Blackwater, they should have never been used as any actual fighting force in Iraq. Their limit should have been protecting high profile personal, mainly meaning corprate heads or high risk civilians.

The sad but true part of the whom sham is, the very guys that worked for Blackwater, will likely be right back in Iraq under a diffrent contractor.

[Eagler]

Originally posted by crockett
In reguards to Blackwater, they should have never been used as any actual fighting force in Iraq. Their limit should have been protecting high profile personal, mainly meaning corprate heads or high risk civilians.

I believe that's all they were doing when this latest incident happened ... they maybe cowboys but wouldn't you be if you were in their shoes? Seems like if you don't shoot and ask questions later when the bombs go off in your face, there may not be a later..

Curious to see if the Iraqi's are ready to fill their shoes with at least as capable protection as the cowboys provided since they are ready to remove that protection by throwing them out..

[storch]

I don't think that iraqis will ever be able have security.  first of all it's a haphazardly thrown together country that britain cobbled up at the end of the first world war.  secondly from the onset they have been fighting each other and only stopping long enough to annoy their neighbors from time to time.  iraq and peace or iraq and security has never been a reality.  aside from that diplomats have always had to provide for their own security.  business people are the ones with the problem in places such as iraq.

[SoulTakr]

Originally posted by VWE
The 'reason' given to me as to why I see so many contrators here is that they are doing jobs that would normally be done by soldiers. That being said, from what I've seen it takes 3 times as many of them to do what one soldier can accomplish.

I have yet to see Blackwater as a benafit to operations so their removal, if it actually happens, I'd see as a possitive move. They opperate within the grey areas of law and seem to think they are above it. Personally I don't care for them and would much rather see special forces doing their jobs.

V,

I agree with you to a degree that in some cases there are way to many contracters there.  I used to be one of them.  I have had run-in's with some of the Blackwater Folks traveling from FOB to FOB, and there are many that fit the "Wild Bill" persona.  Seems as the years go by, they are recruiting more and more younger inexperienced personnel.  You and I have "spoken" a few times when we were both on the game.  If you don't remember I used to work w/ the FBCB2/BFT as a Field Support Rep.

In short, I was responsible for a Brigade size element's worth of equipment not to mention all the attachment's, slice element's, and all the other unit's that happened to come by and need assistance. ( Grand total 378 systems)

First and Foremost, I was not signed for any of that equipment, it belonged to the Unit as it should.  In my eyes, my job was to train the commo folks to fully understand the equipment and "work myself out of a job"  I did that to the best of my ability.  Having said that, I can recall many a time(almost everyday) that when I would try and show some commo folks or the operators a thing or two I would get told, "that's your job"  Sure, I was a glorified "May-Tag" repair guy, but to me it was more important to train them as I would not be around forever.

I never once turned down fixing something no matter how small the mission was, and believe me, many times they would drive up to my trailer door on Pad 13 on Liberty and bang on the door at 3 in the morning because something would go wrong and they were rolling out.  That's not to say I didn't get frustrated, but it was my job.(To help them and to train them)  I accompolished quite a bit in the 2 rotations I spent overseas.  I could go on and on, but I will preserve your eyesight.

Bottom line I guess I am trying to get to is that..  Yes there are contractors out there that really don't need to be there.  Most of us are prior service and have a strong desire to help the soldiers because we have been where they are, and they have our utmost respect.  Yes, there are companies out there that care all about the mighty dollar, and charge outrageous amounts of $ to ship our Armed Forces vital supplies that they need.  I am proud to say that the Company I worked for kept everything under budget and saved the Gov't money (never flew first class, Severe scrutiny of expense reports, etc).  I would like to see a Severe Audit and get rid of some of these companies that are ridiculous.

How about next time you come across a Contractor, say thanks, he/she might actually be a good person trying his/her best to do the right thing.

<> stay safe and get back so we can go have a beer at Ernies!

[AquaShrimp]

Lets not forget, mercenary forces were the only force that stopped the civil war in Sierra Leone.  

I'd like to see some actual data on Blackwater's operations rather than just some anecdotal evidence.

[Maverick]

Soultakr,

Haven't you learned that the O'Club always paints with the largest brush in existence? How dare you point out that not everyone is the same! All it takes is one news story without confirmation for the black hoods and axes to come out.

[VWE]

I didn't paint with huge brush, the only 'contractor' I've mentioned or been asked about is Blackwater. Where in my post did I say all contractors suck? The only parts house I go to is over on Victory and is a Raytheon radar parts place. There are plenty of good contractors I work with, as well as a few bad ones. I'm saying there are far too many for the task at hand. So how bout asking me to clarify if that's whats needed before assuming anything.

[AKIron]

The military doesn't have a monopoly on providing security services nor should it. Why shouldn't people who have a talent and expertise in this area be allowed to practice? Many of them are probably ex-military or law enforcement looking for higher pay. That's the American way.

[JB88]

if you don't mind my asking:  what do you do over there VWE?