Mercenaries (the game).

[Cortexian]

A buddy of my dads has decided to join a U.S. based mercenary group and go into Afghanistan, he was accepted. He has previous experience in the forces (served as an Army Ranger in Desert Shield/Storm, then instructed Navy Seals in hand-to-hand combat) as well as a lot of real world experience with shooting/weapons. His primary reason for doing this is the money, and I see it as a decent reason since he just went through some tough times (economy, personal, etc). I'm unsure how these mercenary companies work, and I'm unsure how many of them exist, so I'm looking for some info on them. Anyone have anything? I've heard of Blackwater but not much else other than that, are all mercenaries just as faggoty as the Blackwater idiots?

[Mass]

Pretty much, it's a disgusting industry with few exceptions.

Really, I don't understand why these groups are legal, security for hire =/= private army with more ordinance than most sovereign nations.

They're kind of infamously secretive, too. I'd be interested in what his experiences are.

[Cortexian]

Well, I know him and he's certainly not the type of guy that's going over there for any kind of adrenaline rush or blood rage type deal. He's signed up to do stuff that isn't as retarded as you see on the news/YouTube, and you have to realize that the negative stuff that makes it to the news/YouTube out of the 20,000 Blackwater members is pretty small. There's always bad apples in the bunch.

All I know now is that he's signed up for security and hostage rescue missions. I'll report anything more I hear.

[Mass]

Well, I know him and he's certainly not the type of guy that's going over there for any kind of adrenaline rush or blood rage type deal. He's signed up to do stuff that isn't as retarded as you see on the news/YouTube, and you have to realize that the negative stuff that makes it to the news/YouTube out of the 20,000 Blackwater members is pretty small. There's always bad apples in the bunch.

All I know now is that he's signed up for security and hostage rescue missions. I'll report anything more I hear.
I'm sure he's a good guy and I assume that most people in these groups are. And, honestly, the stigma of mercenaries has little to do with youtube, it's one of the oldest notions in existence and private militias have always been a military tool of the nation-state.

I think the main concern about mercenary groups in the modern world is that they be hired by large corporations that wield incredible power undemocratically. Coca-cola already assassinates union-leaders in Colombia, if there's a major threat to economic interests, what stops a corporation from hiring mercenaries to end a strike or other issue by any means deemed necessary?

[RobertGraham]

This is pretty much the way it works, my friend explained it to me, because I live almost 15 Minutes away from where Blackwater was.

-You join.
-You find what your looking for and brink it back.
-Profit.
-There are no rules, just keep it on the DL
-You are not a Nazi, so you don't have the License to kill, only shoot if they shoot back (Ceasefire Treaty). Most mercenaries don't like to take things to the next level, who knows what they'll use.

In the big scheme of things, you get what the people want, and you get profit.

[Limited]

I never really understood what mercenaries did, I always assumed they get hired out to go intimidate people/. contract killing.

All seems a little dodgy to me, dont see how its legal.

[RobertGraham]

I never really understood what mercenaries did, I always assumed they get hired out to go intimidate people/. contract killing.

All seems a little dodgy to me, dont see how its legal.
Which is one of the reasons they closed Blackwater down. It's technically hiring people to be hitmen

[SnaFuBAR]

I don't see how any merc groups are going to Afghanistan when Obama already banned their use in theaters of war. Or did he just ban Blackwater?

[Gwunty]

I don't see how any merc groups are going to Afghanistan when Obama already banned their use in theaters of war. Or did he just ban Blackwater?
inb4dane
Anyways I also thought that mercenaries were dudes who were paid to kill by the government, meh who knew.

[RobertGraham]

inb4dane
Anyways I also thought that mercenaries were dudes who were paid to kill by the government, meh who knew.
They are called Contractors, not exactly like the government, but kinda close


I don't see how any merc groups are going to Afghanistan when Obama already banned their use in theaters of war. Or did he just ban Blackwater?

They don't just send them to Theatres of war, think of them like "spies" or "assassins".

[Disaster]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercenary

This is really informative.

Something that really stands out to me is that if an accident occurs. They are not treated as soldiers but as civilian criminals even though they are a direct part of the hostilities and can be sentenced to death.

[SnaFuBAR]

That's because they are civilian criminals. :) iirc DEA and ATF found something in US law that makes them liable for civilian death abroad if operating as mercs, and can get like 20 years to life. Mercs aren't soldiers, they're not military, and a lot of what they do is pretty damn illegal.

[Cortexian]

Well, he may not be signed up in a "mercenary" operation, I believe he's signed up in some type of private security organization. There's a really thin line between mercenaries/private security.

[LesserOf2Evils]

That make much more sense. A lot of ex spec forces soldiers move into the private sector after retiring from the US military.

[Mr Buckshot]

When I hear the word mercenary I think of "Displace International."

(if you've played the splinter cell games you'll know what I mean)

[rossmum]

Fuck mercs to hell. They shit the job up so we cop the fallout, because by the time it really hits the fan, they're back home sipping expensive drinks by their expensive pools in their expensive houses.

I have absolutely no respect at all for anyone who joins any of these so-called 'private security/military contractors', and I can almost guarantee you'll get the same out of anyone in any branch of any military.

[TeeKup]

lol Army of Two.

[Cortexian]

Fuck mercs to hell. They shit the job up so we cop the fallout, because by the time it really hits the fan, they're back home sipping expensive drinks by their expensive pools in their expensive houses.

I have absolutely no respect at all for anyone who joins any of these so-called 'private security/military contractors', and I can almost guarantee you'll get the same out of anyone in any branch of any military.
Well, that's just because they're all jealous. I'm 90% sure that anyone that feels that way would jump on the chance to be a richfagmerk if they could. Why wouldn't you do a job that pays 100x better doing the same shit?

[rossmum]

Well, that's just because they're all jealous. I'm 90% sure that anyone that feels that way would jump on the chance to be a richfagmerk if they could. Why wouldn't you do a job that pays 100x better doing the same shit?
You might think you're 90% sure, but I guess you're 100% wrong. No, it's because they have morals and they actually want to stand by their fellow soldiers, not make their job harder and profit tremendously from doing so.

I would sooner cut my own arm off than join Blackwater or some other merc group.

[Cortexian]

You might think you're 90% sure, but I guess you're 100% wrong. No, it's because they have morals and they actually want to stand by their fellow soldiers, not make their job harder and profit tremendously from doing so.

I would sooner cut my own arm off than join Blackwater or some other merc group.
K well, you're weird. If I was in the forces putting my life on the line, and I could get a job that paid 100x more for doing the same thing I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[Bodzilla]

See but your not seeing the douche bag factor in this.

To be or not to be a complete utter fucking douche bag is an important thing you need to ask yourself before you go ahead with something like this.

i'd never do it.

[rossmum]

See but your not seeing the douche bag factor in this.

To be or not to be a complete utter fucking douche bag is an important thing you need to ask yourself before you go ahead with something like this.

i'd never do it.
apparently to some people, money is all that matters and fuck morals

these are the kinds of people who i cannot stand

[Cortexian]

apparently to some people, money is all that matters and fuck morals

these are the kinds of people who i cannot stand
You cannot stand me then. :gtfo:

However, I don't see how an individual couldn't hang onto his personal morals and still become a Merc. If you've got the skills, you don't need to join in on demoralizing your targets if you don't want to.

[rossmum]

You don't need to join in on the shooting up of innocents for shits and giggles, but at the end of the day you're still aiding the dicks who are (and who are also making real soldiers' jobs hell). That's not even considering the whole capitalising off of killing others thing - for a soldier, it's a job you have to do. For a merc, it's a job you could've avoided, but you do it anyway just to get rich.

[Phopojijo]

Yeahhhhh you guys may want to be more civil.

[rossmum]

civil, what is civil

i see no open flaming so vOv

[TeeKup]

K well, you're weird. If I was in the forces putting my life on the line, and I could get a job that paid 100x more for doing the same thing I'd do it in a heartbeat.

The majority of people join the military to serve their country. When you serve your country, you're sacrificing yourself for the country. You go into battle fully well knowing you may die and expect it.

For a mercenary the goal is to survive to receive the paycheck, they could care less about the lives of those around them, all they want is money. Therein is the problem, total abandonment of morals and principles. They essentially turn their back on humanity, because they go into that job fully knowing that they are going to kill people.

Freelancer your argument, logic, and justification is extremely flawed.

[n00b1n8R]

I thought ross was in it because he couldn't be fucked get a real job and likes guns vOv

[Cortexian]

No, you guys are completely stereotyping mercs. If I joined a merc organization I wouldn't join in on any of the faggotry that goes on, and my goal would be the same that I would have in the forces. Serve my country and assist in the war effort. My reasoning and logic are perfectly fine, you guys are just generalizing because you've never actually seen what goes on first hand. Niether have I, but like I said, I'll let you know all I'll find out from they guy I know.

No one is right or wrong here, it's all a manner of personal opinions. Yours are just broken. ;)

[SnaFuBAR]

iirc you can't join a merc force to serve your country. embattled states aren't allowed to employ mercs, soooo.

Even though YOU may think you'd be joining to assist the war effort, you're not really. You're assisting a privateer organization, which is full of the aforementioned dicks who shoot people up for shits and giggles, impede the efforts of armed forces, etc, and so you are totally disillusioned to the reality. Sorry dude.

[thehoodedsmack]

Backin' up Snaf's post with some Geneva Convention.



Art 47. Mercenaries

1. A mercenary shall not have the right to be a combatant or prisoner of war.
2. A mercenary is any person who:
(a) is specially recruited locally or abroad in order to fight in an armed conflict;
(b) does, in fact, take a direct part in the hostilities;
(c) is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party;
(d) is neither a national of a Party to the conflict nor a resident of territory controlled by a Party to the conflict;
(e) is not a member of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict; and
(f) has not been sent by a State which is not a Party to the conflict on official duty as a member of its armed forces.


Can't go hoo-rah-ing for your country if your country can't employ you.

[rossmum]

I thought ross was in it because he couldn't be fucked get a real job and likes guns vOv
hahaha, you kids.

"man i sure do love my real job at maccas where i work like a slave for a fraction of the money ross gets for doing literally nothing"


iirc you can't join a merc force to serve your country. embattled states aren't allowed to employ mercs, soooo.

Even though YOU may think you'd be joining to assist the war effort, you're not really. You're assisting a privateer organization, which is full of the aforementioned dicks who shoot people up for shits and giggles, impede the efforts of armed forces, etc, and so you are totally disillusioned to the reality. Sorry dude.
this

[Cortexian]

I'm just going to go out and say it,

It's pretty easy for you guys to talk shit about these guys while you're sitting at home in your comfy pants typing on a computer with no worries in the world. Practically, when the fighting starts I wouldn't give a shit who's employed by who, if someone's got decent training and their fighting on my side, I'll take their help.

You guys seem to be extremely butthurt over the fact that they get paid more and "don't serve their country", when in reality it's all up to the specific individual.

[SnaFuBAR]

I don't need to be a warrior to know that something like working for a privateer and shooting civilians is amoral. In many cases, as per the Geneva Convention, these guys are criminals. Do you think I should have compassion for them?

How do you think they're helping the countries in warfare? They're not. They cause havoc with the populace due to their indiscriminant shooting. They are not part of military operations. They are not acting in the interest of any nation, only themselves.

If you think they're doing anything great for anyone but their employer, you've got your head stuck so far up your ass, that whoever pulls it out will be crowned next king of England.

[Bodzilla]

hahaha, you kids.

"man i sure do love my real job at maccas where i work like a slave for a fraction of the money ross gets for doing literally nothing"

admit it, LOL GUNS plays a big factor :p

[SnaFuBAR]

Mercs are a pretty cool guy, eh shoots civilians and doesn't afraid of anything.

[Cortexian]

I'm not even going to bother anymore, you're to close minded to realize that you're stereotyping apparently. I should of known better for trying to have a civil discussion with you/ross. Because you're ALWAYS right. *cough*