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Originally posted by slackerwire
Originally posted by Unit541
Originally posted by slackerwire
Interesting to note that the original poster calls Blackwater "right wing", while relying on a book full of untruths written by a known leftist as a source for his "information".
Could you perhaps point out some of these "untruths"?
Well first of all, they aren't mercenaries. They are security contractors.
Just like calling scary looking guns "assault weapons", the term is simply untrue, but is used to paint them in a bad light.
Secondly, Scahill is a known leftist, who has an anti-war agenda from the get go. Anything he can twist or distort to make a PMC look bad he will.
As he states in that video, he claims to have seen BW contractors in New Orleans armed with "M4 machine guns". Really? Did he personally go up and check to make sure there was a selector switch on that rifle? Of course he didnt. The boy probably couldnt tell a machine gun from a squirt gun. He ASSUMED, and in error I might add.
BW had standard semi-auto M4 carbines, just like the ones you and I can go buy at the local gun shop. This comes from personal experience.
He also neglected to add that BW contractors were employed by wealthy people in NO. They were there protecting private property at the behest of the property owner. There was even a stand off between corrupt NOPD officers who were looking to LOOT peoples houses since they knew they occupants had left.
Need I go on?
A movie that would not have been out of place in the run of paranoid-political thrillers of the 1970s, Shooter works an entertaining variation on the assassination picture. Mark Wahlberg, carrying over good mojo from The Departed, slides neatly into the character of Bob Lee Swagger, master marksman.
Swagger has retreated from his duty as an off-the-books hired gun for the military, having become disillusioned with his government (switching on his TV at his remote mountain cabin, he mutters, "Let's see what kind of lies they're trying to sell us today.").
Ah, but the government needs Swagger to scope out the location of a rumored attempt on the life of the president, so a shadowy government operative (Danny Glover) begs Swagger to use his sniper's skills to out-fox the assassin. From there--well, spoilers are not fair, since the movie has a few legitimate shocks and a very nice wrong-man scenario about to unfold.
A novel by the Washington Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Stephen Hunter gives the movie a logical spine, even if the premise itself is the stuff of conspiracy theorists. Wahlberg gets support from Michael Pena, as a skeptical FBI agent; Kate Mara, as a trustworthy widow; and Ned Beatty, trailing along memories of Network, as a supremely cynical Senator.
Along with the well-executed action sequences (the previously unreliable director Antoine Fuqua gets it in gear here), the movie includes a few potshots at the Bush administration. No, that doesn't put Shooter at the level of The Parallax View or All the President's Men, but it provides some tang along with the flying bullets. --Robert Horton
Posse Comitatus (Latin): Power of the county. The whole force of the county - that is, all the male members of a county over fifteen, who may be summoned by a sheriff to assist in preventing a riot, the rescue of prisoners, or other unlawful disorders. Clergymen, peers, and the infirm are exempt.
The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1385) passed on June 16, 1878 after the end of Reconstruction. The Act prohibits most members of the federal uniformed services (the Army, Air Force, and State National Guard forces when such are called into federal service) from exercising nominally state law enforcement police or peace officer powers that maintain "law and order" on non-federal property (states, their counties and municipal divisions) in the former Confederate states.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Well first of all, they aren't mercenaries. They are security contractors.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Just like calling scary looking guns "assault weapons", the term is simply untrue, but is used to paint them in a bad light.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Secondly, Scahill is a known leftist, who has an anti-war agenda from the get go. Anything he can twist or distort to make a PMC look bad he will.
Originally posted by slackerwire
As he states in that video, he claims to have seen BW contractors in New Orleans armed with "M4 machine guns". Really? Did he personally go up and check to make sure there was a selector switch on that rifle? Of course he didnt. The boy probably couldnt tell a machine gun from a squirt gun. He ASSUMED, and in error I might add.
Originally posted by slackerwire
BW had standard semi-auto M4 carbines, just like the ones you and I can go buy at the local gun shop. This comes from personal experience.
Originally posted by slackerwire
He also neglected to add that BW contractors were employed by wealthy people in NO. They were there protecting private property at the behest of the property owner. There was even a stand off between corrupt NOPD officers who were looking to LOOT peoples houses since they knew they occupants had left.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Need I go on?
Counter-Terrorism to the world should not be about nationality or race but about the unity of all human beings on planet Earth to live without fear of harm or belief of harm by any individual(s) seen or unseen.
To utilize ingrained human instinct along with detective skills to comprehend where that fear is being directed from and is to understand and thereby counter that same said fear through passive counter-terrorism first, which should be defined here as a passive-aggressive state of constant surveillance with diligence through the use of intelligent tactics and investigation of any person(s) who causes harm through action, intent, or force against any other person(s) whether seen or unseen.
An act of terror can be defined by many different meanings through individual(s) seen or unseen who through nationality and or independant thought see that fear is being induced upon any other individual(s).
Coercion through the intent of mis-leading any individual(s) into a false sense of security should be interpreted to mean an individual(s) attempting to subversively undermine another individual(s) free-will therefore is thereby inducing fear through non-independant submission in order to act upon and potentially induce fear at a future time through co-dependant induced inactivity utilizing fear through the future tense of potential harm.
Originally posted by SpartanKingLeonidas
You know the term "security contractors" or "private military company" is just a way of making a pile of dog poop look pretty with a ribbon and bow. A mercenary is a mercenary is a mercenary. Just like war-profiteering is war profiteering is war-profiteering. Which is supposed to be illegal by the way, the war-profiteering.
Originally posted by Unit541
They've been hired to fight a war. By definition, they are mercenaries.
Originally posted by slackerwire
You are simply wrong here. The weapons they carry are in fact "assault weapons" (yes, the M4 is an assault rifle).
Originally posted by slackerwire
So what? 90% of the population of this country has an anti-war agenda.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Semantics. To the average joe, any firearm used in a military or paramilitary role is a "machine gun". You're reaching.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Point? The M4 is an assault weapon, and they do intimidate civilians.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Where's the "untruth" in this? This is exactly what makes them "mercenaries". They fight for money, no matter what side of any confrontation hires them.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Really? Which offensive actions has BW undertaken in order to achieve military objectives?
A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and "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"
Originally posted by slackerwire
Wrong. Semi Auto M4's are not "assault rifles". They do not have the capability of select fire, which is required in order to meet the definition of assault rifle.
Originally posted by slackerwire
90%????/ Source that.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Unless you wish to pretend that the "average joe" is a moron with absolutely no knowledge of firearms, you are simply wrong. Then again, maybe that describes you to a T.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Wrong.
They intimidate? Really? I own 3 M4's, how many people have mine intimidated?
Originally posted by slackerwire
Surely you can provide evidence that BW engaged in offensive operations in NO right? Lets see it.
Originally posted by Unit541
Unfortunately, I'm not privy to their endeavors in Iraq. I do however, live in a military town, right next to a military base, with military neighbors. Military neighbors who have all completed multiple tours in Iraq. Tours in Iraq in which their units worked side by side with Blackwater, searching homes, seizing weapons and equipment... etc. etc. etc.
Hmm, can you think of any armed conflicts Blackwater is participating in? Check.
Are they doing it for free? Nope... check.
Are they party to the conflict? Nope... check.
Are they being paid by someone who is? lets see... check.
So, whether their on protection detail or not, they're still mercenaries. When they're being paid to "defend principals during their diplomatic duty" by the US government, who created the situation which requires defense of said principal by engaging in a war that interfere with said principals said diplomatic duties, they're mercenaries. Sounds like you want a job, but don't want to be labeled a mercenary.
I can use wiki too...
* A carbine sized individual weapon with provision to fire from the shoulder.
* Capable of selective fire.
* Intermediate-power cartridge between pistol and traditional rifle.
* Ammunition is supplied from a large capacity detachable box magazine.
Ok, so you have me, again on semantics. What's the average person supposed to call it? It's not exactly a deer hunting rifle now is it. Without laying your hands on it, and inspecting the weapon up close, there is no discernible difference between the "assault" and "non-assault" versions of the M4. Not to mention, your tight conformity to the technical definition of an assault weapon is rather muted by your loose interpretation of the definition of mercenary.
Are you effing kidding me?! EVERYONE should have an anti war agenda, and last I checked, public support for the war wasn't at an all time high. Speaking of agendas, what is yours? You seem to be going to significant lengths to paint a picture of Blackwater that looks like mall security bringing an ice cream cone to a little girl who cant find her parents.
So, are you implying that one is a moron for not having knowledge of firearms (that's rhetorical by the way, your implication is obvious)? And yes, the "average joe" does not share you extreme wealth of knowledge on the subject. Nor do they share your obsession with futilely attempting to justify the existence and actions of paramilitary organizations that profit from illegal wars.
Some would say collecting U.S. Citizens firearms at the behest of the government would constitute an offensive operation. Don't forget however, an operation doesn't need to be offensive for the participants to be defined (correctly) as mercenaries.
Have a nice day, and I'm really sorry you didn't get to play G.I. Joe enough when you were younger.
Generals gathered in their masses
just like witches at black masses
evil minds that plot destruction
sorcerers of death's construction
in the fields the bodies burning
as the war machine keeps turning
death and hatred to mankind
poisoning their brainwashed minds, oh lord yeah!
Politicians hide themselves away
they only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor
Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'till their judgement day comes, yeah!
Now in darkness, world stops turning
ashes were the bodies burning
No more war pigs of the power
Hand of god has struck the hour
Day of judgement, god is calling
on their knees, the war pigs crawling
Begging mercy for their sins
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
OH LORD YEAH!
Generals gathered in their masses
Just like Witches at Black Masses
In the fields their bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerer of death's construction
It's the same wherever you go
To the War Pigs people know
OH LORD YEAH!
Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait till their judgement day comes ... Yeah!
People running like they're sheep in fields
People blowing out their minds
Say that you're dying here ... I know it now
Hey, you're the goner at the end ... Yeah!
On the scene a priest appears
Hell is falling at his knees
Satan sends out funeral pyre
Cast the priest into the fire
It's the place for all bad sinners
Watch them eating dead rat cinders
It's the same wherever you go
To Black Masses people go
OH LORD YEAH!
Originally posted by slackerwire
Haha you are too much. So you base your information on hearsay, without having any factual evidence to substantiate your claim. That kind of logic wont get you very far.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Lets just cut the crap here and get it out in the open that you are against the Iraq conflict for whatever reason, and no amount of fact, evidence, or logic will convince you that BW is not a merc organization.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Using your own logic, you believe each and every member of every military on the planet is a mercenary correct?
Originally posted by slackerwire
I have no need to use Wiki as I, unlike you, actually know what I'm talking about.
You disregard it as semantics, but the very fact you brush it off as such shows your ignorance. There is a very big difference between an "assault rifle(oooohhh, scary term to demonize something) and a semi auto carbine rifle.
Originally posted by slackerwire
AKA you cant source your claim. Gotcha.
Originally posted by slackerwire
70+ million gun owners know the difference, why dont you?
Originally posted by slackerwire
Uh, hate to burst your little leftist indoctrinated bubble here kid, but BW didnt conduct any firearm seizures in NO, that was the POLICE backed up by the NATIONAL GUARD.
Think I'm wrong? Try actually researching it instead of listening to people like Scahill.
Originally posted by slackerwire
When you realize you are once again wrong, try not to call it semantics this time. I rely on fact, you rely on emotion based biases.
Originally posted by slackerwire
Sorry, I actually served this nation. Some of us have the testicular fortitude to do so, and some like you dont.