Is America's military being hired as mercenaries?
Poll - Total Votes: 7
Yes American troops for hire.
No free of charge.
You can only vote on one answer.
It certainly seems that way.
AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M
Nitedoc · 51-55, M
No. Being activated domestically, as an auxillary police force, is already part of the job for the National Guard.
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samueltyler2 · 80-89, M
AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M
@samueltyler2 it’s been happening for decades . If I remember correctly the Kuwaiti royal family paid us 300 mill a day to protect them from Saddam in the early 90’s. Qatar went 1 step further and built a huge military base for us .
samueltyler2 · 80-89, M
@AthrillatheHunt That isn't really a mercenary army, but then again, maybe you are dealing with semantics. Would you say the US sent a mercenary Army to Europe during WWII?
Just to be sure, i did an AI search and this is what i received:
No, the US does not operate an official mercenary army, as US law prohibits the government from hiring mercenaries and the use of private military contractors (PMCs) is a contentious issue, though PMCs are used extensively alongside the military for tasks like security and logistics, often comprised of former military personnel and foreign nationals. While the term "mercenary" is politically charged and the government officially denies using them, PMCs perform similar functions to a military, but they are not part of the official armed forces.
Why the distinction matters:
Legal prohibition:
The US government is prohibited by the Anti-Pinkerton Act from hiring quasi-military forces for hire.
Government vs. Private:
While PMCs are private businesses, they function as "defense contractors" or "private defense" to perform essential services that the military may not have the manpower or resources to handle.
Contested term:
The term "mercenary" has a negative connotation and is used differently by the US and other countries; the US uses the term PMC to describe these contractors, while the Geneva Conventions define mercenaries more broadly.
How PMCs are used:
Support and security:
PMCs provide services like base security, convoy escorts, and other logistical support in war zones.
Manpower gap:
They help fill roles that are difficult for the US military to staff, particularly during long conflicts.
Financial incentives:
The high salaries offered to contractors are a major factor in their use, according to a Medium article.
Just to be sure, i did an AI search and this is what i received:
No, the US does not operate an official mercenary army, as US law prohibits the government from hiring mercenaries and the use of private military contractors (PMCs) is a contentious issue, though PMCs are used extensively alongside the military for tasks like security and logistics, often comprised of former military personnel and foreign nationals. While the term "mercenary" is politically charged and the government officially denies using them, PMCs perform similar functions to a military, but they are not part of the official armed forces.
Why the distinction matters:
Legal prohibition:
The US government is prohibited by the Anti-Pinkerton Act from hiring quasi-military forces for hire.
Government vs. Private:
While PMCs are private businesses, they function as "defense contractors" or "private defense" to perform essential services that the military may not have the manpower or resources to handle.
Contested term:
The term "mercenary" has a negative connotation and is used differently by the US and other countries; the US uses the term PMC to describe these contractors, while the Geneva Conventions define mercenaries more broadly.
How PMCs are used:
Support and security:
PMCs provide services like base security, convoy escorts, and other logistical support in war zones.
Manpower gap:
They help fill roles that are difficult for the US military to staff, particularly during long conflicts.
Financial incentives:
The high salaries offered to contractors are a major factor in their use, according to a Medium article.
AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M
@samueltyler2 I love how even AI uses the term “not officially “ haha
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Technically No. the government pays them. Morally, Yes. Their leaders send them to support corporate profits..😷
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@AthrillatheHunt And to protect their oil...😷
AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M
@whowasthatmaskedman saddam just wanted what he was promised (for protecting the gulf from Iran from 80-88) but the Kuwaiti royal family screwed him over so he invaded. Guess it was cheaper to pay us than him
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
@AthrillatheHunt I hesitate to say too much about Arabs and used camel salesmen. But my experience tells me this sort of thing is a pretty regular occurance in the region..😷
Shybutwilling2bfriends · 61-69
