You are dead to me Gravel. Dead to me.

[SeanEdwards]

What's so terrible about private military companies?

 

[FireofLiberty]

What's so terrible about private military companies?

Well, if we didn't have this interventionist foreign policy of policing the world their would be no economic incentive for private military companies to exist.

 

[RonPaulwillWin]

Wow, a political troll

 

[JosephTheLibertarian]

Well, if we didn't have this interventionist foreign policy of policing the world their would be no economic incentive for private military companies to exist.

so? doesn't make it right.

 

[mczerone]

Well, if we didn't have this interventionist foreign policy of policing the world their would be no economic incentive for private military companies to exist.

And because they DO exist, how long until we have our Caesar, who finally wrangles the "Middle East" to accept our empirical control, only to parade his victory back to Washington, accept the Emperor-ship and kill the Republic forever?

 

[Conza88]

And because they DO exist, how long until we have our Caesar, who finally wrangles the "Middle East" to accept our empirical control, only to parade his victory back to Washington, accept the Emperor-ship and kill the Republic forever?

They've learnt from History. This time its not going to be one person. Its the whole system that comes Marching back. As far as empirical control - the US has setup central banks in Afghanistan and Iraq, since the invasion.. soo..

 

[FireofLiberty]

so? doesn't make it right.

I wasn't saying it's right or wrong. Personally, I don't see the need for private military companies as I believe that defense is a legitimate and Constitutional function of federal government. If we had a truly strong national defense instead of a foreign policy of interventionism and militarism we wouldn't have any need for private military companies like Blackwater USA. The U.S. military could handle any real treat and we wouldn't be involved in nation building, which is the chief reason companies like Blackwater are hired because under our current (and flawed) foreign policy their service is required to ensure "stability."

My point was that private military companies are a symptom of our flawed foreign policy so while there may not be anything wrong with them in and of themselves, when coupled with our flawed foreign policy there is something wrong with them because they exist solely because of our flawed policy.

The simple fact is Blackwater USA, et al. wouldn't exist because they'd never find any work and therefore never make any money because they'd never be needed if we wouldn't out policing the world and conducting this unmanageable foreign policy. Our interventionist foreign policy has created an economic incentive for companies like Blackwater to exist because there is a demand for their services. It's basic economics. When something is in high demand an incentive is created to meet said demand with a supply. In other words, the Department of Defense has a demand for more troops because our U.S. military is stretched so thin do to our interventionist foreign policy so companies like Blackwater pop up in response to that demand because of the financial incentive to do so and thus they create supply to fulfill the DoD's demand. In this case a supply of more troops.

 

[Knightskye]

Seriously, according to Mike Gravel, we're "already in a police state, so why not get a national ID card?" Sorry, if you're for liberty, you're a Libertarian, like Ron says. Gravel's running for the wrong party's nomination.

 

[G-Wohl]

Seriously, according to Mike Gravel, we're "already in a police state, so why not get a national ID card?" Sorry, if you're for liberty, you're a Libertarian, like Ron says. Gravel's running for the wrong party's nomination.

I don't think he's incorrect at all to assert that we live in a police state today.

 

[SeanEdwards]

Well, if we didn't have this interventionist foreign policy of policing the world their would be no economic incentive for private military companies to exist.

I don't think that's true. Private companies and individuals often need security. Nation states may have a need for what are essentially mercenaries. Even non-governmental organizations might have a need for private military corporations.

Paul has repeatedly introduced legislation calling for the use of letters of marque to license private individuals to conduct warfare against enemies of the state. Is this really such a terrible idea? Is it worse than using compulsion to order military service people to fight in a cause they may not necessarily agree with? For pay that may not be commensurate with the risk? At least mercenaries can quit without going to prison.

 

[FireofLiberty]

I don't think that's true. Private companies and individuals often need security. Nation states may have a need for what are essentially mercenaries. Even non-governmental organizations might have a need for private military corporations.

Paul has repeatedly introduced legislation calling for the use of letters of marque to license private individuals to conduct warfare against enemies of the state. Is this really such a terrible idea? Is it worse than using compulsion to order military service people to fight in a cause they may not necessarily agree with? For pay that may not be commensurate with the risk? At least mercenaries can quit without going to prison.

Letters of marque and reprisal =/= private military companies. There's a difference between Blackwater USA and what they do and what bounty hunters do.

 

[SeanEdwards]

Letters of marque and reprisal =/= private military companies. There's a difference between Blackwater USA and what they do and what bounty hunters do.

Anyone taking up a letter of marque and reprisal is a private military company. They are not the same as bounty hunters. Bounty hunters are private citizens who help enforce verdicts of the courts. Privateers (holders of a letter of marque) are private citizens commissioned by the state to conduct actions that may involve the use of force without any court sanction.

Of course, nobody is currently operating under letters of marque since our government thinks the U.S. Constitution is a joke. However, if our government did actually follow the Constitution there would certainly be a place for companies like Blackwater as the modern version of privateers.

 

[Catatonic]

Gravel is crazy. But he's a pretty okay guy, especially considering the run of the mill politician.

He's no ron paul and he has his faults but I'll take him over nearly all of the other candidates.

The videos of him filibustering to end the viet nam war are pretty awesome. Yeah he's a socialist, yeah I don't completely trust him, but overall he's a lot better than most. If we're going to get a socialist anyway why not get one that means well and isn't 100% pure evil?

He's against this war and he'd like to get rid of the income tax. I'd say thats a good start. No?

I'd vote for ron paul over gravel but gravel would be a second or third pick considering the lineup.