To what degree are Mercs integrated into our military program

I mean if they have clearance enough to be allowed to tell the Guards to torture their prisoners and break them down then what other areas are they guiding. This seems endemic to Bush's thinking. The mercs are virtually beyond the reach of the law. We store prisoners in the no law territory of Guantonemo. Bush and Co seem to be specializing in off shore untouchable political opportunism. How deep does it go. Who is coordinating the Mercs. How did it come to this?

armed forces. Its why this war costs so much. These are employees of private companies who are owned by war profiteers. The armed forces are well on their way to be corporate employees. Highly paid pros who are accountable to no one.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=125&topic_id=9558&mesg_id=9558

great stuff here

Isn't that what privatization will eventually lead to anyway? So why not just hire Chinese soldiers at 40 cents an hour to do our dirty work in Iraq and whatever other countries we choose to invade and occupy.

...then our military is filled with mercenaries. In fact, I'd say that at the present time, they can't operate without them. They do everything from building bases, hauling supplies, repairing equipment, etc... They cost a whole hell of a lot more money than having the military do it themselves, but the political cost is much cheaper (they don't have to report casualties, they are often foreign citizens, etc...).

Mercenaries working for the US military aren't precisely beyond the reach of law, btw. The Congress passed the 'Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2000' that is supposed to put military contractors under the jurisdiction of the Justice Department. However, Bush has not raised a finger to implement this law, so at the present time there aren't any mechanisms in place to actually deal with crimes committed by military contractors. So they have de-facto immunity right now.

However, I'm not sure that corporate security troops are covered by this act at all. I'm under the impression it only covers mercenaries directly hired by the US government. In addition, non-state (ie., corporate) mercenaries are also illegal under the UN Convention on Mercenaries, passed by the General Assembly in 1989.

to rein them in then it is effectively his own private army. History has told us a little bit about what happens when leaders of a nation get control of a self funded army all their own. And its not good.

Presidential privledge. Secret meetings. Untouchable prisoners. Refusal to sign on with the world court. Unindictable Mercinaries working as a private army for Bush and Co. Good grief. I mean come on.