The Constitution Club

We received a comment this morning by someone using the name L’Enfant on Dave’s old post In Defense of Blackwater and the Modern Day ‘Merc’. I did not want it to get lost in the shuffle.  

The immunity mentioned in previous posts applies not to just contractors but the US military and allied forces. It is not a complete immunity just immunity from Iraqi law. This is very common in diplomatic missions and is the same immunity we extend to diplomatic convoys of other countries while visiting the US. Each person can still be criminally prosecuted in his/her home country per the laws of that country.

The most common misconception is the huge discrepancy of pay between contractors and military. Contractors receive a daily rate only when they are on contract. This does not include any retirement benefits, medical, tuition reimbursement, sick leave, vacation, and many other fringe benefits included on top of military base pay. It is true that the contractor will make more in a calendar year than a soldier, but after the conflict is over the expense of that contractor is discontinued. Imagine the cost if Diplomatic Security had to hire 1,300 people today as well as support people back in the US. What would the 20 year cost of that be, additional facilities needed to house and run these operations? Pensions? Health benefits? Other fringe benefits? Given that the government does not frequently have RIF’s we need to look at the 20 year costs to compare a short term need filled by contractors.

Lastly many people use the word “merc” and “mercenary” without understanding the hurt it causes. Many of the contractors KIA referenced in the article were killed protecting diplomats. As 99% of these contractors are former military it is very hurtful for a widow or child to hear people refer to their husband or father as a “merc” or “mercenary” when he/she made the ultimate sacrifice for his/her country. Many may respond that they were doing it for the money but those will be the people who have never met any of these contractors. Let’s spend less time debating if they fit the definition of a mercenary and more time honoring the fact that they clearly meet the definition of a patriot.

Comment by L’Enfant — April 22, 2008 @ 5:46 am 

L’Enfant is right – they are of our blood and bone. We diminish ourselves when we do not acknowledge it. I know some of these “contractors” and to a person they are our very best.

I hope our Liberal friends will find L’Enfant’s words educational as well. I tried to no avail to explain to Wes that there was nothing new or pernicious about “contractor” immunity. Should we give up immunity for our Secret Service officers the next time they protect the president abroad? Funny but Bush certainly understands how vulnerable people are who do this job.

It is interesting to encounter the truth and dispel the lunatic fantasies and outrages. The “Mercs” are just hard working people trying to do their duty for their country. So less romantic than the conspiracy theory of Dick Cheney’s private above the law army.

If you want to meet one of these patriots let me introduce you to Bill Juneau.

Please come back and comment L’Enfant. It was Dave’s post but I do not think he minds the correction on mercenary.