Blackwater Retort

One of my classmate's has posted a blog on Blackwater and their killings. I find it interesting, so im going to comment on it. http://aliengov715.blogspot.com/2007/11/blackwater-bodyguards-were-given.html

What I find most interesting about this post is how the author thinks that Blackwater employees have any restrictions on them whatsoever. As a former Army soldier, I am not a huge fan of Blackwater and other Mercenaries employed by the government and working in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have some news for you. It's not just blackwater. Blackwater is an American company, but there are companies from all over the world there. The big ones are England and Australia. The problem with companies like these is that we've never had to deal with anything like that before. We've never had "contract mercenaries" to make laws about. They make their own rules and do what they want. American soldiers deployed to Iraq have rules and regulations to follow while in Country, Blackwater and companies like it, have none. If they hurt someone on the road, they dont have to stop and help like American convoys do. I hear you when you say that they should pay, but if there are no rules for them, then there are no rules for them to break. Thats the biggest part of the trial issue. Now onto the murder issue.

And as far as them klling innocent people. I not a fan of random murder, please keep that in mind, but i've seen way too many American soldiers, innocent AMERICAN soldiers getting killed for no reason, and quite honestly i have never seen an iraqi trial. Why should we as American soldiers follow the Geneva Conventions when no one else does? We have to help injured insurgents, but they can slice our heads off? We have to treat them fairly while they are detained, but they can torture and maim us? How is that fair? Please justify that to me. I'm not defending the Blackwater agency, nor am i defending the killing of innocent people, i just want you to think about the other side of the issue. When it's you over there, afraid for your life, with someone shooting at you, having to make a split second decision, are you going to stop and think "should i kill this person? They might be an innocent civilian." It's war my dear friend. In war there are casualties. It's a sad realization, but a true one.