Mercs

[cuito61@xxxxxxxxxx]

[Reading this article on the re-emrgence of mercenaries reminded me of two 
books I bought in Havana: "Angola: Un Abril Como Giron;" and "Angola: Fin Del 
Mito de los Mercenarios," the latter of which has a cover illustration 
depicting a band of soldiers holding up a flag which turns out to be a U.S. 
$100 bill.  Both books reproduced actual classified ads calling for 'Mercs' to 
venture to Angola, the Congo, and other parts of the underdeveloped world and 
kill for money in the service of the most reactionary, colonialist forces on 
the planet.  As we take note of the situation in Palestine, in Iraq, and in 
countless other places, we can't help but wonder, "when, if ever, will the next 
Cuito Cuanavale occur?"

And we note the reference to ROTC recruiters and ask ourselves, will a single 
son or daughter of a Congressperson or Halliburton or Lockheed-Martin executive 
set foot in Iraq?]


America's For-Profit Secret Army
New York Times, October 13, 2002
By LESLIE WAYNE  [in the Business section]

With the war on terror already a year old and the possibility of war against 
Iraq growing by the day, a modern version of an ancient practice ? one as old 
as warfare itself ? is reasserting itself at the Pentagon. Mercenaries, as they 
were once known, are thriving ? only this time they are called private military 
contractors, and some are even subsidiaries of Fortune 500 companies.

The Pentagon cannot go to war without them.

Often run by retired military officers, including three- and four-star 
generals, private military contractors are the new business face of war. 
Blurring the line between military and civilian, they provide stand-ins for 
active soldiers in everything from logistical support to battlefield training 
and military advice at home and abroad.

Some are helping to conduct training exercises using live ammunition for 
American troops in Kuwait, under the code name Desert Spring. One has just been 
hired to guard President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, the target of a recent 
assassination attempt. Another is helping to write the book on airport 
security. Others have employees who don their old uniforms to work under 
contract as military recruiters and instructors in R.O.T.C. classes, selecting 
and training the next generation of soldiers.

Full: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/13/business/yourmoney/13MILI.html



---
Marc Rodrigues
Voicemail: 866.206.9067 x4217
Students for a Free Society: http://qcsfs.tripod.com

 Who have the colonies
 Who stole the most land
 Who rule the world
 Who say they good but only do evil
 -Amiri Baraka



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