For Erik Prince and Niccolo Machiavelli have very different ideas on the subject of mercenaries. Not that Erik Prince would even embrace that term. His employees are called "private contractors" not mercenaries. This is true in the same sense that prostitutes are now called "sex workers" to avoid the stigma.Mike Vanderboegh examines our friends at Blackwater.
After you've read it, I have a couple questions I'd be interested in gleaning opinions on.
Per Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, Congress has the specific enumerated power to issue letters of marque and reprisal. We know that privateers played a part in protecting American interests in the past. And no less a Constitutionalist than Ron Paul has proposed resurrecting the practice.
What would that look like? Would a Blackwater or other private actor necessarily and always be a bad thing? How would such a system work and what kind of oversights would be needed? How would that differ from what we do now? What do we do now?
Do Blackwater ops fall under military procurement regs? Are there RFPs and bids? Do they have defense contract audit oversight? Do they ever employ government equipment, and if so, do they follow federal acquisition and government property regs, etc.? Or is this a hybrid, or even a creature all its own?
If you have thoughts, please share them.