Would it be possible to hand over Iraqs occupation to Blackwater?

[Stark]

I mean they pretty much do do all the dirty work in Iraq already, with more help financialy and hardware from the US Government... would it be possible to withdraw regular troops and leave Blackwater agents to run the Iraqy forces?

[Camel Jockey]

It's cheaper to pay a solider than it is a mercenary.

[240 is Back]

let's say you're going to lose 3 soldiers a day on average.

Is it easier to replace, each day, three 19-year-old high school graduates making $22k a year... OR... three highly specialized, retired military men making a grand a day?

Sadly, this clusterfvck in Iraq calls for men to stand on corners and be targets to draw out enemy targets.  It's more cost effective for the us to use kids to die on the street, and have the pvt sector guys do things requiring more skill. 

[Stark]

yes yes, but you cannot pay your population to support the war, history has shown us time and time again, that people really don't care the war their government fights IF there are no casulties...
Since Blackwater are simply mercinaries nobody would mind if they get killed in combat, the state has no official war with Iraq anymore he simply hands over command to a "company"...

Think of it as an war outsourcing...
And I'm not talking about 20000 people here, I think of maximum of 5000 highly trained Blackwater agents that have the controll and command of iraqy troops.

[Dos Equis]

I mean they pretty much do do all the dirty work in Iraq already, with more help financialy and hardware from the US Government... would it be possible to withdraw regular troops and leave Blackwater agents to run the Iraqy forces?

I doubt it.  I doubt their force is big enough and we have no control over them.  What if they quit?  Members of the military cannot just walk away (unless your name is "Lt." Watada).  Plus the Iraqi government would have to agree.  

[Stark]

Plus the Iraqi government would have to agree. 

That made me smile a little

[Stark]

In fact Blackwater has gone already so far as to create their own Amored Car that specificaly combats the biggest danger in Iraq and Afghanstan... IED

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/armored/

[Dos Equis]

That made me smile a little

That was a throwaway, specifically designed to provoke a reaction.  It worked.   

[Stark]

That was a throwaway, specifically designed to provoke a reaction.  It worked.   

You call that an erection?

[Dos Equis]

You call that an erection?

lol.  Good one.   

[240 is Back]

unless of course, the war in iraq is merely a messy spectacle designed to fill the pockets of the military industrial complex while at the same time distracting the iraqi's eyes from the oil pipeline being built.

But if that were teh case, we'd see things like vague goals from govt, incremental troops levels to only match insurgency growth, a long dragged out series of repetitive events, and possibly a bit of inciting between two local sides to keep the ppl focused on each other, instead of the thieves in the yard.

Wait, you're saying that's EXACTLY what is happening there?

[24KT]

In fact Blackwater has gone already so far as to create their own Amored Car that specificaly combats the biggest danger in Iraq and Afghanstan... IED

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/armored/

Wow, I wonder what type of mileage that baby gets? I'm sure there's gotta be a way to improve it. 

[Tre]

It's cheaper to pay a solider than it is a mercenary.

I watched something on National Geographic Channel yesterday that said some mercenaries ('private security forces') are making $15,000-20,000 a month. 

That's more than the most senior officers in the military, so you know that the junior enlisted are getting jack shit compared to those guys.