Contractors should battle ISIS?

PFC Clayton Struthers, your "opinion" counts! Thanks for the comment.

So if we used this fighting strategy against the Taliban, HELLO GOVERNEMENT...WAKE UP!!! WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY to get rid of these ISIS militants.....how about introducing the Magic Dragon to these EVIL PEOPLE!!

I hear Boeing is considering remaking this aircraft for the Light Attack Aircraft proposal. These with the Pratt and Whittney PT-6's as the engines would make one nice lethal combination

EP is actually a decent guy and took pretty good care of his guys. It was DoS and POG military attaches (0-3 and above types) that caused the most headaches for us. We were paid a fair wage for the work we did generally and conducted ourselves more professionally than a lot of military service members Ive encountered in my career. How many in this forum would honestly take a bullet or generally risk their life for Hillary or Kerry? Don't let your ignorance drive intolerant trains of thought sir.

I would say a couple hundred g's a fair salary for sure. I still stand on my contempt for the organization that caused a lot of flack. Security details are one thing but sending them out to do the military combat job is another. There contractor pilots RPA's for the Army they are not release weapons. Guard Guys on title 32 are not allowed to release weapons. Only people on title 10 orders are. Its a violation of LOAC.

I was making $525 a day as a designated defensive marksman (sniper), and after a year contract cleared roughly $164k BEFORE taxes which were roughly $35k after deductions. The average PSD was making $500 and even the Program manager wasn't making more than $600 a day, neither of which especially after taxes even with holiday and completion bonuses equated to over $200k. Contrary to what Jeremy Scahill and other hacks would have you believe, the only guys making the big money ($700-$800 a day) were on the OGA contracts lsimilar to Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods were in Benghazi. Again, a little knowledge goes a long way.
The company didn't cause the majority of flak, and it's actions have been blown out of proportion by people who interjected themselves into the investigation for political purposes, service members speaking out of turn out from jealousy, fear or ignorance and lack of real understanding, and by the Iraqis who are systemically and endemically deceitful and corrupt. Additionally, almost all Blackwater contractors were working for the State Department (DSS specifically) not DOD so they were and still are held to a completely different set of guidelines and regulations for everything from alcohol consumption to ROE and EOF. Again, all of this easily searchable information.

Benjamin, If you were making $200K then the US Govt was paying Prince 5x that amount to send you over there; and That is my point - unskilled contractors are NOT WORTH the $1M+ per year taxpayers are paying to send them over.

Also, Your earlier statement about "100% of the Contractors being prior service or law enforcement" - I know first hand that more than 80% of Blackwater's 'soldiers' are Not prior service, and that greater than 50% of them Did apply only to me passed over for enlistment; that's not who I'd want covering my six.
Though only one of my tours involved Blackwater mercs in a combat role; they were disrespectful, unskilled, either did not know or had not been briefed on local ROEs, hindered OUR performance at every turn, and just were NOT worth the liability NOR insane amount we were paying for them.

If Prince wants to send Mercs, he should pay for them on his Own; and take responsibility for them on his Own.

With all due respect Master Sergeant, I was there working for that company and am good friends with some of the guys wrapped up in that witch hunt court case that's drawing to a close. The Nissour Square shooting was turned into a political dog and pony show by the same mental midgets that claimed there were no WMD's in Iraq and because Iraqis are deceitful con artists who will say anything for a buck. Their vehicles were marred by bullet holes from enemy SAF, and all those men were prior service or former law enforcement. Their word is as good as any of ours and I would hope that any one of us would have better support from fellow service members. Additionally, we were held to higher standards than the military as far as ROE and EOF. I fired two rounds into an enemy sniper and had to fill out a detailed statement which was read and reviewed by my entire chain of command, then sit before a review board for several hours explaining my actions. These guys did the same thing and were cleared by the DSS RSO's on that board the following day. Of the thousands of rounds I've fired in the military, I only ever had one 15-6 investigation that went away after a 30 minute interview.
Regardless, no one should go into Iraq or Syria. It's not our problem and it's not worth the cost in money or lives

Thank you SFC Benjamin Varlese for your perspective and insight. I have only heard the point of view and response from the management of that company, not from one who was on the ground. Secondly, I have also only heard first hand from the units that worked that A/O during and after the incident and the increased issues that they had to deal with. I appreciate your response.

I can be a little terse and tactless, but it's a sore subject and gets me a little heated MSG. The company press release was a PR wash done by admin pukes back in Moyock who didn't have all the details or facts. Erik Prince himself did come to speak with us and that specific team shortly after it happened and genuinely seemed concerned for our well being. I'm not sure which units you spoke with, but the few I remember helping to secure the scene, most were not combat arms and those that were are parted of a debated feud between MOS's as to that fact.
Again, what's done is done, and Iraq nor Syria is worth another American military or PMC life. It's time for them to put on their big boy pants and fight for themselves

I agree SSG I was a sniper team leader in Ramadi in 05-06 we had a family claim that we tied them up and destroyed their house...we where not even in that house. These Iraqi's will say anything and everything. To take their word over the contractors is criminal. On the other hand I do believe that we need to do something to stop ISIS, not because of what they are doing to Iraq but because we do not need another extremist government like Iran (only worse). I believe that once they finish with Iraq they will turn their efforts to US interests. We should stop them. I do not this it would take much and if you gave the contractors Javelin missles then they could counter any threat ISIS could pose with out a problem. I actually think small teams is the way to go. We dont need a division of troops to stop them. So far they have faced middle eastern armies which we all know are not very good. Look at how the kurds have basically stopped them with little training and out of date weapons. Put some teams of contractors in there and stopping them becomes defeating them. I think it would be a pretty short affair with out the insurgency that we say before because of the ISIS brutality. Most people in the occupied areas dont want ISIS so destroy them and maybe the country will finally be semi peaceful since they have now seen the other side of the coin.