Loose Cannons In Iraq

In a strange new twist, things have taken a turn in Iraq. It seems the Marines that reportedly died repelling an attack last week, were actually kidnapped by people who may or may not have been american Mercenaries.

As we've learned, the soldiers were abducted by men dressed as American Mercenaries, wearing American uniforms and driving an SUV used by American mercenaries. They were driven to a spot 25 miles away and executed.

We these men working for Blackwater or Dynacorp? Or were they Iranian or Russian agents?

If they were Iranian, then is this the reason that Bush just gave the order to kill Iranian agents on sight?

So if we make the assumption for a moment, that Iranians are pretending to be American Mercenaries, then they can travel anywhere they want, without US soldiers intervening. If they continue to to kill US soldiers they'll soon have US Marines firing on Halliburton, Blackwater and Dynacorp employees. They could have Americans fighting a civil war against each other in Iraq.

How will it play out if US Soldiers and US Mercenaries start slaughtering each other? How safe will employees of Blackwater be in the US if US servicement returning home, blame the corporation, for slaughtering their fellow soldiers on cold blood?

Now it coul also be that Blackwater or Dynacorp or whoever pays these mercenaries, is sending a message to our soldiers, not to interfere in their operations. Perhaps they are murdering US Soldiers as part of a business deal? Maybe drugs, smuggling, contraband? Maybe they got caught supplying the enemy and had to kill the soldiers that witnessed it?

Multiple Hollywood scripts could be written into this scenario.

Now this isn't an unusual or unexpected problem. Throughout history, mercenaries have been known to turn against the nations financing them. That's why its considered a bad idea to employ mercenaries in the first place. Where soldiers follow the orders of their generals and are expected to be fighting for their country, mercenaries are fighting for money.

And in a war, money can be made in lots of ways. Mercenaries can sell drugs, protect weapons shipments to the enemy or even sell information about the soldiers movements and plans to the enemy.

When mercs fight alongside regular armies, resentment builds, mismatched goals and objectives interfere and eventually, soldiers and mercenaries start killing each other.

Some mercenaries in Iraq are earning up to a thousand dollars a day, on the books. Who knows what many are earning, by feeding the engine of war off the books. These men will continue to make this money so long as the US does not win in Iraq. If the US wins, they will get laid off. And they know it. Their livelihoods depend on keeping the war going. As they have strong financial incentives to keep the US soldiers fighting Iraqis forever, one has to wonder if they can be trusted at all?

Regardless, its begun. Our Marines will now execute any civilians that they think are Iranian spies. Now that they can't be sure if Halliburton, Blackwater or Dynacorp employees are Iranian agents or not, they may start shooting them dead, just to be sure. How long before we have open battles between US soldiers and handomely paid mercenaries?

Next, will Iranians be pretending to be Marines and abducting Halliburton employees?

Or is this even Iranians? Iraqis are killing mercs and stealing their stuff. Who knows who is who now? At least the recent orders make sense now. I can see why the US White House didn't want this story to get out.

Bush gave the order to shoot suspects on sight. Good luck, mercenaries. you'll need it.