Blackwater a.k.a XE

I'm not sure I'd go to work there right now as the top 2 guys just resigned, and I think that current climate in DC will mean it will be harder for PMCs to find work.

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Joed757 wrote:

you cant exceed a certain weight to move up in rankings what about the big fella who can move just as a smaller fellow.

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Don't expect military (type) organizations to change their rules to accommodate you.

Lose the lard or stay in the yard.

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Not 1 person they protected has been killed ever.I got to find some way to get into the door.

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Bulldog, what's with the short hair and no beard? You're not getting old on us, are you? I'm growing some back, myself, try to blend in a little more when I walk into a room full of yuppies.

Blackhawk, or Xe, or whatever they call themselves now, creep me out a little. I'd like to take their training, but I wouldn't want to work for them.

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Joed757 wrote:

Not 1 person they protected has been killed ever.I got to find some way to get into the door.

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I don't care how good the  mercs are--there are holes in every security detail, regardless of how well thought out it is.  A committed individual will find a way. 

Second, I keep hearing how Blackwater is so hot--they didn't do so well in Baghdad when those mercs massacred civilians...of course it is always easier to shoot at people who can't shoot back...

just my .02 cents.

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Joed757 wrote:

Not 1 person they protected has been killed ever.I got to find some way to get into the door.

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I don't care how good the mercs are--there are holes in every security detail, regardless of how well thought out it is. A committed individual will find a way.

Second, I keep hearing how Blackwater is so hot--they didn't do so well in Baghdad when those mercs massacred civilians...of course it is always easier to shoot at people who can't shoot back...

just my .02 cents.

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I spent two weeks training there. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute (except the food - awful)

I wouldnt mind working there myself!

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Joed757 wrote:

Not 1 person they protected has been killed ever.I got to find some way to get into the door.

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I don't care how good the mercs are--there are holes in every security detail, regardless of how well thought out it is. A committed individual will find a way.

Second, I keep hearing how Blackwater is so hot--they didn't do so well in Baghdad when those mercs massacred civilians...of course it is always easier to shoot at people who can't shoot back...

just my .02 cents.

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The foods not bad there Jim. Besides food is a tool that turns off hunger. I really don't place more emphasis on it than that.

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suntzu wrote:

Joed757 wrote:

Not 1 person they protected has been killed ever.I got to find some way to get into the door.

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I don't care how good the mercs are--there are holes in every security detail, regardless of how well thought out it is. A committed individual will find a way.

Second, I keep hearing how Blackwater is so hot--they didn't do so well in Baghdad when those mercs massacred civilians...of course it is always easier to shoot at people who can't shoot back...

just my .02 cents.

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When those "civilians" have been known to ambush your convoys, kill your comrades, drag them from their vehicles, burn their bodies and then hang the corpse from a bridge and then dance, in the streets, I think it might make you a little jumpy. It would me.

And they would NOT have been there to be ambushed by the insurgents who were fighting to repel a foreign invading army if it were not for the massive--and I mean MASSIVE "reconstruction" contracts....Blackwater and its operators were there by choice.

You didn't forget what those "civilians" did to the Blackwater team in Fallujah did you?

They were in Falluja by CHOICE. They were greedy, they saw a chance to make a LOT of money tax free and that is what brought them to Falluja that day. I feel for their families, I really do but no one made them go to Iraq, and as it has since been reported--Blackwater did not even properly equip the mercenaries in its' employ before, during or after they got into Iraq. all of this does not excuse the mistreatment of their bodies after the fact however. Once the mercs were deceased, the enemy should have simply moved on, but instead they chose to engage in what should be considered war crimes, and for that every insurgent there should be wiped out.

now you tell me--would any of us fight any less differently if a foreign army invaded our country? We would resort to guerrilla warfare, just like the insurgents did. While we would not drag the bodies of our enemies through the streets is to me secondary to the issue that we, the people of the United States of Americay would use guerrilla warfare tactics against our enemy if the Chinese, or the Russians, or the Mexicans, or any other nation chose to invade the USA...you know it as well as I do. There would be a gun behind every tree, behind every building and in every alleyway in every city in America. The resistance would be heavy in my opinion with fighting going street to street and house to house just like it is in Iraq...and if you are honest with yourself you will admit it.

The facts remain--at least the way the media portrayed them to us, which is highly suspect anymore...but the facts as they were reported are--those blackwater employees opened fire on unarmed individuals in a city square.


Just my .02 cents.

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They were in Falluja by CHOICE. They were greedy, they saw a chance to make a LOT of money tax free and that is what brought them to Falluja that day. I feel for their families, I really do but no one made them go to Iraq, and as it has since been reported--Blackwater did not even properly equip the mercenaries in its' employ before, during or after they got into Iraq. all of this does not excuse the mistreatment of their bodies after the fact however. Once the mercs were deceased, the enemy should have simply moved on, but instead they chose to engage in what should be considered war crimes, and for that every insurgent there should be wiped out.

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I really don't have a problem with people being greedy. And, from what I know of it, most of Blackwater's operators are each independent contractors and not "employees". Each works on a 10-99 basis and pays his own taxes, FICA, etc. I understand some operators made $20k per month. Sounds good, when you're warm, dry, clean, fed, and no body is shooting at you. Take that away and $20k / month doesn't sound so appetizing to me. I don't think their compensation was excessive given the task, and potential cost. I don't think their compensation was tax free (but I really don't know one way or another.) Its tough to trust (a) people when you know that some of them are capable of the savagery on display in Fallujah. It would make me adopt the "Kill 'em all. Let God sort 'em out." mind set.

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now you tell me--would any of us fight any less differently if a foreign army invaded our country? We would resort to guerrilla warfare, just like the insurgents did.

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Correct. Hopefully we won't have to, but if we do, call me an insurgent.

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The facts remain--at least the way the media portrayed them to us, which is highly suspect anymore...but the facts as they were reported are--those blackwater employees opened fire on unarmed individuals in a city square.
That is what was reported. It was also reported that it was a 20 minute fire fight with 17 killed. Now, I've never been in a fire fight but 17 people in 20 minutes sounds like well disciplined shot placement because if you were around after the first minute, you were involved. What I mean is, everybody that wasn't there for a fight, ran from the area.When shooting starts people do 1 of 2 things. Run or fight. What I'm most doubtful about is that BW initiated the fight.

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suntzu wrote:

I really don't have a problem with people being greedy. And, from what I know of it, most of Blackwater's operators are each independent contractors and not "employees". Each works on a 10-99 basis and pays his own taxes, FICA, etc. I understand some operators made $20k per month. Sounds good, when you're warm, dry, clean, fed, and no body is shooting at you. Take that away and $20k / month doesn't sound so appetizing to me. I don't think their compensation was excessive given the task, and potential cost. I don't think their compensation was tax free (but I really don't know one way or another.) Its tough to trust (a) people when you know that some of them are capable of the savagery on display in Fallujah. It would make me adopt the "Kill 'em all. Let God sort 'em out." mind set.


Personally, I have to admit that I have a problem with greed when it causes people to put themselves into extremely dangerous situations--like Blackwater in Iraq who then gets themselves killed as a result of (1) underestimating enemy strength, (2) underestimating the mind set of the enemy, and (3) getting themselves killed as a result of their greed which then leads to the US screaming for blood and revenge against the insurgents.

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Correct. Hopefully we won't have to, but if we do, call me an insurgent

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That is what was reported. It was also reported that it was a 20 minute fire fight with 17 killed. Now, I've never been in a fire fight but 17 people in 20 minutes sounds like well disciplined shot placement because if you were around after the first minute, you were involved. What I mean is, everybody that wasn't there for a fight, ran from the area.When shooting starts people do 1 of 2 things. Run or fight. What I'm most doubtful about is that BW initiated the fight.

As I said--what is said in the news is highly suspect anymore. However, while I agree to a point that once the shooting starts you are either running for cover or involved--but if someone started shooting at you without provocation--you would shoot back to.

I have my suspicions that BW initiated the fight--BW employees have a reputation of believing that they can do as they please. For example--the BW guard who got drunk and killed an Iraqi guard and was then rushed quietly out of the country...

when the State Dept. gave them immunity from crimes they may have committed--that set the stage for everything to go wrong. This prosecution now of those BW guards is just a desperate attempt by the government to please the Iraqi people.

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But I like knowing you'll provide cover fire if it came to that in our corner of the world.

Ditto

but I still think that all contractors should be kept out of a war zone and that no firm should be allowed to make a fortune off of the suffering of others...

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My goal is to work for a company like this but hopefully Blackwater is the one I get. My experience will be from being in the ARMY as a 31B.

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Besides all of this--there should be absolutely NO "private contractors" in a war zone, period. No mercs by whatever name you call them whatsoever should be allowed into a war zone where the US is fighting a war--ever. War should not be privatized or outsourced to Blackwater, Wackenhut, or any of the other "private contractors" out there, and no "reconstruction" company should be allowed into a war zone until all hostilities have been concluded...not Bechtel, not Haliburton, not any of them. Let all hostilities cease FIRST, and THEN begin allowing the "reconstruction".

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Found it interesting, I wouldn't mind joining being the person I am. But I'm not 100% sure, I love guns and all I want to learn tactical things and the whole nine and wouldn't mind becoming a XE employee in the long run. I read about having to have experience and all I'm only 20 so I don't know where exactly to start.Wouldn't mind getting some help from my fellow open carriers. How do you feel on the group and etc?

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I'm pretty sure I saw some short video of the market square shooting too. There was a young fella about 24 I'd guess with dark curly hair shooting over an SUV and laughing about how it was like a turkey shoot. "You just can't miss" he joked.

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