Are PMCs bound by the geneva convention?

[DavidS]

I've been watching 24 this season and I actually learned something new. I knew we had corporations that were building weapons for the United States, but I had no idea we actually had Private Military Companies, i.e. a shadow military working in the US. Does anyone know the size of these companies and what laws they're bound by? Are they bound by the same laws of engagement our soldiers are? What happens if they are captured?

 

[manu1959]

you are kidding right.......

 

[DavidS]

you are kidding right.......

No.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

He takes fiction as factual material.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_military_companies#United_States

It might or might not be represented accurately in a TV action/adventure show. The net is a far more reliable learning tool.

 

[DiveCon]

OMG, david, its just a TV show

 

[DavidS]

OMG, david, its just a TV show

What are you talking about?

Blackwater is a PMC. There are hundreds of these PMC's existing in the United States with their own "security forces."

Private military company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Godboy]

I've been watching 24 this season and I actually learned something new. I knew we had corporations that were building weapons for the United States, but I had no idea we actually had Private Military Companies, i.e. a shadow military working in the US. Does anyone know the size of these companies and what laws they're bound by? Are they bound by the same laws of engagement our soldiers are? What happens if they are captured?

I would guess they are bound by the same rules of engagement as any other security force, generally speaking. However, I know in the case of Blackwater in Iraq, they orignally could not be prosecuted by Iraqi law no matter what they did, as part of the security deal laid out by the US, but they changed that rule after a bunch of civilians got shot.

Heres an article that discusses it....

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/07/blackwaters-shield-prosecution-iraq-may-end-soon

 

[editec]

Privatizing the military?

Shades of CATCH-22.

It seemed to preposterous back in the early 60's when I read that book, then I came to understand that Heller was actually just being prophetic.