Contractor or Mercernary?

I recently watched a show about private security in Iraq and the incident which occurred in Fallujah where six Blackwater independent contractors were killed when their Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by an RPG. (See Wikipedia under history)

Private security contractors such as Blackwater fall under different rules of engagement then the military. They can respond if fired upon, if their loves or that of another is in danger and here is the kicker, when they do open fire they fall under international laws of mercenaries, not private security contractors.

If anyone recalls the late 1960 and 1970's when Mad Mike Hoare was a soldier for hire in the Congo, Nigeria and a failed coup attempt in which he gained fame and imprisonment being a gun for hire can be quite dangerous from the international law standpoint.

That was then, today there are just not enough military personnel to go around and the Pentagon is subcontracting a lot of the daily convoy and executive protection out to private security firms.

I have mixed feelings over private security in a war zone. On one hand, if I were younger I would probably be seriously contemplating working for this company.

On the other hand, the very thought that I would be liable under the international mercenary laws, should I become involved in a firefight, well, that really would make me stop and think before I would take a job like that.

Whatever laws they re governed under, these individuals are out there, day after day doing a job that our military does not have the resources to do and I for one take my hats off to them.

Note: There is a wonderful video at Military.com on private security in Iraq, unfortunantly I am unable to imbed their video here, Click Here if you wish to watch it.