Foreign governments paying for U.S. troop presence.

[Bald1]

Not exactly a military historian, I see.

Not exactly, no. But hey, let's keep doing stupid shit just because we've been doing it for centuries. Sacrificing citizens for $$ and selling out our countries future for influence. Yay!

 

[ObamaPhoneLady]

Not exactly, no. But hey, let's keep doing stupid shit just because we've been doing it for centuries. Sacrificing citizens for $$ and selling out our countries future for influence. Yay!

I don't really mean the US to be honest.

The Germanic tribes famously provided mercenaries to the Roman Empire. By the late Empire, most of the army was Germans.

The famed Varangian Guard were vikings who worked as mercs halfway around the world in Byzantium.

Those are two pretty early examples but this has gone on at every point throughout history.

Armies are for fighting. There's no shame in providing a foreign power with some muscle. If guys don't want to do it, they don't have to join the military. No one is being pressed into this service.

I asked if you were a military historian because I am. I majored in Greek and Roman history and literature but as a hobby I study the Dark Ages, Medieval period, World War 2 etc.

If you have a wide knowledge of military history, this is a non story.

 

[evansusmc2]

I don't really mean the US to be honest.

The Germanic tribes famously provided mercenaries to the Roman Empire. By the late Empire, most of the army was Germans.

The famed Varangian Guard were vikings who worked as mercs halfway around the world in Byzantium.

Those are two pretty early examples but this has gone on at every point throughout history.

Armies are for fighting. There's no shame in providing a foreign power with some muscle. If guys don't want to do it, they don't have to join the military. No one is being pressed into this service.

I asked if you were a military historian because I am. I majored in Greek and Roman history and literature but as a hobby I study the Dark Ages, Medieval period, World War 2 etc.

If you have a wide knowledge of military history, this is a non story.

Cunningham dropping some knowledge bombs!

 

[The Diplomat]

If you have a wide knowledge of military history, this is a non story.

Not if you have a knowledge of American history.

 

[ObamaPhoneLady]

Not if you have a knowledge of American history.

America is a blip on the historical radar. It's basically a brand new country.

 

[The Diplomat]

America is a blip on the historical radar. It's basically a brand new country.

Agreed. Doesn't mean we normally lend our troops to foreign governments.

 

[ObamaPhoneLady]

Agreed. Doesn't mean we normally lend our troops to foreign governments.

OK. Well now they do. And it's not weird.

 

[The Diplomat]

OK. Well now they do. And it's not weird.

Only because your guy is doing it. Something tells me if that if Obama or some other democrat did this, you wouldn't have the same tone.

 

[PainIsLIfe]

The US military being anywhere and lives being at risk because some country wants us there and is willing to pay

vs being there because we have some strategic reason to be there

is beyond fucked up

We've already declared keeping SA safe a strategic interest and already havr troops there. They wanted us to send more so Trump said ok, but you have to pay for the extra.

 

[VivaRevolution]

I don't really mean the US to be honest.

The Germanic tribes famously provided mercenaries to the Roman Empire. By the late Empire, most of the army was Germans.

The famed Varangian Guard were vikings who worked as mercs halfway around the world in Byzantium.

Those are two pretty early examples but this has gone on at every point throughout history.

Armies are for fighting. There's no shame in providing a foreign power with some muscle. If guys don't want to do it, they don't have to join the military. No one is being pressed into this service.

I asked if you were a military historian because I am. I majored in Greek and Roman history and literature but as a hobby I study the Dark Ages, Medieval period, World War 2 etc.

If you have a wide knowledge of military history, this is a non story.

So then, do you understand how the East Indian trading company played a major role in the Boston tea party?

That we were literally rebelling against Britain's mercenary army?

 

[b-hop]

What a scandal, make countries pay for us to stay there. Orange man bad
. Worse would be getting ass raped in NATO during Obama times.

 

[honzo]

I'd imagine a lot of people enlist in the military to serve and protect their country, not be whored out.
If I was a soldier over there n heard this I'd want more cash for sure.

 

[surrealworlds]

This is kindof shitty. The only way this sits right with me is if they make it a voluntary duty station and give the soldiers bonus pay for doing it.

That wont happen but it would be the right thing to do.

 

[VivaRevolution]

Shinigami for president

 

[djacobox372]

I'd be more worried of US troops being hired guns for Saudi-Arabia.... that's not what these young men (and a few women) signed up for.

 

[HeffDoesWant]

First off, the US military is not a mercenary force that can be hired out to protect the interests of the highest bidder.
Americans aren’t enlisting to protect Saudi Arabia. This sounds unconstitutional and even treasonous. Even more so when you consider KSA’s involvement in 9/11, the impetus that allowed our government to lie us into the endless wars we’re involved in today.

Secondly, to put things in perspective, we’ve spent over $8T in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the overall War on Terror over the last 18? Years. Putting us on retainer for $1B and bragging like he made a great deal is just typically embarrassing of the stooge in chief.

Yeap basically.

Gotta wonder how this goes down with the troops themselves. Might as well work for Blackwater.

 

[cooks1]

First off, the US military is not a mercenary force that can be hired out to protect the interests of the highest bidder.
Americans aren’t enlisting to protect Saudi Arabia. This sounds unconstitutional and even treasonous. Even more so when you consider KSA’s involvement in 9/11, the impetus that allowed our government to lie us into the endless wars we’re involved in today.

Secondly, to put things in perspective, we’ve spent over $8T in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the overall War on Terror over the last 18? Years. Putting us on retainer for $1B and bragging like he made a great deal is just typically embarrassing of the stooge in chief.

Well said. I can see a lot of issues with the worlds largest military forces pimping themselves out. 2 small bordering countries end up getting 2 superpowers to fight each other. This has already happened a few times in our recent history.

And the concept of paying for an outsourced military is not something the world should embrace in my opinion. We have already seen the genesis of this with companies like Academi (Blcakwater).

Soon enough modern day Golden Companies will be scrapping all over the globe.