In Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc…and under every administration that I served under, and beyond.
But no one dares call the heads of such companies “Generals.”
As I said, that’s an insult to anyone who has actually earned and held such a rank.
Not to go off topic, but here are some of the mercenary outfits that I’ve seen in theater:
ArmorGroup International
Blackwater (they’ve since rebranded multiple times)
Dyncorp
Erinys International
Titan Corporation (formerly Titan L3)
L3 Harris Technologies (absorbed Titan and merged other companies; this and Titan don’t necessarily provide trigger pullers, but they do provide a lot of other military services)
Kellogg, Brown, and Root (likewise, never saw them provide trigger pullers, but they provided lots of logistics support, truck drivers, laundry services, etc)
And there are many others; Eeben Barlow’s “Executive Outcomes” was arguably the model upon which all subsequent mercenary companies were based. We actually did a study on private military companies when I was at Command and General Staff College as a part of our Advanced Operations and Warfighting Course, so I know a bit about the field.
Read Peter Warren Singer’s “Corporate Warriors” for an in-depth history.
None of the heads of those companies should ever be referred to as “Generals.”
And guess what. I CARE. And I think a lot of military types would also take offense at calling the head of a private military company a rank that they hadn’t earned.
And if that was too long to read, then either a) your attention span is short, or b) you lack a mind open to learning something new.
OR Idgaf. Deal with it. I’ve made it abundantly clear I have no interest in conversing with you nor do I have any care about your opinion or what you take offense with and that’s not going to magically change today. You can kick rocks. Or don’t. Idc
Asking that you not call a guy a General who clearly isn’t one … is really THAT hard for you and too much to ask of you?
REALLY???
Gosh, I’m not exactly sure how to respond. Some people just don’t accept correction well, I guess.
Hey listen. I agree. People that oppose Putin, no matter who they are, end up mysteriously getting killed. I can’t imagine that Putin is doing well; when you’re a dictator, you have ways of staying in power even if you aren’t doing well. Such is the nature of rule by force. Obviously, that jerk Putin is a master at that.
But no. That guy who attempted a coup against Putin was NOT a General. Sorry if correcting you on that was too much for you. Whatever.
I don’t care about what you want, what you think or what you’re asking of me. You ain’t gonna get it from me and life will move on. If you can’t accept that then that’s not my problem. I hope you have a better day than I think you deserve.
If it is as it looks, then the administration is siding with Ukraine for long term stability which is good news. Now I hope they put the screws to Russia.
Ukraine and the United States on April 30 signed a long-awaited minerals agreement that establishes a joint investment fund in Ukraine, First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced.
“I am grateful to everyone who worked for the agreement and made it more meaningful. Now the document is such that it can ensure success for both our countries — Ukraine and the United States,” Svyrydenko said.
Svyrydenko traveled to Washington April 30 to sign the framework agreement on behalf of Ukraine. She signed the document along with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
92010Coogs
(I took a lie detector test...No I did not)
1961
It provides no detail as to how this fund would work, nor does it mention the word “minerals” at all.
It also does not include the promise of a security guarantee from the US, something Zelensky has pushed hard for throughout negotiations
Zelensky has long called for a deal to include a firm security guarantee from the US.
Friday’s signed memo does not promise such a guarantee.
It does, however, say that both the Kyiv and Washington “desire a lasting peace in Ukraine”.
The version of the deal published in February says the US “supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees” but does not promise one explicitly.
I’ve seen promise rings between 16 year olds have a more bonding commitment. Also like promise rings it’s really just designed so the giver can graduate from hand stuff to f’in the receiver on prom night
