A serious question about mercenaries?

Question

I realise that mercenaries are, for the most part, highly trained ex-military personnel and it is commonly held that they fight and kill indiscriminately for (expectedly) large sums of money.

Logic would then dictate (although I freely admit I am a civilian with no experience of such matters) that any self-styled mercenary is, in fact, a criminal.

So if I was to join up with the Army (I am British), do my time, and, upon retirement, declare myself a 'mercenary', does that instantly make me a criminal and subect to the law? Do American/ European mercenaries tend to flee their country of origin to live beyond the reach of western justice?

PS, the above scenario is merely an illustration, I have no intention of becoming a mercenary!

Thanks for serious, sensible answers

Answer 1

You've been watching too many DVD's mate!



Don't think you have much chance of ever becoming a mercenary .... I think we are safe enough lol

Answer 2

If you look into the subject properly you will find most mercenaries do not kill indiscriminately for money and recent actions involving mercenaries undoubtedly saved thousands of lives.We would have had problems without our Gurkas.Mercenaries do work for pay but are usually a bit picky who they fight for I served with a lot in the Persian Gulf in the late 1960's early 70's.
By the way there are strict laws now governing persons serving in other countries so if these were not observed arrest could follow return to the UK.Contrary to what some people say here murder is a crime which unlike other UK laws is an offence that can be committed anywhere in the world and still be dealt with in UK ,

Answer 3

Your first mistake is to label all mercenaries criminal. They are no such thing. Every country in the world has used hired guns at times. When one signs on, whether directly with a foreign nation or as an employee of a company such as Halliburton, one is subject to international law and the laws of the country employing them. That a number of such hired guns always manage to circumvent the law and commit atrocities still does not automatically make all mercenaries criminals.
If I, as an American, sign on with a foreign country, and commit one or more of those atrocities whilst serving that government, I am subject NOT to America's justice system but to that of the government that hired me and the applicable international law(s). America cannot arrest me absent a direct request by either the government I was hired by or from a judge sitting on the international court holding the proper jurisdiction. And in all likelihood, neither will happen and I'll get away with whatever atrocities I commit. Be comforted though - most mercenaries do NOT commit atrocities. You earn a reputation for being a loose cannon and you don't get hired again.

Answer 4

A mercenary is a soldier of fortune, but that does not mean he is a criminal unless he acts out in the wrong theater and depending on who hires him. Usually they are the civilian counterparts to soldiers in an ongoing war. For example there are civilians fighting in Iraq. Other than that, they are generally hired as body guards and even start their own security companies. Just look in the phone guide (yellow pages in the U.S.) under Security and you will find companies that only hire ex-policemen, ex-FBI, ex-military and types like that. Security is big business in this present world we live in. Mercenaries fit the bill. Of course now they are Security Consultants, etc.

Answer 5

Mercenaries, generally don't kill indiscriminately. Although they are not recognized as a government militia, they are however for the most part prior military. There are many companies that are hired by governments to act as protective forces I.E. Blackwater, and others. These are considered private militia. The U.S. government have many companies contracted to provide security for many things such as protection for dignitaries, and convoys in Iraq. They may not have the protections under the Geneva convention, but they are not lawless fighters either.

Answer 6

Mercenary is not a criminal if you're not killing someone just for money ,you could be hired to become a "high-class"mercenary and your military experience will be used as a private bodyguard ,private eye ,and there is many organization in U.S who hired ex-military to be switched into some kind of "good" mercenary like that ,,just search the company in the internet

Answer 7

Always good to hear from a M8 across the pond, James, especially one interested in discussing mercenary "theory" or hypothetical scenarios.
Obviously you are a tyro in "game design" as you have a few unresolved issues in your presentation of your protagonist which I may be able to help you with, as like yourself, I am also engaged in refining my characters prior to finalization draft.
Your character would not announce to all and sundry that he is a "gun for hire" to an indiscriminate public, nor would he consider himself a criminal. An American mercenary; i.e. "soldier of fortune," for instance would be more discreet and cautiously seek first contact rather than come right out and say he is waiting for an interview from the Daily Mirror as you would have your character do. Remember, he is a maverick and not really socialized as he has only recently severed his ties with the British military and not likely to consider himself subject to arrest because he has always held an honorable position with the RAF, British Navy or your equivalent of our US Army.
Also to strengthen your game and its appeal, your man should have a turning point; a motivation which could be simply the discovery of a respected PM suddenly exposed as corrupt and in it for the money just like our Yank congressmen.
Fleeing their country of origin to "live beyond the reach of Western justice?" LOL, James, even Aardman's Roddy St. James was flushed down a toilet without his prior consent, or do you plan to go "droll and satirical" on me...could work to your advantage at that....G. Zeus H. Chrysler, Wallace becomes a free-lance operative with Gromit in place as the clandestine operative...what's not to love?
Not all that familiar with how you tea drinkers do it....brb...
kettle (I do speak and drink some English, including Twinings)
but Yank mercenaries do have an unsettling habit of flitting hither and thither and sometimes borrowing or helping themselves if they have any unsuspecting friends left. Our mercenaries, or at least the one or two I know do not fight and kill indiscriminately. These activities do happen, but usually according to the plan formulated by the upper branches of the food chain, but like you say, the pay is good so they don't complain and only retire when age or infirmities compromise their efficiency. Hope I have been of some help and you may correspond via addy in my profile @yahoo.com of course.

Answer 8

I read Arkin's piece and I do not agree with him on most points, especially the aforementioned. However, it seems to me that the current attitude towards soldiers is a great improvement over what happened during Vietnam. I don't believe that if you support the soldiers in Iraq, you must support the war itself. The soldiers are doing their job best they can, the policy of the war has nothing to do with them. They are not naive, nor are they mercenaries. It is far better to have people who oppose the war treat them with respect rather than blame the soldiers for doing their job.

Answer 9

Mercenaries can be hired by various groups. Even goverments will hire mercenaries to do certain tasks as certain mercenaries may have skills they dont believe their own armies to have.
If a goverment of a country is at war with another country and then hires mercenaries to attack a certain facility in the other country is that illegal? After all the two counties are at war.

If a Diamond mine in South Africa hires mercenaries to patrol a diamond field to stop poachers, is that illegal?
Mercenaries may carry out legal activities aswell as illegal activities.

It is up to the individual if they want to get involved in illegal/criminal activities.

Mercenaries have been arrested in various countries for carrying out what they where paid to do.
However if an English mercenary was to go to Africa to do an illegal activity and returned to England he would probably be free to do as he wished. Even if the African countries goverment found what he was doing was illegal. Its all to do with extradition laws then.
Certain companies may hire mercenaries to carry out such activities. But nobody will get prosecuted as all involved are in countries that do not have extradition treaties with the countries the mercenaries operated in.

Answer 10

Having worked with these guys I would say they are not criminals. They work for companies with rules and stuff. They get fired for getting a speeding ticket (I have seen it done even tho the guy was their best! but rules where rules). They get paid ok for what they do. However most of them are not HIGHLY TRAINED and don't know how to *iss in a pot and couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag. I have never known one to have to live beyound the reach of western justice becuase they have to go thru background checks to work for a company that the western world can hire. Where do you get this stuff. THINK ECONOMICS> NOT third world gossip.

Answer 11

I could, - very EASILY, provide you, with a LIST of reasons, why you should NEVER consider this course, - even, as a LAST RESORT! These would, most likely, be "HEADED" by charges of "TREASON"!

Instead, though, I will say, ONLY, this!

In 1976, a group of no fewer than THIRTEEN British mercenaries, who took part, in a failed COUP attempt, in the African nation of ANGOLA, were CAPTURED, by the forces of the Government they were trying to OVERTHROW, and, - after a "SUMMARY" trial, - were all, SHOT, by a forty-two man FIRING SQUAD!

So, although you say that your scenario is an "ILLUSTRATION", - I beg you, - just THINK, before you ACT!