Over the course of several administrations mercenaries called private security contractors have assumed roles traditionally assigned to our military. Mercenaries now guard many diplomatic assets once protected by U.S. Marines. Mercenary firms such as the former Blackwater hire away American soldiers trained at taxpayer expense, and then charge taxpayers more when America contracts their services.
In addition these mercenaries owe loyalty to stockholders, who take our investment in them to serve other nations and corporations not always concerned with our interests. Continued contracting of mercenaries poses a national security and economic threat. It insults the integrity of our patriotic professional military, the Marines most of all. It must stop.