Reply #116: Mercenaries should be constitutionally banned

[Hawkowl]

Mercenaries, contractors, private armies should be constitutionally banned. They are among the most severe threats to our republic. In addition to foreign wars, they can be brought home for "security", (e.g; Katrina) or to break strikes and put down labor unrest as the Pinkertons did decades ago. Mercenaries can be used to get around the posse comitatus act.

Rome fell in large part to the hiring of mercenaries to fill out their legions. No loyalty except to the almighty dollar. Hitler's Third Reich was in large part sustained by a private army of mercenaries, the SS, which he founded and made part of the the German military not subject to the German High Command.

Ban them.