Machiavellian Mercenaries

"Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; and if one holds his state based on these arms, he will stand neither firm nor safe; for they are disunited, ambitious and without discipline, unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies; they have neither the fear of God nor fidelity to men, and destruction is deferred only so long as the attack is; for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy. The fact is, they have no other attraction or reason for keeping the field than a trifle of stipend, which is not sufficient to make them willing to die for you." The Prince by N. Machiavelli Chapter XII How Many Kinds of Soldiery There Are and Concerning Mercenaries

Please take some time and read some of the excerpts from Amy Goodman's interview with Col. Hammes. Also read Peter Singer's "Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry." It is quite enlightening and reopens the historical genuis of Machiavelli and his timeless political handbook for the ruthless and power hungry(The Prince). It is surprising that the Bush administration is not following this Machiavellian principle(stated in the above quote). For in the course of empire building, one must research the blunders of history and capture the experience of past philosophers. Neither of which have merit when the ruling elite are absolute in their hubris.