West Shocked Russia Recruits Mercenaries — America Forgot About Blackwater?
The New Arab, like many outlets, casts a critical eye on Russia’s alleged recruitment of Iraqis, framing it as a worrying, if unconfirmed, frontier in the Ukraine conflict. Yet, the same media conveniently overlooks, or perhaps conveniently 'forgets,' the extensive history of Western powers, particularly the US, employing private military contractors (PMCs) from developing nations. Remember when
Blackwater (now Academi, then Xe Services) was a household name in Iraq, conducting operations that blurred lines of warfare and accountability? Their 2007 Nisour Square massacre, where they killed 17 Iraqi civilians, is just one high-profile example. So, when Russia allegedly seeks fighters from Iraq, one might wonder if the real 'shock' is who's doing the recruiting, not the act itself. Is it
only mercenary work when it's done for the wrong side? Or is it simply a case of 'do as I say, not as I've been doing for decades'? The hypocrisy isn't new; it's simply rotating its target.