When we think about who is fighting the war on terror usually the first thing that comes to mind is our government’s armed forces. These would include the army, air force, navy, marines and even the coast guard. And while it is indeed true that these services are on the front line in our war on terror, there is also another group which is playing a role too. And while their role is specifically defined, it can also sometimes be controversial.

I am of course referring to private military contractors. The big one that makes headlines occasionally is a US company called Blackhawk. And while they prefer to be called security contractors, private military contractors or PMC’s they are often times referred to as mercenaries. These PMC’s are fully combat ready with full tactical gear and often provide support for government militaries.

But here’s where we get into the grey area. The Geneva Convention says that contractors may not use any offensive force. If they are offensive then they become illegal combatants. And where do you draw the line between offense and defense in a war against terror? So as it stands now these security contractors try to fill the role of being more like body guards than combat troops.

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