What makes a mercenary?

[hellenes]

a) you were a cosncript
b) Westerners who don't have to join up are mummy's boys
c) Americans serving in Iraq (who didn't choose to be there) aren't patriots or heroes.

personally, I don;t think that many of them are heroes, that's a special mark...but they are clearly patriotic

Americans DID choose to be there its their CHOICE to join the army at first place since most know that they will have the responsibility to go anywhere their superiors will decide.
Thats the difference CONSCRIPTS are not volontary in Greece. Youre born male you join the army thats how it goes.
They could NOT to go to Iraq by NOT joining the army, if USA had the olbigatory service system like Greece then they wouldnt have any choice.

Hellenes

[drone]

Americans DID choose to be there its their CHOICE to join the army at first place since most know that they will have the responsibility to go anywhere their superiors will decide.
Thats the difference CONSCRIPTS are not volontary in Greece. Youre born male you join the army thats how it goes.
They could NOT to go to Iraq by NOT joining the army, if USA had the olbigatory service system like Greece then they wouldnt have any choice.

Hellenes

A lot of US soldiers joined before the war in Iraq was even a gleam in our President's eye. They joined for whatever reason they had (post-9/11 patriotism, patriotism in general, college loans, etc.). If they disagreed with the Iraq war, they still couldn't get out of it. Their duty is to serve the country, regardless of how misguided it's leaders are. Would you still have this view about soldiers/mercs if these same soldiers were just posted around the world, going through training, doing various humanitarian tasks, starting bar fights, and whatever things soldiers do in non-combat zones? What about the National Guardsmen who signed up years ago for weekends and are now stuck in Iraq, away from their normal (higher paying) jobs. I have a feeling not many of them CHOSE to be in Iraq, but they are there because it is their duty. Are they mercs?

[Grey_Fox]

Helennes, when you are in a hole you are meant to stop digging. Simply put, if a person joins the military organisation run by a State, then he is not a mercenary. If he joins a private enterprise to fight, he is a mercenary.

Soldier = One who fights for the State

Mercenary = One who fights for business enterprise

Simple really.

Oh yeah, not everybody who is conscripted hates serving. Many would have joined up of their own accord.