mercenary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. :
*ADJECTIVE:*
# Motivated solely by a desire for monetary or material gain.
# Hired for service in a foreign army.
There have been a lot of comments about the murders of the US civilians in Iraq, with a disapproving spin, calling the security workers “mercenaries.” I wasn’t sure I remembered the precise definition, but I seemed to recall it described soldiers in the pay of a state or nation other than their own.
Given that there are two definitions, we know the second doesn’t apply. Who wants to make the case these folks just went for the money, that they had no other motives or interests?
I say we call them contractors or hired hands rather than debase their intentions, whatever they may have been.