Orwellian Organization of the Day The International Peace Operations Association. Don't they sound nice! ...The name itself conjures up images of Quakers grannies handing out oatmeal cookies to schoolchildren, doesn't it? Here's what they actually are: Mercenaries. Killers for hire. Thugs. Actually, the International Peace Operations Association is a trade association representing the trade in human death and destruction, to be more precise; i.e. the lobbyists, convention-organizers, and public relations stooges for mercenaries, killers for hire, and thugs. The membership rolls of the IPOA include such notables as Blackwater, MPRI, and Triple Canopy; three companies that are showcasing their "peacekeeping skills" in Iraq and Afghanistan. The IPOA is also implicated in the 2004 coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.