Public War Private Fight The United States And Private Military Companies

Author : Deborah C. Kidwell
Publisher : Lulu.com
Page : 90 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2011-03-25
Category : Reference
ISBN : 9781257122356

Get Book

Public War, Private Fight? The United States and Private Military Companies by Deborah C. Kidwell Pdf

"The United States has long utilized private military contractors to augment regular military forces in support of its national foreign policy and security needs. Commonly referred to as Private Military Companies (PMCs), contractors employ and manage civilian personnel from the private sector in areas of active military operations. Frequently, regular troops become dependent on the services contractors provide a situation that may negatively impact military effectiveness. Since 1991, contractor support on and off the battlefield has become increasingly more visible, varied, and commonplace. Given the current manpower and resource limitations of the national military, the US will likely continue its extensive use of PMCs in support of military operations. This work addresses historical precedents and trends in American logistics, the current scope of contractor involvement in support of regular military forces, and the challenges posed as traditional military institutions integrate increasing numbers of civilian workers and privately owned assets into the battlespace. These problems increase the risk to US personnel and can induce budget overruns rather than savings, disrupt civil-military relations, and have detrimental consequences for the American economy and society. The work concludes by proposing a useful rubric to evaluate this new American way of war. This work considers PMCs and their interdependence with regular and reserve military units in a broad sense. It derives from unclassified material widely available; understandably, these sources limit the analysis. Lessons learned from the Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF) and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) theaters may alter findings. However, this study endeavors to frame the continuing dialog concerning the appropriate use of PMCs to support regular troops."--Abstract from DTIC web site.

Author : Deborah C. Kidwell,Combat Studies Institute
Publisher : CreateSpace
Page : 88 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 2012-06-28
Category : History
ISBN : 1478156341

Get Book

Public War, Private Fight? the United States and Private Military Companies by Deborah C. Kidwell,Combat Studies Institute Pdf

Like the other monographs in the Combat Studies Institute's Global War on Terrorism Occasional Paper series, Public War, Private Fight? The United States and Private Military Companies provides another case study for use by modern military leaders to help them prepare themselves and their soldiers for operations in the current conflict. This work examines the widespread use of contractors by the military to help fill the massive and complex logistical requirements of a modern military force. Ms. Kidwell examines the use of Private Military Companies (PMC) as far back as the American Revolution and follows their evolution through the War with Mexico, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and the first Gulf War. She then analyzes the use of PMCs in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Ms. Kidwell concludes that PMCs will be an increasingly important facet of US military operations for the foreseeable future; however, the use of contractors on the battlefield is not a panacea for all logistics problems. Logisticians, contractors, and military leaders who have responsibility for such operations in the current conflict against terror will gain useful insights to the advantages and disadvantages of these combat multipliers after reading this Occasional Paper. The United States has long utilized private military contractors to augment regular military forces in support of its national foreign policy and security needs. Commonly referred to as Private Military Companies (PMCs), contractors employ and manage civilian personnel from the private sector in areas of active military operations. Frequently, regular troops become dependent on the services contractors provide—a situation that may negatively impact military effectiveness. Since 1991, contractor support on and off the battlefield has become increasingly more visible, varied, and commonplace. Given the current manpower and resource limitations of the national military, the US will likely continue its extensive use of PMCs in support of military operations. This work addresses historical precedents and trends in American logistics, the current scope of contractor involvement in support of regular military forces, and the challenges posed as traditional military institutions integrate increasing numbers of civilian workers and privately owned assets into the battlespace. These problems increase the risk to US personnel and can induce budget overruns rather than savings, disrupt civil-military relations, and have detrimental consequences for the American economy and society. The work concludes by proposing a useful rubric to evaluate this “new” American way of war. This work considers PMCs and their interdependence with regular and reserve military units in a broad sense. It derives from unclassified material widely available; understandably, these sources limit the analysis. Lessons learned from the Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF) and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) theaters may alter findings. However, this study endeavors to frame the continuing dialog concerning the appropriate use of PMCs to support regular troops. It should stimulate further research and discussion by reviewing the history, theory, doctrine, and practice of employing private contractors on the battlefield. It is admittedly Armycentric; however, in a joint environment and with a common acquisition framework provided by joint doctrine, the generalizations garnered from this analysis will be relevant to other service branches.~

Author : National Defense University Press,Sean McFate
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 56 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 2019-12-18
Category : Mercenary troops
ISBN : 1678665231

Get Book

Mercenaries and War by National Defense University Press,Sean McFate Pdf

Mercenaries are more powerful than experts realize, a grave oversight. Those who assume they are cheap imitations of national armed forces invite disaster because for-profit warriors are a wholly different genus and species of fighter. Private military companies such as the Wagner Group are more like heavily armed multinational corporations than the Marine Corps. Their employees are recruited from different countries, and profitability is everything. Patriotism is unimportant, and sometimes a liability. Unsurprisingly, mercenaries do not fight conventionally, and traditional war strategies used against them may backfire.

Author : Alan Axelrod
Publisher : CQ Press
Page : 670 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2013-12-27
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781483364667

Get Book

Mercenaries: A Guide to Private Armies and Private Military Companies by Alan Axelrod Pdf

Mercenaries have been active in battle from the beginning of military history and, as private armies and military support firms, they are a major component of warfare today. Security, military advice, training, logistics support, policing, technological expertise, intelligence, transportation—all are outsourced to a greater or lesser degree in the U.S. military. However, privatization is not a uniquely American phenomenon. Countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia and Australia rely on privatization in one form or another. Historically, heads of state, politicians, and other administrators have justified use of mercenaries on the basis of their effectiveness, and cost-savings. These reasons and others continue to serve as rationales for use of private military companies in military strategy. Mercenaries: A Guide to Private Armies and Private Military Companies provides a comprehensive survey and guide to mercenary forces, entrepreneurs, and corporations active on the international military scene today, including a concise history of mercenaries and private armies on land, sea, and in the air. Narrative chapters are amply supplemented by sidebars including biographies of major figures, key statistics, historical and current documents, contracts, and legislation on private armies and outsourced military services. Each chapter includes a bibliography of books, journal articles, and web sites, and a general bibliography concludes the entire work.

Author : Josh Luberisse
Publisher : Independently Published
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2023-05-22
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9798395526328

Get Book

Private Armies, Public Wars by Josh Luberisse Pdf

Private Armies, Public Wars: The Brave New World of Private Military Companies is a groundbreaking exploration of the contemporary landscape of warfare, examining the rise and impact of private military companies (PMCs) on the global stage. Written by an esteemed geopolitics expert and military history researcher, this book provides a comprehensive and thought-provoking examination of the multifaceted world of private military operations. Drawing upon historical perspectives, legal frameworks, economic dynamics, and case studies from around the world, this book offers a nuanced and in-depth analysis of the complex relationship between states, armed conflicts, and the private entities that operate within them. It delves into the motivations, challenges, and implications of the growing presence of PMCs, shedding light on both the opportunities they present and the ethical dilemmas they raise. Private Armies, Public Wars presents a balanced and objective assessment of the forces driving the expansion of the PMC industry. It explores the historical roots of mercenaries and traces their evolution into modern-day private military companies. The book examines the economic appeal of outsourcing military capabilities and the potential implications for state sovereignty and the monopoly on the use of force. Through vivid case studies, the author uncovers the diverse roles that PMCs play in conflicts worldwide, from providing security and logistical support to participating in active combat. The author explores the impact of PMCs on local populations, human rights concerns, and the challenges of regulating an industry that operates beyond traditional legal frameworks. Moreover, the book delves into emerging trends and challenges in the PMC industry, including the integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, the use of biometric and identity verification technologies. It analyzes the potential benefits and risks associated with these technological advancements, providing valuable insights into the changing nature of warfare in the 21st century. It also addresses the growing importance of communication technologies, the role of private intelligence agencies in modern warfare and the implications of hybrid warfare and disinformation campaigns. Private Armies, Public Wars is a critical examination of the complex interplay between states, private entities, and the pursuit of military objectives. It challenges conventional notions of warfare and offers a fresh perspective on the evolving dynamics of global conflicts. The author provides a comprehensive and well-researched analysis, drawing on a wide range of sources and expertise to present a comprehensive overview of the PMC industry. This book is essential reading for scholars, policymakers, military professionals, and anyone interested in understanding the contemporary landscape of warfare and the evolving role of private military companies. It serves as a call to action, urging readers to engage in meaningful discussions and debates about the ethical, legal, and strategic implications of the growing influence of private actors in the world's conflicts.

Author : G. Lovewine
Publisher : Springer
Page : 228 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2014-04-09
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781137370266

Get Book

Outsourcing the Global War on Terrorism by G. Lovewine Pdf

The US military strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan made use of private military and private security companies on an unprecedented scale. In this environment, actions and operations can greatly affect the efficacy of the US military - creating unintended diplomatic and tactical consequences.

Author : Sean McFate
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 269 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2017-05-10
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780190621087

Get Book

The Modern Mercenary by Sean McFate Pdf

In The Modern Mercenary, Sean McFate lays bare this opaque world, explaining the economic structure of the industry and showing in detail how firms operate on the ground. A former U.S. Army paratrooper and private military contractor, McFate provides an unparalleled perspective into the nuts and bolts of the industry, as well as a sobering prognosis for the future of war. While at present, the U.S. government and U.S. firms dominate the market, private military companies are emerging from other countries, and warlords and militias have restyled themselves as private security companies in places like Afghanistan and Somalia. To understand how the proliferation of private forces may influence international relations, McFate looks back to the European Middle Ages, when mercenaries were common and contract warfare the norm. He concludes that international relations in the twenty-first century may have more in common with the twelfth century than the twentieth. This "back to the future" situation, which he calls "neomedievalism," is not necessarily a negative condition, but it will produce a global system that contains rather than solves problems.

Author : Rolf Uesseler
Publisher : Catapult
Page : 273 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2008-12-16
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781593762025

Get Book

Servants of War by Rolf Uesseler Pdf

Private military firms are making a killing. They operate on all continents throughout the world—commissioned by governments, intelligence agencies, private industries, warlords, drug cartels, and rebel groups to support their military and safety interests. Here in the U.S., as the massively expensive war in Iraq shows no signs of ending, our forces grow more and more dependent on the assistance of military contractors. Beyond Iraq, engagements of mercenary firms in foreign countries are multiplying, whether to protect oil investments in the Nigerian delta or for humanitarian reasons in Darfur. In this far-reaching exposé, Rolf Uesseler reveals how these mercenary firms profit from conflict: As they operate in a legal twilight zone, the private nature of their work frequently makes them legally impermeable and financially profitable. Uesseler details the many ways in which employment of for-profit fighters compromises justice, jeopardizes international peace and stability, and manages to escape public scrutiny, explaining exactly what happens when military operations are shielded from democratic processes, and when the concern for justice and security is overshadowed by the desire for financial gain.

Author : Lindsey Cameron,Vincent Chetail
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 757 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2013-03-07
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781107328686

Get Book

Privatizing War by Lindsey Cameron,Vincent Chetail Pdf

A growing number of states use private military and security companies (PMSCs) for a variety of tasks, which were traditionally fulfilled by soldiers. This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the law that applies to PMSCs active in situations of armed conflict, focusing on international humanitarian law. It examines the limits in international law on how states may use private actors, taking the debate beyond the question of whether PMSCs are mercenaries. The authors delve into issues such as how PMSCs are bound by humanitarian law, whether their staff are civilians or combatants, and how the use of force in self-defence relates to direct participation in hostilities, a key issue for an industry that operates by exploiting the right to use force in self-defence. Throughout, the authors identify how existing legal obligations, including under state and individual criminal responsibility should play a role in the regulation of the industry.

Author : Thomas Jäger,Gerhard Kümmel
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 489 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2009-04-23
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9783531903132

Get Book

Private Military and Security Companies by Thomas Jäger,Gerhard Kümmel Pdf

Private Sicherheits- und Militärunternehmen erleben seit den 1990er Jahren einen außerordentlichen Boom und sind derzeit eines der spannendsten Phänomene in den internationalen Beziehungen. Die Palette der von ihnen angebotenen Dienstleistungen ist groß. Sie reichen von logistischer Unterstützung über Aufklärung bis hin zu Kampfeinsätzen. Zu ihren Kunden zählen Regierungen, Wirtschaftsunternehmen, internationale Organisationen, NGOs, humanitäre Organisationen sowie Privatpersonen. Gegenwärtig lässt sich an den Auseinandersetzungen im Irak sowohl die Aktualität wie auch die Brisanz ihres Einsatzes illustrieren, gibt es doch Anzeichen dafür, dass Beschäftigte solcher Unternehmen u.a. in die Folterung von Gefangenen verwickelt sind. Die Beiträge des Sammelbandes aus der Feder nationaler wie internationaler Expertinnen und Experten beschreiben und analysieren verschiedene Typen von privaten Sicherheits- und Militärunternehmens, ihre Dienstleistungen und die Umstände, die ihren Boom befördert haben. Sie diskutieren die Vor- wie auch die Nachteile ihres Einsatzes und beschreiben Instrumente, die die Tätigkeit dieser Unternehmen stärker reglementieren und kontrollieren könnten.

Author : Deborah C Kidwell
Publisher : War College Series
Page : 86 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2015-02-23
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1296474356

Get Book

Occasional Paper 12 Public War, Private Fight? the United States and Private Military Companies - War College Series by Deborah C Kidwell Pdf

This is a curated and comprehensive collection of the most important works covering matters related to national security, diplomacy, defense, war, strategy, and tactics. The collection spans centuries of thought and experience, and includes the latest analysis of international threats, both conventional and asymmetric. It also includes riveting first person accounts of historic battles and wars.Some of the books in this Series are reproductions of historical works preserved by some of the leading libraries in the world. As with any reproduction of a historical artifact, some of these books contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. We believe these books are essential to this collection and the study of war, and have therefore brought them back into print, despite these imperfections.We hope you enjoy the unmatched breadth and depth of this collection, from the historical to the just-published works.

Author : Elke Krahmann
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 2010-02-04
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781139483681

Get Book

States, Citizens and the Privatisation of Security by Elke Krahmann Pdf

Recent years have seen a growing role for private military contractors in national and international security. To understand the reasons for this, Elke Krahmann examines changing models of the state, the citizen and the soldier in the UK, the US and Germany. She focuses on both the national differences with regard to the outsourcing of military services to private companies and their specific consequences for the democratic control over the legitimate use of armed force. Tracing developments and debates from the late eighteenth century to the present, she explains the transition from the centralized warfare state of the Cold War era to the privatized and fragmented security governance, and the different national attitudes to the privatization of force.

Author : James Jay Carafano
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2008
Category : Civil-military relations
ISBN : 9798216001423

Get Book

Private Sector, Public Wars by James Jay Carafano Pdf

Author : Amy E. Eckert
Publisher : Cornell University Press
Page : 198 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2016-02-19
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781501703560

Get Book

Outsourcing War by Amy E. Eckert Pdf

Recent decades have seen an increasing reliance on private military contractors (PMCs) to provide logistical services, training, maintenance, and combat troops. In Outsourcing War, Amy E. Eckert examines the ethical implications involved in the widespread use of PMCs, and in particular questions whether they can fit within customary ways of understanding the ethical prosecution of warfare. Her concern is with the ius in bello (right conduct in war) strand of just war theory. Just war theorizing is generally built on the assumption that states, and states alone, wield a monopoly on the legitimate use of force. Who holds responsibility for the actions of PMCs? What ethical standards might they be required to observe? How might deviations from such standards be punished? The privatization of warfare poses significant challenges because of its reliance on a statist view of the world. Eckert argues that the tradition of just war theory—which predates the international system of states—can evolve to apply to this changing world order. With an eye toward the practical problems of military command, Eckert delves into particular cases where PMCs have played an active role in armed conflict and derives from those cases the modifications necessary to apply just principles to new agents in the landscape of war.

Author : Robert Mandel
Publisher : Lynne Rienner Publishers
Page : 194 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2002
Category : Internal security
ISBN : 1588260666

Get Book

Armies Without States by Robert Mandel Pdf

The book concludes with an assessment of the complexities surrounding responses to security privatization - and an exploration of when, and whether, it should be promoted rather than prevented."--BOOK JACKET.