Monitoring Policy Making at the United Nations |
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Archived Articles
State Sovereignty and Private Security Companies
2005
Back to Current Articles | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 Private Security Guards Operate With Little Supervision (December 4, 2005)
Thousands of heavily armed private contractors work in Iraq, often with little supervision or regulatory oversight. Functioning in a “legal grey area,” private contractors have immunity from the Iraqi judicial system and rarely face prosecution in their home courts when they commit crimes. Though many contractors are professionally trained, the recklessness of some complicates reconstruction efforts and deepens Iraqi resentment of the US-led occupation. With $733 million in contracts, private security contractors represent a significant component of Iraq’s reconstruction. (Los Angeles Times)America's Unsung War Dead (November 30, 2005)
While the US public and media widely discussed the 2000th military death in Iraq, casualties from the “other [US] army” receive little attention. As of November 14, 2005, 280 private military contractors have been killed in Iraq. Though they operate largely outside of the public’s view, private military companies play a significant role in the Iraq war, with roughly 20,000 contractors and $1 billion in contracts. (Asia Times)
2004
Back to Current Articles | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 Important Role Seen for Private Firms in African Peacekeeping (October 15, 2004)
At a US Congressional hearing, members of the House Africa Subcommittee discussed the role of private military contractors in African peacekeeping operations. While some Congress members are uncomfortable with the idea, Subcommittee Chairman Ed Royce supports the work of PMCs, arguing that they can help "to bring stability to Africa" by providing alternative security arrangements when weak states are incapable. (Washington File)Line Increasingly Blurred Between Soldiers and Civilian Contractors (May 13, 2004)
Private military contractors play an integral role in the US occupation of Iraq. Numbering in the tens of thoudands, contractors rival non-US coalition forces in size and amount to ten percent of US personnel in Iraq. As the Washington Post points out, the current development of the private military security sector is potentially very dangerous, as it blurs the line between actual combatants and civilian contractors, and both become viable targets of attack. (Washington Post)
2003
Back to Current Articles | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 Modern-Day Mercenaries (December 9, 2003)
Profit maximizing is the main concern of private corporations, and leaving them unregulated could cause social strife. Similiarly, unregulated military companies could foster conflicts. YaleGlobal asserts that military companies need regulation, as they are seldom morally driven.The Enron Pentagon (October 19, 2003)
Using the Iraq war as an example, P.W. Singer of the Brookings Institution discusses the privatization of war and its theoretical and practical ramifications. The privatization of war, he argues, represents a dangerous "interface between business and government." (Boston Globe)
2002
Back to Current Articles | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 Dogs of War into Doves of Peace (November 11, 2002)
Mercenaries played an instrumental role in various coups, civil wars, and military conflicts throughout Africa during the post-colonial period. As private military contractors increasingly engage in peacekeeping operations and conflict resolution, many hope to wash themselves free of the negative connotation of the word “mercenary.” As the BBC points out, whether a mercenary or a private military contractor, many of these "hired guns" continue to fuel instability by engaging in violent conflicts.Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation (February 12, 2002)
The Green Paper by the UK’s Foreign Office analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of private military companies (PMC). A strong and reputable PMC might enhance the UN’s capability to respond rapidly and effectively in a crisis. Yet are we really ready to “privatize peace”? (Foreign and Commonwealth Office)
