War for profit - The Return of the Mercenary.
April 16, 2015 5:42 PM Subscribe
Private armies, and the technology they use, are changing warfare.
Blackwater’s Legacy Goes Beyond Public View.
Facts About Private Military Companies.
Excerpted from "The Modern Mercenary: Private Armies and What They Mean For World Order"
The private military business is a large and growing industry that can be expected to grow larger in the future.
Blackwater’s Legacy Goes Beyond Public View.
Facts About Private Military Companies.
Excerpted from "The Modern Mercenary: Private Armies and What They Mean For World Order"
The private military business is a large and growing industry that can be expected to grow larger in the future.
Return? I'm pretty sure mercs never went away.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:55 PM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Thorzdad at 5:55 PM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
To be honest, I've been thinking we should be pushing back against the socialized military: what would happen if the businesses on whose behalf most wars are fought -- and certainly for whose benefit most procurements are made -- had to make do without without taxpayer help? The US military is largely a form of corporate welfare.
posted by George_Spiggott at 5:59 PM on April 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by George_Spiggott at 5:59 PM on April 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
oh, I think the taxpayers would still be paying for it. they just wouldn't be able to control the behavior of the armies any more. there's a big difference between firing someone and courtmartialing them.
posted by rebent at 6:01 PM on April 16, 2015
posted by rebent at 6:01 PM on April 16, 2015
had to make do without without taxpayer help?
Oh, I dunno, rape and pillage foreign territories on a systematic basis?
posted by phaedon at 6:05 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh, I dunno, rape and pillage foreign territories on a systematic basis?
posted by phaedon at 6:05 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have as big a problem with the stupendous amount of money we spend on our military as the next guy. I don't really have a large problem with the military being a quasi- welfare organization, because many Americans benefit. I have a GIANT problem with the taxpayer funds bypassing regular personnel and going to for-profit concerns from caterers to mercenaries. That's just money (and control) thrown down a rat hole. Stupid and ineffective.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 6:07 PM on April 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by Benny Andajetz at 6:07 PM on April 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
Speaking of which, Iraq for Sale appears to be legitimately available in its entirety on YouTube.
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:14 PM on April 16, 2015
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:14 PM on April 16, 2015
Anyway, sorry to distract from the main post; some very good links there.
The recurrent theme of US and European military contractors providing support to ambitious strongmen in various parts of the world e.g. Somalia, is a tale as old as time, but I was really taken aback by this:
The recurrent theme of US and European military contractors providing support to ambitious strongmen in various parts of the world e.g. Somalia, is a tale as old as time, but I was really taken aback by this:
[Blackwater founder Erik Prince] now focuses his efforts on Africa, with ties to the Chinese government, which is eager for access to some of the continent’s natural resources. Mr. Prince’s current firm, Frontier Services Group, provides what it describes as “expeditionary logistics” for mining, oil and natural gas operations in Africa, and has the backing of Citic Group, a large state-owned Chinese investment company.posted by George_Spiggott at 6:32 PM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
The US military is largely a form of corporate welfare.
Someone else recently said it best, but military spending is the only form of 'social' spending acceptable to the modern Republican party. And since our economy is still driven largely by federal priorities, regardless of what conservative ideology says otherwise, a disproportionately huge portion of GDP goes into the military complex either directly or indirectly. Most of these groups are not profitable or even viable on their own, they're entirely dependent on government contracts to keep the bills paid. Take that away and you've got a bunch of guys standing around looking at each other with a lot of useless hardware.
Blackwater and related merc groups are progressive symptoms of the same military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned about, they're not anything new, except for capitalizing on the outsourcing and public-private partnership movements started in the 90's under Clinton and juiced by 8 years of neocon control under President Cheney. It's still the same military spending, but we've sacrificed professionalism and centralized control over foreign policy for increased profits for Republican donors.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:50 PM on April 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
Someone else recently said it best, but military spending is the only form of 'social' spending acceptable to the modern Republican party. And since our economy is still driven largely by federal priorities, regardless of what conservative ideology says otherwise, a disproportionately huge portion of GDP goes into the military complex either directly or indirectly. Most of these groups are not profitable or even viable on their own, they're entirely dependent on government contracts to keep the bills paid. Take that away and you've got a bunch of guys standing around looking at each other with a lot of useless hardware.
Blackwater and related merc groups are progressive symptoms of the same military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned about, they're not anything new, except for capitalizing on the outsourcing and public-private partnership movements started in the 90's under Clinton and juiced by 8 years of neocon control under President Cheney. It's still the same military spending, but we've sacrificed professionalism and centralized control over foreign policy for increased profits for Republican donors.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:50 PM on April 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
From that first link:
"I think it’s possible that private military actors can be really effective, and this is also why they were so common in the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages they used to have contract warfare—you just hire a military. And they were specialized in some sort of technique that’s too expensive for [a government] to maintain. You can have niches in a marketplace where they become specialists: "We do drone warfare. And we do it really really well. And here’s our price tag to rent us." And if you’re some small country, you can’t afford to maintain that on a year-round basis, but you can rent it when you need it. And so that is an appeal of the marketplace too."
Oh, the Middle Ages! Those were heady times. Imagining that set-up, with drones, inspires a lot of confidence in effectiveness.
posted by Aya Hirano on the Astral Plane at 7:21 PM on April 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
"I think it’s possible that private military actors can be really effective, and this is also why they were so common in the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages they used to have contract warfare—you just hire a military. And they were specialized in some sort of technique that’s too expensive for [a government] to maintain. You can have niches in a marketplace where they become specialists: "We do drone warfare. And we do it really really well. And here’s our price tag to rent us." And if you’re some small country, you can’t afford to maintain that on a year-round basis, but you can rent it when you need it. And so that is an appeal of the marketplace too."
Oh, the Middle Ages! Those were heady times. Imagining that set-up, with drones, inspires a lot of confidence in effectiveness.
posted by Aya Hirano on the Astral Plane at 7:21 PM on April 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
I remember being taught in school what a dishonorable bastard King George was for using mercenaries against us during the revolution.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:02 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:02 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
As long as there is war and money there willing be men willing to wage war for money.
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 8:36 PM on April 16, 2015
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 8:36 PM on April 16, 2015
"Despite their battle effectiveness, the White Company rarely fought general engagements. Their main military activity was the chevauchée, raids designed to destroy the enemy’s economy by burning fields and destroying harvests. To do this, they fanned out in small units and moved with unusual speed. What most shocked the Italians was their brutality, which even exceeded that of German mercenaries. They systematically burnt villages and captured towns. They tortured and murdered prisoners who would not pay ransom. They also excelled at seizing towns by trickery, specializing in night and surprise assaults in which they used specially constructed scaling ladders that were assembled in section."
14th Century Mercs.
posted by clavdivs at 9:34 PM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
14th Century Mercs.
posted by clavdivs at 9:34 PM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
It has been my understanding that soldiers of the US military got paid to fight on foreign soil also.
posted by cmoj at 9:54 PM on April 16, 2015
posted by cmoj at 9:54 PM on April 16, 2015
So the world powers can be defined as venture capitalists for startup political regimes who use the money to hire soldiers like a technical services company.
posted by rhizome at 11:27 PM on April 16, 2015
posted by rhizome at 11:27 PM on April 16, 2015
So the world powers can be defined as venture capitalists for startup political regimes who use the money to hire soldiers like a technical services company.
SaaS (Soldiers as a Service)
posted by indubitable at 4:43 AM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
SaaS (Soldiers as a Service)
posted by indubitable at 4:43 AM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
And so we march one step closer to Kojima's world in Metal Gear Solid 4.
posted by Twain Device at 5:00 AM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Twain Device at 5:00 AM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
So, y'know, it's illegal for, say, American citizens to go overseas to commit certain sex crimes. Or to pay bribes overseas. And those things apply even if whatever they're doing is legal in the country where they do it.
So how come it's not illegal to go overseas to commit freelance acts of violence, up to and including murder?
On edit: I'm not saying that those extraterritorial laws are actually right... just that they seem to be interestingly selective...
posted by Hizonner at 6:04 AM on April 17, 2015
So how come it's not illegal to go overseas to commit freelance acts of violence, up to and including murder?
On edit: I'm not saying that those extraterritorial laws are actually right... just that they seem to be interestingly selective...
posted by Hizonner at 6:04 AM on April 17, 2015
I came for the Metal Gear comment and was not disappointed.
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 8:25 AM on April 17, 2015
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 8:25 AM on April 17, 2015
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Decisions, decisions.
posted by ocschwar at 5:53 PM on April 16, 2015