A Lucrative War?
It seems that talk of Blackwater and other mercenary organizations in Iraq has subsided over the past year (while searching the New York Times, the most recent articles I found on the subject were Mike Nizza’s ”The Lede” blogs from 2007). At least that’s what has happened in the US; abroad it’s a different story. The topic of mercenaries, or PMFs (Privatized Military Forces), is still hot in Egypt, and came out of the most recent publication of al-Ahram Weekly.
Galal Nassar writes that international mercenary soldiers make up a billion-dollar industry, being hired from multiple countries to fight for thousands of dollars per week, sometimes even per day. Further complicating the issue, these salaries are becoming a huge problem in recruiting Iraqi police and security forces, as the difference in pay is staggering. Why would an Iraqi soldier want to be a target for insurgents, trying to avoid death on a daily basis working in an under-funded position when he could just as easily make twice as much and have access to the latest technology and weaponry? I know what my choice would be, given the situation in Iraq.
The worst part of mercenary companies is that few international regulations apply. Essentially PMFs are said to perform missions in which national armies, such as that of the US, are not supposed to engage. They can assassinate, use guerrilla tactics, import weapons and ’sabotage’ the enemy. There is even talk that these companies are inciting further violence.
While the subject blew over in the US after the CEO of Blackwater testified in front of Congress, we should still be wary of PMFs operating in Iraq. It is obvious that these organizations should be further investigated, but easier said than done with the constant chaos embracing the country. And while these companies might be spurring violence, what if their role has contributed to the latest decline in hostility?
We should wonder if hiring private armies is the new trend in fighting conflicts. If so, this is a very dangerous line to cross. CEO Erik Prince testified that the soldiers working for Blackwater are, “Americans working for America protecting Americans.” If this is the case, how do we stop from blurring the line between paid mercenaries and US soldiers? The scariest question we have to ask then is what happens to the ideals of fighting for bravery, honor and the love of your country?
June 10th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Interesting you mention Mr. Nassar’s article. After reading it I sent him a note with an offer to provide information to clear up some of his concerns, but received no response - for whatever reason. Not sure if he is a journalist or just a pundit.
Here are some facts left out of most news articles:
1. of 180,000 contractors in Iraq, about 120,000 are Iraqis, the folks one hopes should be doing the reconstruction and security of their own country. Any company will hire as many locals as they are allowed to when carrying out their contracts - client security concerns may limit that freedom.
2. The Pentagon has about 140,000 troops in Iraq and has 6,000 private security guards, half of which are Iraqi (in Afghanistan they have 3,000 security guards, 99.7% are Afghans). Private security companies (PSCs) are allowed to protect ‘nouns’ - people, places and things, and very lightly armed compared the military. PSCs are NOT allowed to war against insurgents or anyone else.
3. Iraqis doing security earn market wages, about the same as the police and military, NOT thousands of dollars per week or day. The last thing you want in a post conflict environment is teachers and doctors leaving their jobs to do security work!
4. There are less than 1,500 Americans doing private security work in Iraq, mostly the high-end, high-risk diplomatic security for the Dept. of State, which requires a special level of vetting as well as security clearances. They can earn $650 per day. They are military vets, that while on average older, more experienced, and more likely to have a family than the average soldier, are otherwise the same folks with the same motivations.
5. Lots of rules and regulations apply. Read the 18,000 pages Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) some real entertainment. Most contractors - Iraqis - are under Iraqi law. Non Iraqis working for the U.S. government are under MEJA - the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act - which allows them to be brought back to the United States and tried for felonies (they are also currently under the Uniform Code of Military Justice - UCMJ - though trying civilians in military courts has been condemned by human rights organizations and it is unlikely to stand up to judicial review). A Bill has been passed in the House to further strengthen MEJA and is pending in the Senate.
6. Assassination is illegal, and companies are not allowed to do offensive operations, they are allowed to protect those ‘nouns’. The Pentagon has drawn a think line between military duties and civilian duties. Happy to forward on some of the DoD doctrine on that issue.
7. Finally, keep in mind that 95% of our industry is NOT hired to do security, it is to support governmental policies with everything from aviation services, to demining, to medical services, to logistics, to reconstruction and beyond. Far too many in the press and far too many academics are unwilling to write honestly about the topic, I’m not sure why.
I hope this is of use, I would be delighted to provide additional information to anyone concerned about the role of the private sector in Iraq or any other stability or peace operation.
Doug Brooks, President, IPOA
DBrooks AT IPOAonline.org
June 12th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
More to think about on this topic:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/opinion/12thu1.html?hp