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| Afghanistan |
| Private military contractors aren't going to do a better job in Afghanistan. Here's why. |
| 2017-07-13 |
| [WAPO] The New York Times reported July 10 on meetings between President Trump, his top advisers and private military and security company (PMSC) magnates, Erik Prince (founder of Blackwater) and Stephen A. Feinberg (owner of DynCorp International) to discuss plans for having contractors take over U.S. operations in Afghanistan. The plans are said to hew closely to the Wall Street Journal op-ed Erik Prince published in June proposing a "MacArthur solution" to Afghanistan. Like the historical analogy it borrows from, the plan proposes a U.S. viceroy, but unlike MacArthur, the viceroy would carry out his plans with the help of a private army. Could such a plan actually improve counterinsurgency, leading to the success that has thus eluded the U.S. (and NATO)? In a word: no. And the plan is much more than a different strategy; it reformulates (one might say privatizes) U.S. goals. General studies of PMSCs (though not focused on counterinsurgency, per se) begin to shed light on their overall impact on war. Looking at civil wars in Africa, only when there is competition among companies do PMSCs working for government and rebels have a positive effect on civil war termination. This suggests that we may not want the unified effort Prince envisions. Data from Iraq show that competition is not enough. Only when there is competition joined by contracts with particular performance incentives do PMSCs reduce violence in an area. And using the Private Security Database (PSD) to focus on contracts between governments and PMSCs in failed or failing states -- notably applicable for Afghanistan -- is shown to increase conflict severity. More detailed studies show that PMSCs work differently than military forces and should increase our skepticism of their counterinsurgency value. Different recruitment, motivation, rules, training and flexibility all contribute to a number of well-known concerns over misbehavior by individuals, PMSCs and the governments (and other clients) that contract with them. The International Code of Conduct (ICoC), Private Security Standards and other transnational regulatory efforts the U.S. has supported all limit PMSC behavior in ways that address these concerns by drawing PMSCs closer to common rules for public forces. (It is worth mentioning that a PMSC could not do some of what Prince calls for, like fighting alongside Afghan forces, without violating these regulations -- and the regulations are now required for private security providers working for the Pentagon in contingency operations abroad.) |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #7 You cannot win a war unless you fight it to win. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2017-07-13 16:53 |
| #6 Should go to Tom Kratman site - see if he has commented on the subject. Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries These, in the day when heaven was falling, The hour when earth's foundations fled, Followed their mercenary calling, And took their wages, and are dead. Their shoulders held the sky suspended; They stood, and earth's foundations stay; What God abandoned, these defended, And saved the sum of things for pay. A.E. Housman |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-07-13 08:36 |
| #5 There's always the Mongol option. It worked before. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2017-07-13 07:28 |
| #4 This should tell you much about the author and origins of this article. Don't neglect the list of esteemed Korbel alumni: The Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver is a professional school of international affairs offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. It is named in honor of the founding dean, Josef Korbel, father of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Emphasis added. Wiki |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-07-13 03:16 |
| #3 You see this too Magpie - and are correct. NGO's are the only ones with the lift to handle a fraction of it. This is why you need people like Bab Tim and Erik Prince to give a say too. Some are deeply invested in these people. To me, who will care for them the best wins. Thanks for the reminder Magpie. |
| Posted by: newc 2017-07-13 03:00 |
| #2 General studies of PMSCs (though not focused on counterinsurgency, per se)... What studies? Ahh, General Studies by Top Men in the Field, Top men... Probably commuting between jobs in NGOs, Academia, and Government -- all distinctly anti-mercenary by inclination. ...begin to shed light on their overall impact on war. Looking at civil wars in Africa, only when there is competition among companies do PMSCs working for government and rebels have a positive effect on civil war termination. War termination, eh? Looking at hows NGOs have assisted the endless prolonging of conflicts in the Post-WW2 Era -- should they be disbanded first? Secondly, being able to hire more PMSCs implies a stronger country with more money. More resources implies greater chance of winning --- D'Oh! |
| Posted by: magpie 2017-07-13 00:58 |
| #1 If we listened to the democrats at WAPOO, we would never, ever win a war. Never listen to leftests about Foreign Policy. They are alien and of immature, less developed intelect as an average Homosapien or Caveman. This is why they draw make up shit, pull it from their asses, and write it as hieroglyphics on the chalkboard walls of higher marxucation. They command respect for doing nothing but contaminating the young minds with pinkey and the stalin - mental midget acrobatics. I want to see every option, and I want US to win. Stuff it up your safe space WAPO. I AM through with you. |
| Posted by: newc 2017-07-13 00:40 |