Pmcs

Private Military Corporations

Introduction

Private Military Corporations, henceforth referred to as “PMCs”, are corporate entities that supplement government military forces through various methods such as training, logistical, and direct combat support. PMCs cite that their efficiency and effectiveness outclasses that of conventional military forces to defend their role in augmenting both regional and international powers. The recent publicity of PMCs and their part in armed combat are not without controversy in its legal, economic, ethical, and political dimensions. PMC actions, such as the infamous Nisour Square massacre, and their consequences warrant focused investigation through multiple perspectives. This paper, from the historical; military; economic; and legal lenses, will assess the degree to which PMCs provide effective direct or auxiliary support to conventional military forces and the degree to which PMCs are legally accountable, defined as the ability to be prosecuted for their actions, under existing regulation.

Historical Analysis

In order to understand how PMCs have had a significant impact on the world, we need to take a look at their history. The PMCs have existed in the form of mercenaries since the ancient 16th century. During the late 15th century Lamian War, the Greeks made use of mercenaries in infantry and other more specialized groups (Trundle 40-79). However, the concept of PMCs first originated during the Cold War and and they were extensively used in the Sierra Leone War and the War on Terror.

During the Cold War, there were only a handful of PMCs. Watchguard International Limited which was founded by David Stirling, the founder of the Special Air Service, in 1965 was one of the first PMCs that specialized in providing services to countries like Saudi Arabia and Africa. Watchguard Int. influenced other PMCs like KAS International and Executive Outcomes in the following years. Although there were a few PMCs established during Cold...