The Rise of the Private Military and Security Industry

... Similarly, whether safeguarding an oil rig in a war-torn country constitutes mere provision of security and protection of property, or in fact a fundamentally military mission of defending crucial strategic installations, is again largely debatable. Mercenaries or not, private military/security contractors now play a significant part in the ongoing transformation of war, providing a comprehensive range of services in the context of armed conflicts, while holding the de facto right to potentially use lethal force according to their own judgment. From representing only 1% of the military personnel ...