July 23, 2003
Forget The Marines, Send In The Mercenaries!
This is interesting. A company named Northbridge Services is offering to deploy to Liberia instead of the US or UK military. They are offering to undertake peacekeeping missions and to detain everyone's favorite Liberian, Charlie Taylor.
Privatization is good, right? So why haven't these guys been given plane tickets and hearty "good luck?"
There are only a few legitimate functions of government. The military is one of them. It provides for the common defense and is an instrument of foreign policy.
And a private military company, if operated under some strict guidelines, would not be in violation of any part of the Constitution or even illegal for Congress to hire to provide certain security services. So, again, why not hire them?
In the case of Liberia, as we've learned from past UN peacekeeping operations - like Kosovo - peacekeeping usually involves very little actual peacekeeping and may involve quite a bit of real fighting.
Imposing a peace, like current "peacekeeping" operations require, is pretty close to conducting foreign policy. Being former military, I'm sure that these PMC guys are cognizant of the fact that there are political goals in play and understand the importance of following orders.
But what happens when Northbridge becomes stretched too thin? What happens when we have Joe's Peacekeeping and Wrecker Service conducting operations for us? Once you start the process of hiring mercenaries to impose your will, how far down the food chain do you go?
I agree that the US military is stretched way too thin and needs help. A PMC like Northbridge may be very helpful in relieving some of the soldiers in the boonies of Iraq. Where it's already relatively quiet, hire these guys to go in and act like glorified rent-a-cops, helping the locals to establish law enforcement and restoring or improving various services.
Our men and women in uniform, under the direct control of the government, should be the ones to take on the most difficult tasks, like imposing a peace, or securing restless areas such as Baghdad.
PMCs like Northbridge need to be used in support of the military, not in place of it.
If we're going to go into Liberia, let's do it right. And then once it's settled down some, send our folks home and let Northbridge work on some real peacekeeping instead of trying to create the peace.
Dean's World linked with Mercenaries?
Well first of all we will not be compared to rental cops, etc. point being this could have all been resolved in June had authorities authorized removal of President Taylor. We have no intention of replacing armies. However, First world countries will never get involved in every conflict in Africa. PMC have prooven their roll in Africa and rather successfully. As far as Constitution, who's constitution are we talking about? The US Consitution would not apply to Liberia. As far as the US involvement fine however what is the objective what is the overall mission is the US going to committ 30 or 50 percent or are they going to committ 110 percent.
Posted by: Nicolaus van der Veer at July 26, 2003 08:25 PMI responded to Mr. van der Veer via email, but there were some points I made in that email that I'd like to post publically as I feel that they are important to the debate:
<response>
I have very little concern about the capability or ethics of a company like Northbridge. Everything that I've been able to find out about your company indicates that you're going about your business in a responsible manner. I do have concerns, however, that as you become even more successful, knock-offs will appear that may not be quite to the same moral standards as Northbridge.
And therein lies one of my main issues. Who's held accountable for an unethical PMC?
If the US procures your services (as the Financial Times indicated we were considering), then the US government is accountable. Some goes if the UK hires you. But what if Uday Hussein had hired a PMC with no concern about morals or ethics? At that point, the PMC really isn't different than mercenaries working for the warlord of the week.
Now you are also correct in your statement that the US Constitution quite possibly would have no bearing whatsoever on your operations. I was looking at it from the point of view that the US Government was hiring you, in which case there is a question of the Constitutionality of the outsourcing of military operations (I think that you have a solid case for it being ok for the non-combat portions) and I would, as a US citizen, expect that my government hold you to the same standard as our regular military, which would mean that you would operate under our command and in accordance with our values - including the US Constitution. So while you may not be "bound" to the US Constitution, if the US were to use your services, the document would be an important defining part of the relationship.
....
Bottom line is that I would genuinely like to see the US use PMCs of high caliber to help support our military. The US military cutbacks of the '90s really went too deep, but your company is stepping into the void to help provide an realistic alternative to attempting to rebuild a lost capability.
</response>
I think that this should be an important debate as we look at more situations like Liberia. I'm glad that Mr. van der Veer has taken the opportunity to present his side and would love to hear what everyone else has to say.
Seeking contact with Nicolaus van der Veer. If Mr. van der Veer is on this list or an associate of his reads this list, please contact me at the above stated email address.
I am seeking information and correspondence in regards to a developing media project.
Sincerely;
Michael K. Kuentz
Posted by: Michael Kuentz at August 20, 2003 03:51 PMEthical?
http://www.corpwatch.org/news/PND.jsp?articleid=86
50
Ethical?
http://www.corpwatch.org/news/PND.jsp?articleid=86
50
Ethical?
http://www.corpwatch.org/news/PND.jsp?articleid=86
50
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