PRIVATE MILITARY & SECURITY CONTRACTORS:

Wikipedia asserts that - like many of the worlds "evils" -  the British (in the form of Sir David Stirling of the SAS) started all this 'Corporate Mercenary' money-making.

 - As a Lieutenant-Colonel  Stirling was founder of the WWII SAS - Being short of equipment, particularly tents and related gear, at the outset when they set up base in Egypt at Kibrit Air Base - their first operation as the new SAS was to relieve a nearby well-equipped New Zealand regiment of tents, bedding, tables, chairs, numerous other supplies, including a piano. After at least four trips, they had a well stocked camp.

- Stirling together with John Woodhouse formed WATCHGUARD INTERNATIONAL as a private military company in the 1960s.

Privatized soldiering has been around 'for ever' .. but it's organisation into legitimate Business Corporations is prospering under "Free Market" politics - and that whole privatization climate supports it's success.

Halliburton, Blackwater USA (Intl,), Vinnell, Military Professional Resources Inc., G4S, DynCorp, Aegis Defense Services, STTEP, Executive Outcomes, International Intelligence Limited, ... are perhaps names you may have heard - but there are hundreds.

Currently - PMSCs 'Private Military & Security Contractors' are operational in about 50 conflict zones spread around all continents (except Antarctica). Their popularity with Right Wing 'Neo-Liberal' politicians is understandable.

The privatization of formerly State controlled organizations of course directly releases large contract profit opportunities into private hands - while when used to replace military it also lets them claim that they "are bringing the boys back home." -  but more importantly for the pollies, it distances their privateering asset grabs from being seen as overt government action. "Who? - Me?"

The denationalizing of Iraqi hydrocarbons - "Black Gold" is as yet incomplete because of the continuing fighting there - ExxonMobil, Shell, BP & Chevron are in place there waiting with Halliburton for the killing and "this threat to national security" in Iraq to end so that they can seal the deal and issue shares.

A 'Blackwater' Team in Afghanistan:

What's the prize in Afghanistan then you ask? ...Afghanistan has rich deposits of minerals such as lithium, used in batteries; uranium; magnesite; and “rare earth elements”, critical metals used in high technology from defense to electronics. - One estimate of the value of mineral deposits in Helmand province alone is 1 trillion dollars.

Let's try The Republic of Congo for it's pay chest ... beneath the Congo's moist & warm soil lay abundant deposits of copper, gold, diamonds, cobalt, uranium, coltan and oil - just some of the minerals that should make it one of the world's richest countries. - Instead the locals continue to die by thousands while some Brits complain of too many refugees heading for Europe " .. they come over here ..."

"Coltan" - source of Niobium (or "Columbium") - and Tantalum

(It's also mined in Colombia, Venezuela, & Brazil.)

(It's inside your smart phone)

How about that nasty wee war in YEMEN & Aden where Kratos Technology & DynCorp have replaced 'Academi'(Blackwater) ? - what's that all about? - well there's plenty of "pay dirt" in this desert nation - oil, natural gas, gold and silver, copper, lead, magnesium, nickel, platinum-group metals (PGM), tin, and zinc - BUT the big deal is Yemen's location on The Gulf of Aden where all that middle-eastern OIL has to flow past on it's way to market.

YEMEN - Looking Good Enough to Fight Over?

"Where's MY Facilitation Payment?"

I've known a couple of (ex NZ SAS) security contractors - decent fit guys - good with handguns - but I'm guessing that they might fail in their ethics tests.

Marty K.