The urgent truth about the privatization of America's national security
that exposes where this industry came from, how it operates, where it's
heading--and why we should be concerned.
Thirty years ago there were no private military and security companies
(PMSCs); there were only mercenaries. Now the PMSCs are a bona-fide
industry, an indispensable part of American foreign and military policy.
PMSCs assist US forces in combat operations and replace them after the
military withdraws from combat zones; they guard our embassies; they
play key roles in US counterterrorism strategies; and Homeland Security
depends on them. Their services include maritime security, police
training, drone operations, cyber security, and intelligence analysis
(as Edward Snowden has famously revealed). Even the United Nations
employs them.
When did this happen? The turning point came when the US found itself in
a prolonged war with Iraq, but without adequate forces. So the Bush
Administration turned to the PMSCs to fill the gap. Private contractors
and subcontractors eventually exceeded the traditional troops. The
industry has never scaled back.
Ann Hagedorn profiles the members of Congress who recognize the dangers
of dependence on PMSCs, but have been unable to limit them or even
determine their true scope. She takes us to the exclusive club in London
where the PMSCs were created, and she reveals the key figure in the
evolution of the industry. She introduces us to a US Army general who
studies new developments, such as PMSCs' drone operations, and worries
about PMSCs potentially fighting American troops. The Invisible
Soldiers will inspire a national dialogue about a little-known
international industry on which our security rests.
