Corporate Warriors   (book)

Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry

Just the concept of privatizing America's military seems very irrational to me. The fist of the government should be owned and controlled by the government. What will happen when this is not the case? That's what this book is about. (from Sep. 2003)

(Feb. 2004): After reading the preface to this book, I realize that I misinterpreted what it was about. Or at least miscategorized it as less of an impartial fact-finding mission than it appears to be.

(Mar. 2004): After finishing this book, I've learned a lot about the history of armies with relation to state organizations, the more recent history of the effects of nationalism on military trends and actors, and the rise and current silent ubiquity of the private military firm (PMF). To sum up one of the main points of the book, armies tied directly to the state are extremely rare in recorded history and have only become prevalent relatively recently. As the United States government becomes more and more reliant on PMFs to support its forces (Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.) and carry out foreign policy discreetly with little fear of public backlash (Colombia is the most telling example), the power of the PMFs grows by leaps and bounds, as they quickly become TBTF. This is a must-read for anyone in the army or anyone involved in public service, especially politicians, as it covers many potential problems (and/or benefits) that could arise from the widespread adoption of PMFs as they exist today.