Private Military Companies

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the ethics of the use of PMCs by national governments, particularly drawing on examples from First World nations like the United States and Great Britain. The paper claims that one of the major issues surrounding PMCs being contracted by First World nations is the lack of transparency involved in these operations. The paper explains that in First World representative democracies and republics governmental transparency is a primacy ideal of the national system. The paper discusses the use of PMCs as undermining this ideal by separating the people even farther from the foreign policy actions of leaders within the government.

From the Paper:

"The use of mercenaries in warfare has been outlawed for some decades under article 47 of the Geneva Convention (Verley 20). According to that international accord, it is in no way appropriate for any nation to employ the use of paid soldiers in military campaigns. International politics has, thus, formally prohibited the existence of mercenaries, in theory at least. However, in practice, distinguishing actual mercenaries can be exceedingly difficult. Since the end of the Cold War in particular, the privatization of warfare throughout the globe has become a permanent fixture of global geopolitics (Pape et al 22). This has happened with the development of a new, private war industry, euphemistically referred to as private military companies (PMCs). National governments throughout the world, including major superpowers like the United States, routinely employ the services of PMCs."

More papers on Private Military Companies:

• Dissertation or Thesis # 92791 : "Private Military Companies"
• Analytical Essay # 140681 : "Impact of Mercenary/Private Security Companies"
• Term Paper # 57766 : "The Halliburton Oil Company"

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