The Best Kind of War

By T.E. Hennefer

Civilian contractors have frequently played an important role in American military operations. George Washington hired civilians to haul the Continental Army's equipment; supply vendors followed the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. Indeed, today's military recognizes the use of civilian contractors as a force multiplier in stabilization efforts. Although sometimes expensive, contractors are capable of supplying immediate expertise and manpower much more rapidly than the military can grow subject matter experts.

 

With the establishment of the modern state as the primary organization responsible for the protection of its citizens and territory, the relationship or covenant between the state and its citizens, has remain fairly constant; to assure the peace, the population relied on the state to protect them and in exchange for this safeguard, the population relinquished some of their personal autonomy for that of a larger governing body. This association has remained the primary relationship for hundreds of years, whereby the people provided the state with the resources it needs to provide for the common defense, and the state held on to the monopoly as the single authority entitled to wage war. Modern events have irrevocable and indelibly altered that relationship. 

 

The best kind of war, (if in fact they exist), are those that are quick, brutal and decisive. The best kind of war addresses an immediate threat that leaves no doubt who the enemy is, what their objectives are, and what it will take to defeat them. The best kind of war strikes the enemy with the brutality of overwhelming firepower thus leaving them weak, confused, disorganized and vulnerable. The best kind of war is decisive with no doubt about the outcome, or who the victor is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: T.E. Hennefer
• Release date: Feb 17, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224805105

Book preview

Forward

Civilian contractors have frequently played an important role in American military operations. George Washington hired civilians to haul the Continental Army's equipment; supply vendors followed the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. Indeed, today's military recognizes the use of civilian contractors as a force multiplier in stabilization efforts. Although sometimes expensive, contractors are capable of supplying immediate expertise and manpower much more rapidly than the military can grow subject matter experts.

With the establishment of the modern state as the primary organization responsible for the protection of its citizens and territory, the relationship or covenant between the state and its citizens, has remain fairly constant; to assure the peace, the population relied on the state to protect them and in exchange for this safeguard, the population relinquished some of their personal autonomy for that of a larger governing body. This association has remained the primary relationship for hundreds of years, whereby the people provided the state with the resources it needs to provide for the common defense, and the state held on to the monopoly as the single authority entitled to wage war. Modern events have irrevocable and indelibly altered that relationship.

The best kind of war, (if in fact they exist), are those that are quick, brutal and decisive. The best kind of war addresses an immediate threat that leaves no doubt who the enemy is, what their objectives are, and what it will take to defeat them. The best kind of war strikes the enemy with the brutality of overwhelming firepower thus leaving them weak, confused, disorganized and vulnerable. The best kind of war is decisive with no doubt about the outcome, or who the victor is.

Dedication.

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To all who served in Iraqi and Afghanistan.

Table of Contents

Forward

Introduction

Foundations

The New Condottieri

Fox in the Henhouse

Assumptions

The Clauswitzian Model

Privatized Armies

The Mormon Battalion

The Indian Wars

Origins of Insurgency

Why Security is Being Outsourced

Origins of Global Insecurity

Efficiency vs. Esprit de Corp

Implications of Private Military Organizations

International Law

New-Age Mercenaries

Cost-Effective vs. Cost Prohibitive

Military Professional Resources, Inc.

International Considerations

Non-State Actors

PMCs as a Mixed Force

Combat Logistics

Contractors on the Battlefield

Contractors Accompanying the Force

The Nature of Histography

Absolute Power

Data Validity

Classification

Summary of Findings

End Game

The Best Kind of War

Resolution

Taps

References

Index

About the Author

Introduction

Prior to the United States' entry into WWII on December 7th, 1941, many Americans volunteered for service in the RAF (Royal Air Force), and as the Battle of Britain raged from May through October 1940, stories of pilots flying their Hurricanes and Spitfires inspired many Americans into joining the RAF. 

As a result of losses sustained during the Battle of Britain, the RAF was short on pilots, so a call went out for pilots to replace their depleted ranks. In the end, 244 American pilots flew for the Eagle Squadrons of the legendary RAF Fighter Command. The reason most of the pilots volunteered was simply for the adventure. The need and the lure of mercenary work is as prevalent today as it was in 1940, when RAFs Fighter Command issued the international call for experienced pilots regardless of nationality. It also tells of another story; that when one nation faces a military threat that it cannot confront with indigenous conventional forces, the next option is the recruitment of the mercenary or hired gun.

Currently the world is in a state of rapid change after the decline of what was the established order of the democratic west, versus the communist east. This confrontation known as the Cold War aligned the forces of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) against those of the Warsaw Pact. These superpowers primarily the United States and Soviet Union became galvanized in a contest for global domination and control; yet each realized that if the power of their nuclear arsenals were unleashed, both would lose. This stalemate had its own acronym, MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction), and for over half a century was the omnipresent reason to limit access to weapons of mass destruction to only those deemed responsible enough to control their passions, biases, and aggression.

But now the world has now changed. With access to financial and material resources and the willingness to risk retaliation, the ability to wage war on a global scale is no longer limited to nation states but accessible to any group regardless of size, or geographical location. Into this new world order has stepped the professional military corporation or PMC. With the technical, financial and expertise of former host nations, PMCs now are literally hired guns.

When Dr. Peter Singer wrote his seminal work on these new global mercenaries in 2001, the primary focus was the regulation of non-state actors, (i.e., Sandline, Blackwater USA, Executive Outcomes, etc.) who functioned as independent military contractors.  These organizations are currently being absorbed into mainstream corporations that offer something beyond a dependable base of operations or increased financial security; they offer legitimacy.

Other scholars such as: Robert Friedman (2001), Mark D. Terry (2003), Major Mark F. Stolleneork (1999), Major Christopher D. Croft (2001), Major Kim L. Nelson (2001), Captain Ryan M. Novak (2004), Captain Marc Lindemann (2007) and Lieutenant Colonel Katherine N. Miller (2004), have focused on specific aspects of this emerging industry and how their influence has altered trans-regional events.

Current research continues to focus on PMCs as independent agents engaged in combat operations, and how these organizations offer an alternative to non-conventional military outsourcing. Few if any have discussed, or researched the transition of PMCs from small, independent providers to large trans-national corporations.

Historians have often described the last century as Pax Americana or the American Century. They may well define the next as the age of the Professional Military Corporation (PMCs).

Foundations

Historically, when governments, empires or dictators have sought to expand their military capability, they have done so by introducing mercenaries into their existing forces. From William the Conquer, to the present, the mercenary soldier or free-lancer has been enlisted when national interests require action, but world opinion disapproves.

The early European use of organized mercenaries was in the form of private bodies in the 14th century known as Free Companies or Great Companies. These organizations ultimately developed in Italy as Condottieri [a translation of the word mercenary], who offered their services to the highest bidder. The Condottieri System maintained fairly permanent companies of armed military specialists that were hired out for set periods to various Italian states. By the 18th century, this was a fairly common practice, as the British demonstrated with their use of Hessians in the American Revolution.

The recruitment and use of mercenaries in the developmental history of the United States is well documented: (Adams (1999), Avant (2002), Barstow (2005), Baumann (2002), Cavaleri (2004), Cleaver (2000), Creehan (2002), Ficarrotta (1997), Gebhardt (2004), Blanchard (1982), Howe (1998), Hornburg (2000), Kaurin, (2002), Knight (2005) and illustrates how the recent implementation of mercenaries with traditional ground forces has impacted its combat effectiveness. The issues discussed herein, concentrate on the modern use of PMCs, how they are being used to supplement traditional ground forces, their effectiveness as force multipliers; and the international legalities that surround their use in military operations other than war.

Force multipliers are generally defined as auxiliary or supplemental forces that enable the current force to expand their capabilities beyond their current effectiveness. An example of force multipliers would be the American Volunteer Group (AVG) or Flying Tigers of the 1940’s who were hired by the Chinese government to fight against the Japanese during World War II.

Another example would be merchant marines that were used to extend military capabilities during the Battle of the Atlantic (1939-45). Although the merchant marines were not combatants in the sense of the Royal Navy, they did operate in an active combat zone in the North Atlantic, took direct action against German U-Boats and the Luftwaffe, and suffered causalities like traditional sailors. One in twenty-six mariners serving aboard merchant ships in World WW II died in the line of duty, suffering a greater percentage of war-related deaths than all other U.S. services.

As force multipliers, PMCs operate in a flexural state of reality. They rely on the continuity of the major world powers for a base of operation from which to function but need the chaos of the third world as a source of income. PMCs operate in an environment similar to Wall Street. They need the stability and consistency of mainstream business to maintain professional relationships so contracts can be procured, and fees negotiated, but require the frenzy, speculation and quest for power that only a free market can provide.

Without one, the other cannot exist.

Like any market-driven economy, the need for these companies and their service is pointless without the elements of capitalistic supply and demand.  PMCs need customers to purchase their products in order to provide a satisfactory return on investment (ROI) for shareholders, and since PMCs operate like any other privately or publicly traded corporation, they require a conventional corporate veil, in order to operate as legal entities. With all emerging markets, eventually consolidation becomes inevitable as large corporations acquire smaller firms and is usually completed when the larger corporations realize the financial equity to be found in these smaller hereto undiscovered organizations.

As example of his consolidation, Military Professional Resources International (MPRI) was purchased by L-3 Communications a leading communications firm, while Northrop Grumman Corporation (the largest military contractors in the history of the United States and the world) purchased Vinnell Corporation.  In 2003, DynCorp (a major player in the private securities industry) was purchased by Computer Science Corporation (CSC), and now allows CSC to offer clients a complete security package ranging from risk analysis, interpretation and interrogation. Since field operations are generally investment intensive, PMCs as part of a larger corporate structure benefit from a regular system of financing, as well as the ability to move seamlessly within in the international business arena.

The services offered by private security and military companies range from the provision of operational support in combat, military advice and training, and arms procurement and maintenance to logistical support, housing, communications services, security services, intelligence gathering and crime prevention. Dr. Peter W. Singer classified these organizations in to three basic categories in his Tip of the Spear battle-space analogy.

Singer divided the PMC into three separate areas of expertise: military provider firms or Type-1), military consultant firms or Type-2) and military support firms or Type-3. According to Singer, Type-1 firms provide services at the front line, such as command of forces and implementation; Type-2 firms offer mainly advisory and training services; and Type-3 firms are used for the contracting out of non-lethal aid and assistance, including logistic functions such as feeding and housing troops and providing transport.

The New Condottieri

A reporter once asked the legendary golfer Arnold Palmer why he was so lucky. Palmer responded that from his perspective, "Luck is when practice meets opportunity."

With the fall of the Soviet Union, and the dismantling of its empire, the inability of the former USSR to support existing governments or insurgencies ceased to exist. This power vacuum improved opportunities for satellite states to break away and establish independent regimes and governing bodies; it has also encouraged old hatreds and animosities to surface as demonstrated in Yugoslavia and Bosnia. In addition to conflicts in Eastern Europe, Radical Islam emerged on the world stage with the ability to strike at its enemies with a directness that previously would have been not only ill advised, but suicidal. Emanating from this socio-political vacuum, the United States emerged as the only remaining super-power with the