PMC in COIN (general theme)

[Presley Cannady]

Big Bill's getting a lot of flak for his suggestion that the Allies bankroll a standing force of contractors to deal with threats like ISIL. By a lot of flak, I mean most of it is coming from the left-wing snark machine. However, very little time (arguably none at all) has been spent actually discussing the proposal's feasibility.

So, discuss amongst yourselves.

[davidbfpo]

Presley,

This KoW piece parallels your post 'The Acme Co. Army?', which opens with:

In this one we confront the seemingly never-ending debate: Do we need a private army to do our dirty work? As domestic politics further complicate the use of own troops in defense of interests but not threat and conflicts seem to demand rapid response, the appeal of the privatization of force grows again. Although of less importance in this latest age of state war, armies for hire are not new to the battlefield. Whether this is wisdom or wishful thinking is another matter. Enjoy the post and join the discussion on Twitter at #CCLKOW

The author poses four questions for the exchange the readers have on Twitter:

In an age of wars of choice, do ‘private armies’ offer states a better option for armed intervention than traditional armed forces?
Can PMSCs be of use in the fight against ISIL, and in which capacities?
What are the most significant challenges to their use from a military practitioner’s perspective?
How can PMSC-military cooperation be improved?

Link:http://kingsofwar.org.uk/2014/09/the-acme-co-army/?