Private Military Companies, Good or Bad If Canada Used Them?

[Sh0rtbUs]

Hate to reopen this thread, but after a search found nothing. Does anybody have a list of names, links, etc for Security Contract Companies within Canada, or hiring within Canada?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Haligonian]

Can't tell ya how much I enjoyed reading these posts, I'm doing my honours thesis at Dalhousie on the regulation of PMC's.

Anyway if your looking for more info I'd say this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801441145/103-4116828-8428609?v=glance&n=283155 book is hands down the best book out there on PMC's.  If you want anymore I can suggest well over forty sources (books and articles) on the subject.

 

[MdB]

Can't tell ya how much I enjoyed reading these posts, I'm doing my honours thesis at Dalhousie on the regulation of PMC's.

Anyway if your looking for more info I'd say this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801441145/103-4116828-8428609?v=glance&n=283155 book is hands down the best book out there on PMC's.  If you want anymore I can suggest well over forty sources (books and articles) on the subject.

Hmm, that's weird. The book title is Corporate Warriors although the soldiers on the cover are American servicemen... Yeah, right.

Still, the book seems very interesting. You should have already read the book I mentioned earlier in the thread, also very interesting.

 

[Haligonian]

Hmm, that's weird. The book title is Corporate Warriors although the soldiers on the cover are American servicemen... Yeah, right.

Still, the book seems very interesting. You should have already read the book I mentioned earlier in the thread, also very interesting.

Yes I did read that book, I think I've read a pretty sizeable chunk of the stuff on this topic as there still isn't a whole lot of new stuff.  As for the soldiers on the front of the book, I think you were being sarcastic, but they aren't US servicemen.  They are MPRI (Military Professional Resources Incorporated) contractors conducting training in Kuwait.  It is curious though, because, corect me if I'm wrong, it's illegal for them to be wearing service unifroms unless they are members of the armed forces right?  That is an issue currently with PMC's as more and more of them are beginning to wear military uniforms, further blurring the line between combatant and non-combatant and where do these guys stand?

 

[a_majoor]

Military contractors and security companies use military clothing for many of the same reasons we do: to differentiate them from non employees and to take advantage of the many pockets, attachment points and body armour that modern combat clothing has. Wearing the same uniforms as an existing army in theater has some strengths (the locals will equate the uniform with the army, and may expect the same capabilities as well. Also this makes intelligence somewhat more difficult for the Jihadis, since the head count will be quite a bit higher), and one very obvious weakness (western soldiers are targets by default, so wearing the uniform signals you are a target).

Now companies might be able to get the advantages of point one by contracting their own uniforms (somewhat expensive), or going to the surplus bin and buying up old CF OD Green combats or East German uniforms, but that still self identifies employees to the Jihadis, most of whom don't care about the distinctions between soldiers and contract employees anyway. As for the line between combatant and non combatant, the Jihadis don't make that distinction anyway; if you are a Westerner, you are a target.

 

[Haligonian]

Military contractors and security companies use military clothing for many of the same reasons we do: to differentiate them from non employees and to take advantage of the many pockets, attachment points and body armour that modern combat clothing has. Wearing the same uniforms as an existing army in theater has some strengths (the locals will equate the uniform with the army, and may expect the same capabilities as well. Also this makes intelligence somewhat more difficult for the Jihadis, since the head count will be quite a bit higher), and one very obvious weakness (western soldiers are targets by default, so wearing the uniform signals you are a target).

Now companies might be able to get the advantages of point one by contracting their own uniforms (somewhat expensive), or going to the surplus bin and buying up old CF OD Green combats or East German uniforms, but that still self identifies employees to the Jihadis, most of whom don't care about the distinctions between soldiers and contract employees anyway. As for the line between combatant and non combatant, the Jihadis don't make that distinction anyway; if you are a Westerner, you are a target.

It should be noted that these guys looking like national forces is not always an advantage, they are not accountable and they get away with alot of stuff that can get blamed on national forces.  For example a handful of those MP's involved in the Abu Ghraib scandal were PMC employees of CACI and Titan, while the US forces in question were charged these guys have not even gone to trial and likely won't, because their status under military justice is far from clear.

In regards to jihadis and contractors, good point, they don't give a damn if your a contractor or a soldier.  I'm curious in regards to a more conventional war situation.  Would Blackwater security guards escorting 3rd party VIP's through a war zone be considered combatants?  How about civilians who maintain high tech gear like stealth fighters?  Those civilians are strategic resources but they are also civilians...

 

[Centurian1985]

For those of you asking for information here, I would say you dont have much chance of getting hired fi you are asking for help here.  Its who you now AND what you know with many of these agencies.  Although, there are currently a few US ones who will take anyone with Middle East experience.