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Mercenaries have been around for thousands of years. They have been used and extolled by some leaders and condemned and decried by others.
At their best they offer deniability, they offer loyalty, they offer competence.
At their worst they mask atrocities, they betray employers, they are second-rate.
On net are mercenaries a good thing? Do they offer a necessary gray area?
Are they bad? Diminishing accountability and threatening freedom and liberty?
If you have experience feel free to weigh in, if not please read this excellent article from the Atlantic:
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/03/return-of-the-mercenary/388616/
Or this absolutely outstanding book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Profession-Thriller-Steven-Pressfield/dp/ [login to see]
Then provide thoughts.
At their best they offer deniability, they offer loyalty, they offer competence.
At their worst they mask atrocities, they betray employers, they are second-rate.
On net are mercenaries a good thing? Do they offer a necessary gray area?
Are they bad? Diminishing accountability and threatening freedom and liberty?
If you have experience feel free to weigh in, if not please read this excellent article from the Atlantic:
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/03/return-of-the-mercenary/388616/
Or this absolutely outstanding book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Profession-Thriller-Steven-Pressfield/dp/ [login to see]
Then provide thoughts.
Posted in these groups: 
Professionalism
Politics
Professionalism Politics
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 33
Little is it know that we have used them. The most know case of this would be in the War of 1812. Jean Lafitte was a privateer. We pretty much offered him a pardon to fight with us against the British. He did and fought superbly. These guys were pirates. After the battle they were back into being pirates, just not near the US.
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Capt Richard I P.
CPT (Join to see) Good point, ever nation, including us, have used them for various reasons, are they good? Or Bad? Or too complicated to judge?
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SGT Hector Rojas, AIGA, SHA
von Steuben and Lafayette were mercenaries fighting for the Continental Army before they were properly commissioned as well.
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Good in what way? Bad in what way?
I like the idea of being able to hire and fire your team, so long as they are properly tracked. Doesn't Bahrain(?) use a contracted system for their military?
I like the idea of being able to hire and fire your team, so long as they are properly tracked. Doesn't Bahrain(?) use a contracted system for their military?
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CPT Zachary Brooks
CPT Michael Barden
This was my quick, just hit me on the way out the door kind of thoughts. Essentially what I like about the idea is having more malleability with your troops and forces and the ability to restructure your force or your unit quickly and effectively, so long as the resources are available.
The issues of course are their allegiances (money or country) and being able to track and control what they do.
This was my quick, just hit me on the way out the door kind of thoughts. Essentially what I like about the idea is having more malleability with your troops and forces and the ability to restructure your force or your unit quickly and effectively, so long as the resources are available.
The issues of course are their allegiances (money or country) and being able to track and control what they do.
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Capt Richard I P.
CPT Zachary Brooks CPT Michael Barden Right? I think they're a huge double sided coin or blade any time they're used (....get it?). Like, every single advantage they bring to the fight in one historical example has an inverse, also with historical backing.
My personal answer was the complex one, though I like to offer a spectrum.
That book by Pressfield is amazing.
My personal answer was the complex one, though I like to offer a spectrum.
That book by Pressfield is amazing.
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IMO to better our US Armed Forces we need one Service, 3 branches: Ground, Sea and Special Operations. Large Spec Ops, Small AD, Small Reserve, NG CONUS ops only!
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The Legacy of Executive Outcomes. Good or bad, you be the judge...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/11596210/South-African-mercenaries-secret-war-on-Boko-Haram.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/11596210/South-African-mercenaries-secret-war-on-Boko-Haram.html
South African mercenaries' secret war on Boko Haram
Mercenaries from South Africa have proved quietly decisive in helping the Nigerian military turn around its campaign against Boko Haram, writes Colin Freeman in Abuja
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Capt Richard I P.
LTC Jason Mackay, Sir, great points on current examples of the use of mercenaries. Most people would call this a good use I imagine.
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Suspended Profile
I technically myself was mercenary. I came to US from Russia at the age of 12 and was still Citizen of Russian Federation (in fact Russian Voenkommat sent me this nice letter calling me up for the Conscript service while I was still in US.), but chose to serve in US Army. Does it make me a bad person? I don't know. Only those who served with me could say so.
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Are mercenaries good or bad? First, how specifically are you attempting to define 'mercenaries'? Second, how are you defining 'good' and 'bad'? 'Mercenaries' are as old as war. 'Mercenaries' are people and people can be good and bad. Mercenaries, normally, are skilled professional in the trade of war. As long as people need 'warriors' they will serve a role and purpose.
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OPTION FOUR! Haaahahaa, that one was too honest. I love it!
As I don't have a whole lot of experience and reading on what you'd classically call mercenaries. But would you consider Military contractors to be mercenaries? If so, then I've had numerous bad experiences with them. Granted they're air traffic controllers in my case, but then black-water also had their own agency ATC and no one disputes that those controllers still counted as mercenaries.
As I don't have a whole lot of experience and reading on what you'd classically call mercenaries. But would you consider Military contractors to be mercenaries? If so, then I've had numerous bad experiences with them. Granted they're air traffic controllers in my case, but then black-water also had their own agency ATC and no one disputes that those controllers still counted as mercenaries.
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Most contractors are good and have the discipline and professionalism for the job .
and the an the few that see it a redemption for not making it in the military or the Rambo
wannabe . I spent 5 years I Iraq as a contractor. And met both kind most are good but we are judged on the bad one's.
and the an the few that see it a redemption for not making it in the military or the Rambo
wannabe . I spent 5 years I Iraq as a contractor. And met both kind most are good but we are judged on the bad one's.
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Suspended Profile
This is catch 22 question. It depends for what motives one become mercenary. Doing military work for the pay, or for (misguided or not) morals. Overall I would say it is fine, as long it does not involve breaking the law (as long the law does not outlaw mercenary work though.)
MSG Brad Sand
SPC Ilya Arkadiev
One of the modern use of a mercenaries is to do the things...that need to be done...that the nation state does not want its own people doing...those gray or black area things that no one else wants to do but really need to be done. So in the end, who are the bad guys...the person paid, the person paying, both or those allowing the problem to grow to the point that they need to pay someone to do something so despicable?
One of the modern use of a mercenaries is to do the things...that need to be done...that the nation state does not want its own people doing...those gray or black area things that no one else wants to do but really need to be done. So in the end, who are the bad guys...the person paid, the person paying, both or those allowing the problem to grow to the point that they need to pay someone to do something so despicable?
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Suspended Profile
That's why it is catch 22. PMCs and hired mercenaries had swayed politics in the past. I just believe mercenary or volunteer work in military field for good reasons (for example I am considering to travel to Kurdistan this summer, to assist with my hard earned medical experience to Kurdish people in their fight against ISIS) is kind of good thing.
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This topic is a mile wide and a mile deep. Mercenaries by the UN definition are bad. Private Military Companies operating under the right contract, under the right extra judicial controls, working at the behest of a sovereign government can be a good thing. If you want to really approach this from an academic, analytical approach you should read (in this order): "Corporate Warriors" by PW Singer; "Civilian Warriors" by Erik Prince. Recommend checking out the documentary "Soldier for Hire", a history channel produced documentary that is a historical primer on the subject including 5 Commando, Mad Mike Hoare, the Seychelles, Executive Outcomes (Blackwater of the 80s), Cofer Black and the Blackwater. Of particular interest to me was the interview segments with Ambassador Black on what can only be seen as a strategic sales pitch on Blackwater. Blackwater Spectre Gunships in CASA212s.
- Inbox me if interested in my Naval War College paper on this subject.
- until the Peace of Westphalia and the birth of the Nation-State, wars were fought, kingdoms rose and fell on the fate of mercenaries. Most soldiers were mercenaries. The word "Company" actually comes from units of mercenaries fighting for payment in bread.
- nations, in particular, our nation has used contractors to offset capability gaps, reduce long term and free up manpower for decisive action
- the UN constantly struggles to drum up manning for numerous hand wringing missions. The UN could hire their way into decisive action. Think Rwanda.
- a nation could leverage PMCs to offset organic operational incompetence. Google Papua New Guinea-Sandline; Sierra Leone-Executive Outcomes; MPRI-Balkans
- Inbox me if interested in my Naval War College paper on this subject.
- until the Peace of Westphalia and the birth of the Nation-State, wars were fought, kingdoms rose and fell on the fate of mercenaries. Most soldiers were mercenaries. The word "Company" actually comes from units of mercenaries fighting for payment in bread.
- nations, in particular, our nation has used contractors to offset capability gaps, reduce long term and free up manpower for decisive action
- the UN constantly struggles to drum up manning for numerous hand wringing missions. The UN could hire their way into decisive action. Think Rwanda.
- a nation could leverage PMCs to offset organic operational incompetence. Google Papua New Guinea-Sandline; Sierra Leone-Executive Outcomes; MPRI-Balkans
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LTC Jason Mackay
You may also want to consider PMCs and Foriegn Legions as a way to manage immigration, absorb frictionally unemployed military talent, and offset aging populations in industrialized nations.
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