Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror

The world has changed in many ways since 9/11, and Robert Young Pelton's "Licensed to Kill" provides a good background on the history,current practices and a possible future direction for the Private Security forces which blossomed in response to those attacks. First off, the book is a very enjoyable read; much of it moves like a military thriller novel, as Mr. Pelton keeps the reader's interest piqued throughout. Lots of irony and some pretty humorous observations, too. From a U.S. perspective, the history of private contractors-for-hire goes back to to the Vietnam War, and characters such as the legendary Billy Waugh are covered in great detail. As someone who has been interested in macro-scale military and intelligence matters - how pieces are moved around the global chessboard - I came away with a much better understanding of the circumstances drives companies such as Triple Canopy, Hart, Executive Outcomes and, of course, Blackwater. And that understanding is precisely which disturbs me. We all know the way the world works - large corporations and sovereign governments push towards their objectives, often bumping up against, or even crossing the line of legality. Quite often, it is with the best of intentions that a Private Security Force is employed, but the murky rules which govern these quasi-official fighting forces are often not applied and things can go sideways. One such incident involving Equatorial Guinea, is covered in great detail towards the end of the book. It's a fact that a for-profit company is more agile and efficient than a large government. Companies such as those I've listed above provide critical support and logistical services for our armed forces. But, it's evident in the book that people such as Erik Prince - the owner of Blackwater - begin to engage in mission-creep. And that's what frightens me. Read the book to learn the details, but it's evident that these for-hire security forces can be used to destabilize or topple weak governments. I can envision a time where one security force could engage in conflict with another. If dictatorial governments, or well-funded resistance movements/governments-in-exile can go shopping for an army (albeit a small army), the stability of a country or a region is threatened, and that instability could be at odds with official US policy. I do not trust Mr Prince and his connections to the Trump administration concern me; his sister is Betsy DeVos, the current Secretary of Education and advocate for the betterment of our children - Not! I understand that Special Forces members are highly-skilled in practices which do them absolutely no good in the civilian world, and, to remain gainfully employed, they frequently choose the career-path of enlisting in a (dare I say it) mercenary force. The work pays pretty well, but I worry about these men and women. Are Blackwater, Hart, et al providing psychological counseling to their employees (aka, independent contractors)? They are not. In fact, all these companies do provide is basic life insurance coverage. What happens to these contractors after they get too old (if they survive at all) to stay in the game? And what happens to their families? And, something just feels wrong about U.S. taxpayers footing the bill for the expensive training that SFOs receive, only to have those very skills sold back to the taxpayers for a 5-or-10-fold increase in cost? It's really no different than ex-Navy Seal Ryan Zinke serving on the board of an oil-pipeline company and then moving on to become Secretary of the Interior. So, from a philosophical perspective, I am somewhat opposed to the idea of Private Security forces, but I understand that they fill a need. I'm conflicted because their purpose can morph from defense, escort and security duties to become an offensive force. In reading Licensed to Kill, I am somewhat reminded of William Gibson's earlier speculative fiction, in which large multi-national corporations, known as zaibatsu, jockeyed for dominance using their own cyber- and police-forces. In this world, it seemed like governments weren't really in charge anymore, and that corporate hegemony was the new norm. By simple extrapolation, just how far are we from this happening in the real world? And what would stop a rogue President from employing such a security force to achieve a goal which might not be possible to achieve under normal circumstances? I highly recommend listening to Mr. Pelton on various podcasts, Coast to Coast AM among them; his is a unique global perspective which can inform and educate a largely insular American culture. And I highly recommend that you read, "Licensed to Kill. "

Given the growth of the private military industry, this book provides a useful snapshot of the field at this point in time - its widespread use in Afghanistan and Iraq, the positives and negatives of using private contractors vice uniformed military, the history of the smaller scale industry in Africa and places like New Guinea. So it's a worthwhile read for those interested in the history of the industry, a foreshadowing of the major issues the industry would pose for the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. I had two slight dings against this book: 1) It's bit too rock and roll bang bang for my tastes. Lots of traveling around with contractors on the ground spouting war zone cliches reminiscent of the worst scenes in Full Metal Jacket in the midst of utter chaos - just gets tiresome. I enjoyed Pelton's earlier work - The World's Most Dangerous Places guides; The Hunter, The Hammer, and Heaven; and Come Back Alive - much better, as they were the appropriate mix of travel writer and world observer on the political-military situation in these dangerous countries few could visit. Those other books are great reads for those looking for some adventure travel writing. 2) I feel that P.W. Singer's Corporate Warriors - which came out about the same time - was the better take on the private military industry. It's more academically rigorous, has a well done history of the industry and the pros/cons, and largely forgoes the on the ground color commentary. Worth buying if you're interested.

Robert Young Pelton's Licensed to Kill is a witty, provocative, inside look at private security companies and their explosive growth after 9/11. More than simple history or commentary, Mr Pelton explores every aspect of the PSC's involvement in the war on terror, their necessity in the face of large-scale military down-sizing, and role in the future of military conflict. With a keen eye for detail and the cultural sensitivity of a poet, Mr Pelton tells us a story that should be required reading for everyone in the Western world. I married into an Assyrian family who continues to communicate with trapped family members in Baghdad and those who've made their way over long years to Syria and Jordan in hopes of finding a way out. Mr Pelton doesn't just tell us the stories of the private security operatives, but gives us the impact on the people of Iraq and Afghanistan in ways that only a person of his ability and experience could. I have a much fuller appreciation for the jobs they do and for the theater in which they do them. And coming by that experience was no mean feat. The book deserves an award and its author a medal. If you read no other book on the subject, read this one.

Robert Young Pelton is one of a very few great writers on this subject. His knowledge and writing style is second to none. Frankly, I'm an avid, voracious reader on all subjects, but my favorite reads would would be military and/or all branches of the Federal government. License to Kill is better read slow and methodically to learn the many aspects of Pelton's knowledge and experience on this particular subject. I can easily say, for me, License to Kill is in my top 5 reads in the non-fiction category. Thanks, Mr. Pelton, for the comprehensive education on this subject. Your knowledge of the people and organizations in this arena are vastly broad. Thanks for your "stay on the subject" like no other author I have read.

I bought Pelton's 'World's most dangerous places' a few years ago. I'm always interested in the shady world of mercenaries, contractors and hired guns so of course I wanted to buy this book as soon as it was out. And it was spot-on. This is a very well written book, it gives you a no-nonsense look into the world of the contractors and after you have read it, you know a lot more about the matter than the average newsreader. What I liked most was the parts about Sandline and Executives Outcomes. Definetely a must-read if you want to know something more about contractors and 'mercenaries', or better put: the difference between those two. I recommend it highly.

An interesting book that illustrates the various aspects of the contractors' activites today. It explains who contractors are, how they evolved from their origins as mercenaries, what are their duties today and where they operate (Iraq mainly, and Afghanistan). It poses interesting questions on what their future will be once the Iraq conflict will be over for USA and if there will ever be a chance to see them as a fifth column in the USA armed forces. Shows examples of dedication and professionalsim together with the worst examples of excessive use of force and unmotivated violence. It also tells the stories of African mercenaries deployed to make coups and used to promote private interests. A murky world that must be better known given that 25000 men operate in Iraq only at expenses of the taxpayer today. I would recommend this book to a friend.

In Licensed to Kill, Robert Young Pelton provides entertaining insights into the dramatic increase in America's use of private contractors in war zones. However, his treatment of this trend, based largely on his personal encounters with, or case studies of individual contractors, gives readers a "small picture" impression of the considersable risks and drawbacks of this important shift in policy. Pelton disappoints me when he contrasts the findings of a study conducted by the Government Accountability Office, which found "possible overbilling" by Brown and Root, with a study by the Logistics Management Institute, which concluded that B&R had provided services far less expensively than the military would have. Pelton provides the findings of the LMI study without explaining what LMI is. He omits the fact that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of LMI, Charles J. DiBona, has served on the board of Halliburton. LMI is certainly not an objective source for information about the performance of B&R. Nevertheless, Pelton presents LMI's conclusions as if LMI should be regarded as impartial, disinterested or neutral evaluators. Pelton's assertion that "the dominant view in military circles is that the privatization of support services is cost-effective," cites no source, and is certainly not the impression that readers get from his account of the subcontracting that occured in the case of the Blackwater guards killed in Fallujah. In this sense, Pelton's book feels disjointed. His assertions don't jive or cohere with the facts that he presents. His book contains contradictions which he fails to examine. Sadly, Pelton cites no sources and provides no bibliography. For well-researched and thoroughly substantiated studies which provide a "big picture" impression of this issue, I strongly recommend Eina Rasor and Robert Bauman's Betraying Our Troops: The Destructive Results of Privatizing War , or Jeremy Scahill's Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army [Revised and Updated ]

Robert Young Pelton is a masterful writer, a kick-ass journalist, and a guy with more guts than most. Armed only with a notebook and a camera. His wit and incisive probing reveal the dirty truth behind all the smoke and mirrors our governments spew as a matter of political expediency. Mr. Young is proof that real, on-the-ground journalism will never die. And cannot be killed or replaced by vacuous social media hypes.

Pelton hat mit seinem Buch eine gleichzeitig spannende wie auch lehrreiche Abhandlung über die private Sicherheitsbranche abgeliefert. Firmenbosse verfolgen weltweit ihre eigenen Interessen - mal im Auftrag gewählter Regierungen, mal ist die Regierung der Gegner. Pelton geht dabei zurück bis zum zweiten Weltkrieg, die Schwerpunkte sind aber der US Krieg gegen den Terror (Irak, Afghanistan) und die Umtriebe ehemaliger Britischer und Südafrikanischer Elitesoldaten in Afrika nach dem Ende der Apartheid. Sprachlich ist dieses Buch etwas anspruchsvoller als die Englischen Biographien von Ex-Soldaten, die ich gelesen habe.

I used this book to help me write a mini-dissertation on the use of Private Military Companies (PMCs) and the consequence of this for the foreign policies of different countries. It is written in a way that would be unpalatable for many academics, but this (for me, at least) is no shortcoming. Many academics, such as D Avant and P Singer, have written extensively on this subject but their works can be criticised for typical academic 'ivory tower' syndrome. Robert Pelton however has been out on the ground, in often dangerous environments, gaining valuable interviews from many colourful characters. Combined with a engaging writing style, this book is both readable and educating. I'd recommend this book for anyone with a passing interest in PMCs, although for students/academics I'd say it is best used alongside works such as those by Avant and Singer in order to set the context within the academic debate. Also since the publication of this book, PMCs have evolved into a very different beast from what they were at the immediate aftermath of the invasion of Iraq - therefore the picture it paints is a little out of date.

This book is fascinating. Pelton has a gift of literate talents, which he spills from an abundant reservoir in "Licensed to Kill". Pelton escorts a reader deep into the heart of PMCs and describes in vivid detail the acts and thoughts of the actors playing on stage. He brings the reader inside the murky hidden obscure world of PMCs, with rare interviews, insight and posture. In this gift to knowledge, many critical topics are covered generously, revealed illuminatingly, forward, past and back over, and revealed at face value. I strongly recommend this book. Encore.

Very informative and well researched book which I found to be as gripping as a thriller. The book offers great insight into the private security and contracting world from an 'embedded' perspective.

The role of Private Security Contractors (to their friends) and mercenaries (to their enemies) in the Afghan and Iraqi operations of the 'War of terror' is a complex and controversial one, and Robert Young Pelton gives us a timely and unjudgemental piece of reportage on them in this book. Private companies such as Aegis and Blackwater contracted by governments and corporations to provide security where regular troops and armies are unavailable are having a huge influence upon modern warfare and it is often difficult to find unbiased reportage on their actions and motivations. Pelton spends the first half of this book drawing upon first-hand experience of travelling and living with the contractors in both Afghanistan and Iraq and gives an unblinking view of a world which is inhabited by everyone from honourable ex-servicemen to money-hungry mercenaries to killers and a swathe of people in between. Showing both the positive (bravery and a desire to make the world a better place) and the negative (the killing of civilians and corruption are not glossed over) this is a book which allows the reader to make up their own mind on the role of these new organisations in modern warfare. The second half of the book looks at the growth of the Private Military Company industry from the early days of Sandline and Executive Outcomes in Africa and how these companies can go wrong, as happened in Bougainville and Equatorial Ginuea. Pelton is an engaging author who must be possessed of remarkable personal charisma to get access to the places and information he does. Whilst he goes over a lot of the same territory covered in both The Worlds Most Dangerous Places and Three Worlds Gone Mad, Licensed to Kill is an excellent read and resource for anyone interested in what is happening in some of the darker corners of Modern Warfare, and a possible look into the future of global conflict.