America's Covert Warriors: Inside the World of Private Military Contractors

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Law, Military, History
Cover of the book America's Covert Warriors: Inside the World of Private Military Contractors by Shawn Engbrecht, Potomac Books Inc.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Shawn Engbrecht ISBN: 9781597976084
Publisher: Potomac Books Inc. Publication: December 31, 2010
Imprint: Language: English
Author: Shawn Engbrecht
ISBN: 9781597976084
Publisher: Potomac Books Inc.
Publication: December 31, 2010
Imprint:
Language: English
Private military contractors, especially those in Iraq, have taken on far more than their original mandates required. Initially intended for combat support, they have become full-fledged warriors, many with little experience, scant oversight, and no accountability to the rules of engagement that constrain the U.S. military and coalition forces. When the occupation of Iraq turned into a fight against an insurgency, overwhelming U.S. and coalition military forces, the demand for private military contractors skyrocketed in 2003 and 2004. The explosive growth of such firms as Blackwater, Crescent, and others resulted in a relaxation of recruitment standards at precisely the same time that the U.S. military's own standards of recruitment began to falter, but the standards for private military contractors fell much further and faster. The predictable result included excessive civilian casualties, a human tragedy whose full dimensions have yet to be seen by the American public.

Shawn Engbrecht has been training and recruiting private military contractors for more than a decade. Acknowledging that some private military contractors are out of control, he argues that the oft-made suggestion to fire them all is not the solution. Instead, Engbrecht contends that with proper training and development of recruits, along with enforceable regulation and oversight, private security companies can be successfully integrated into a total force package with a professional operational staff.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Private military contractors, especially those in Iraq, have taken on far more than their original mandates required. Initially intended for combat support, they have become full-fledged warriors, many with little experience, scant oversight, and no accountability to the rules of engagement that constrain the U.S. military and coalition forces. When the occupation of Iraq turned into a fight against an insurgency, overwhelming U.S. and coalition military forces, the demand for private military contractors skyrocketed in 2003 and 2004. The explosive growth of such firms as Blackwater, Crescent, and others resulted in a relaxation of recruitment standards at precisely the same time that the U.S. military's own standards of recruitment began to falter, but the standards for private military contractors fell much further and faster. The predictable result included excessive civilian casualties, a human tragedy whose full dimensions have yet to be seen by the American public.

Shawn Engbrecht has been training and recruiting private military contractors for more than a decade. Acknowledging that some private military contractors are out of control, he argues that the oft-made suggestion to fire them all is not the solution. Instead, Engbrecht contends that with proper training and development of recruits, along with enforceable regulation and oversight, private security companies can be successfully integrated into a total force package with a professional operational staff.

More books from Potomac Books Inc.

Cover of the book The Olympic's Most Wanted™: The Top 10 Book of the Olympics' Gold Medal Gaffes, Improbable Triumphs, and Other Oddities by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Montgomery by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Montezuma by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book The Veteran's Survival Guide by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book To the Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Generation's End by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book National Security Dilemmas by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book On Luxury: A Cautionary Tale, A Short History of the Perils of Excess from Ancient Times to the Beginning of the Modern Era by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book God's Samurai by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Sand in the Gears by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Tailgate to Heaven: A British NFL Fan Tackles America by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Back from Tobruk by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Diplomacy Lessons by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Changing the Rules of Engagement by Shawn Engbrecht
Cover of the book Peacekeepers at War: Beirut 1983—The Marine Commander Tells His Story by Shawn Engbrecht
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy