Hired Guns: Views about Armed Contractors in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Abstract

Our study provides important evidence to consider in the policy discussions and public dialogue related to armed Private Security Contractors (PSCs). Focusing specifically on the period in Iraq between 2003 and 2008, this monograph centers on two original surveys -- one of U.S. military personnel and the other of U.S. State Department employees, all of whom served in Operation Iraqi Freedom at some point during this time period. The survey data enabled us to provide a rare quantitative picture of the perspectives of these two groups. We analyzed our survey results in the context of other data collected for this study, including interviews with armed contractors, both active and retired; analysts; trade association representatives; and employees of the Department of Defense, Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Other data that were considered were government reports, memos, newspaper accounts, scholarly articles, and U.S. government purchasing records. The study attempted to answer the following questions: Do Private Security Contractors Have a Negative Effect on Military Retention and Morale?; Have Private Security Contractors Had an Adverse Effect on Local Iraqis' Perceptions of the Entire Occupying Force Because of the Legal Impunity with Which They Operated in Iraq Prior to 2009?; Is There a Lack of Unit Cohesion and Systematic Coordination Between Private Security Contractors and the Military?; Do Private Security Contractors Play a Valuable Supportive Role to the U.S. Military as a Force Multiplier?; Do Private Security Contractors Provide Skills and Services That the Armed Forces Lack?; and Do Private Security Contractors Provide Vital Surge Capacity and Critical Security Services?

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA522753

Entities

People

  • Edward O'connell
  • Megan Zander-cotugno
  • Michael Webber
  • Molly Dunigan
  • Q. Burkhart
  • Sarah K. Cotton
  • Ulrich Petersohn

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Brain Injuries
  • Congress
  • Department Of State
  • Employment
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • Iraqi-War
  • Joint Military Activities
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Private Military Companies
  • Security Personnel
  • Test And Evaluation
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.