The U.S. Government's Employment of Private Security Companies Abroad

Abstract

The recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have facilitated a 206% increase in the U.S. use of Private Security Companies (PSCs), with the number growing to more than 28,000 personnel as of March 31, 2011. These increases have fueled the PSC industry worldwide, and present significant challenges for management and oversight. Although U.S. Policy must address these challenges, PSCs will likely remain a part of our operational environment abroad. U.S. Policy makers should consider PSC use as a viable option for defensive security missions under certain conditions. However, U.S. policy must continue to support international efforts to establish recognized industry standards to improve PSC regulation and oversight in future operations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 14, 2012
Accession Number
ADA562046

Entities

People

  • Eugene Shearer

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Administrative Personnel
  • Department Of State
  • Employment
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • Law
  • Military Personnel
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Private Military Companies
  • Security
  • Security Personnel
  • Standards
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Economics
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.