Posted: 3/9/2012 7:12:58 AM EDT
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As in the now-defunct PMC.
All of this Kony 2012 stuff has gotten me into some discussions on how war criminals in Africa could potentially be dealt with. To me the most effective answer would be to follow the example of Sierra Leone and their utilization of EO. I have been trying to describe how this went down to some friends and family. I have been having a hard time finding much info on their involvment in the Sierre Leone civil war. A couple of articles show up on Google, but they are not very comprehensive. I have come across one book on Amazon but it appears out of print, and goes for $120+ used. Does anybody have any good resources or even anecdotes on this topic? Much obliged! |
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The founder of EO has a blog... Not about EO in particular, but you might be able to find something useful in the archives, or even send Eeben an email.
Even so, the blog is a good read! 
http://eebenbarlowsmilitaryandsecurityblog.blogspot.com/ |
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Quoted: iirc, I heard we had some guys here that were active duty Marine aircrew that were supporting the "effort" in the 1990's on the west coast of Africa...but who they are escapes my mind now. People were on and off Mamba Station for years. http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/PDF_Files/Pubs/On%20Mamba%20Station%20––%20U.S.%20Marines%20in%20West%20Africa,%201990-2003%20PCN%2019000413300.pdf |
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A documentary would be perfect! Google isn't turning up much there either. I'll keep looking.
Explanation: Executive outcomes was a mercenary group active in the 1990's. During the Sierra Leone civil war, the government could not effectively fight the RUF rebel group. The RUF was used child soldiers, rape, mutilation, etc. So the government hired EO to combat the RUF. EO trounced the RUF, and forced a peace accord. Then international pressure pushed the government of Sierra Leone to cancel their contract with EO. As soon as the mercenaries left the country, hostilities started up again. |
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IIRC there was talk of using EO or a similar organization in Rwanda (or someplace) but the big fear was about setting a precedent in which an international organization could contract to use them for offensive action in a given nation. In that particular case a lot of lives could have been saved by sending in EO rather than waiting for regional governments to contribute forces. However it seems like a wise idea not to set that precedent.
If a government supports military action they ought to be willing to put their money where their mouth is and contribute their own troops. It sets the bar for action higher. |
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Quoted:
As in the now-defunct PMC. All of this Kony 2012 stuff has gotten me into some discussions on how war criminals in Africa could potentially be dealt with. To me the most effective answer would be to follow the example of Sierra Leone and their utilization of EO. I have been trying to describe how this went down to some friends and family. I have been having a hard time finding much info on their involvment in the Sierre Leone civil war. A couple of articles show up on Google, but they are not very comprehensive. I have come across one book on Amazon but it appears out of print, and goes for $120+ used. Does anybody have any good resources or even anecdotes on this topic? Much obliged! Read this a couple of months back. EO is discussed alot. http://www.amazon.com/WAR-DOG-Fighting-Peoples-Mercenary/dp/1932033904/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331317183&sr=1-11 ETA - South African mercs were some bad ass mofos |
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Basically a 100 or so South African mercs kicked about 10,000 terrorists ass in just a few weeks, only spent a couple million dollars. UN sinks 100's of millions and thousands of troops into it after EO and the whole deal collapsed.
Blackwater tried to get the UN to hire them to take care of Darfur they said no. |
Here is the documentary on EO called Soldiers for Hire: http://shop.history.com/soldiers-for-hire-dvd/detail.php?p=68592 |
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Quoted:
IIRC there was talk of using EO or a similar organization in Rwanda (or someplace) but the big fear was about setting a precedent in which an international organization could contract to use them for offensive action in a given nation. In that particular case a lot of lives could have been saved by sending in EO rather than waiting for regional governments to contribute forces. However it seems like a wise idea not to set that precedent. If a government supports military action they ought to be willing to put their money where their mouth is and contribute their own troops. It sets the bar for action higher. That is exactly the role that EO played in Sierra Leone. The national government of Sierra Leone was unable to effectively combat the RUF. Their soldiers were poorly trained. They were poorly motivated. Their equipment was outdated and sparse. The government attempted to remedy this. They at first hired PMCs to help train their national army. They asked for foreign help (I believe they depended upon Nigerian peacekeeping troops to defend the capital) and didn't recieve a lot of it. All the while, the RUF is pillaging the countryside and threatening the capital. So the government of Sierra Leone cut out the middle man and just hired EO do the fighting directly. It worked very well. EO recovered strategic resources and broke the backbone of the RUF. The reason I bring this up now is because of all the Joseph Kony LRA hubbub. I say the best way to handle a situation like this would be for nation in question to hire a PMC to hunt down and wipe out the LRA and it's leadership. And since so many hipsters seem so keen to buy a bracelet or t-shirt to support the effort to "get Kony in 2012," the money to do so wouldn't be hard to come by. Now, of course this is a realistic and practical solution. And there are UN rules against this. And I believe most western nations have laws prohibiting their citizens from participating in such a thing. It's still nice to point out to the do-gooder hippies that think watching a 30 minute YouTube video will and tweeting about it will save the world... |
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There are several for-hire outfits that could handle most African situations but the hypocrisy of today's world won't allow it. I think there's a lot of really slimy people literally making a killing off the instability in Africa and have NO desire to see anything there really changed. The UN is one group, and China is right behind them. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
There are several for-hire outfits that could handle most African situations but the hypocrisy of today's world won't allow it. I think there's a lot of really slimy people literally making a killing off the instability in Africa and have NO desire to see anything there really changed. The UN is one group, and China is right behind them. Agreed. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
There are several for-hire outfits that could handle most African situations but the hypocrisy of today's world won't allow it. I here they are currently training in Hawaii in case they have to go back. "They"? I know of TC, and that's about it anymore. |
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link about 4 minutes in . warning , Blackwater ambush in the opening of vid ,  |
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Quoted:
A documentary would be perfect! Google isn't turning up much there either. I'll keep looking. Explanation: Executive outcomes was a mercenary group active in the 1990's. During the Sierra Leone civil war, the government could not effectively fight the RUF rebel group. The RUF was used child soldiers, rape, mutilation, etc. So the government hired EO to combat the RUF. EO trounced the RUF, and forced a peace accord. Then international pressure pushed the government of Sierra Leone to cancel their contract with EO. As soon as the mercenaries left the country, hostilities started up again. And following those hostilities starting up, tens of thousands of civillians were butchered, raped, horrid shit that would give Stephen King nightmares. EO did what needed to be done and protected the people. The UN "troops" raped women, robbed the people, and then ran away when the fighting started. In response, the UN did nothing but count the bodies as they piled up... |
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Quoted: Basically a 100 or so South African mercs kicked about 10,000 terrorists ass in just a few weeks, only spent a couple million dollars. UN sinks 100's of millions and thousands of troops into it after EO and the whole deal collapsed. Blackwater tried to get the UN to hire them to take care of Darfur they said no. One day, a lot of UN bureaucrats are going to have a lot to answer for. Fucking murderers. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
A documentary would be perfect! Google isn't turning up much there either. I'll keep looking. Explanation: Executive outcomes was a mercenary group active in the 1990's. During the Sierra Leone civil war, the government could not effectively fight the RUF rebel group. The RUF was used child soldiers, rape, mutilation, etc. So the government hired EO to combat the RUF. EO trounced the RUF, and forced a peace accord. Then international pressure pushed the government of Sierra Leone to cancel their contract with EO. As soon as the mercenaries left the country, hostilities started up again. And following those hostilities starting up, tens of thousands of civillians were butchered, raped, horrid shit that would give Stephen King nightmares. EO did what needed to be done and protected the people. The UN "troops" raped women, robbed the people, and then ran away when the fighting started. In response, the UN did nothing but count the bodies as they piled up...
What a screwed-up world. I'm feeling the need to put in "Tears of the Sun" this weekend. 
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Quoted: Quoted: iirc, I heard we had some guys here that were active duty Marine aircrew that were supporting the "effort" in the 1990's on the west coast of Africa...but who they are escapes my mind now. People were on and off Mamba Station for years. http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/PDF_Files/Pubs/On%20Mamba%20Station%20––%20U.S.%20Marines%20in%20West%20Africa,%201990-2003%20PCN%2019000413300.pdf Dude..really? lulz..you weren't the one I was trying to troll.  Semper Fi! |
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Quoted:
There are several for-hire outfits that could handle most African situations but the hypocrisy of today's world won't allow it. Pre-empting the mission of the UN. The autonomy of independents-for-hire is kind of unsettling for big government/ one world types. Goes against the whole control thingy. |