Shadow Force

From their limited use in China during World War II, for example, to their often clandestine use in Vietnam ferrying supplies before the war escalated in 1964 and 1965 when their role became more prominent-and public-private military contractors (PMCs) have played made essential contributions to the success and failures of the military and United States. Today, with an emphasis on force restructuring mandated by the Pentagon, the role of PMCs, and their impact on policy-making decisions is at an all time peak. This work analyzes that impact, focusing specifically on PMCs in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Isenberg dissects their responsibilities, the friction that exists between contractors and military commanders, problems of protocol and accountability, as well as the problems of regulation and control that PMC companies create for domestic politics. Isenberg organizes his work thematically, addressing all facets of PMCs in the current conflict from identifying who the most influential companies are and how they got to that point, to the issues that the government, military, and contractors themselves face when they take the field. He also analyzes the problem of command, control, and accountability. It is no secret that PMCs have been the source of consternation and grief to American military commanders in the field. As they work to establish more routine protocols in the field, however, questions are also being raised about the role of the contractors here at home. The domestic political arena is perhaps the most crucial battleground on which the contractors must have success. After all, they make their corporate living off of taxpayer dollars, and as such, calls for regulation have resonated throughout Washington, D.C., growing louder as the profile of PMCs increases during the current conflict.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Preface Chapter 1: Overview of the military issue Chapter 2: PMCs in Iraq Chapter 3: The players Chapter 4: Control and Accountability at Abu Ghraib Chapter 5: Control and Accountability Issues Chapter 6: Conclusions

About the Author :
David Isenberg is an independent analyst in national and international security affairs. He writes a weekly column on private security contractors for United Press International. He previously worked at the British American Security Information Council, DynCorp, and the Center for Defense Information. He lives in Arlington, VA.

Review :
As a careful, sober survey of PMCs, Shadow Force is a valuable contribution to the public debate about contracting…Isenberg's arguments are solid…His book should be on every activists' and researchers' shelf. Without significantly scaling back US geopolitical commitments or vastly expanding the US military, private military contractors will remain a part of the forces deployed in US military commitments, argues the author, who on that basis surveys the major issues and lessons concerning the operations of private military contractors in the US occupation of Iraq, focusing on private security contractors, such as Blackwater, more than contractors that serve logistical functions, such as KBR. He surveys the major players in the industry and then discusses issue of control and accountability, particularly in reference to the Abu Ghraib torture scandal, conflicts between contractors and military commanders, and the problems of regulation and control in US domestic politics. . . . thoughtful and thorough analysis of the rise of PMCs as actors in modern conflicts. . . . Although much has been written about this topic, the balanced discussion provided by Isenberg is an essential read for those seeking to learn more about the role and implications of PMCs. Isenberg provides a detailed overview of the local situation with striking precision and figures. First, he outlines the origin and path of what he calls the 're-emergence of an old phenomenon,' explaining the long-term U.S. policy of military outsourcing and its often controversial nature. The author then examines the consequences of such a strategy during Operation Iraqi Freedom.