Private Warriors
PBS’s investigative documentary series FRONTLINE explores the private defense industry in Private Warriors, an hour-long film that explores profit opportunities for security services companies in war-torn Iraq.
It’s one of the most lucrative businesses to emerge in the country since the early days of the war — services such as vehicle escorts and property protection. Veterans and similarly trained people from around the world live and work in the area on contracts from private companies and government agencies, paying them $400 to $1,000 a day — many times what U.S. soldiers are paid.
Andy Melville, a project manager at Erinys Iraq, noted that insurgents attacked the convoys they patrol on average twice a week, but they never lost the clients they protected. He further explained that they could only use lethal force for defensive purposes and were not to engage in combat under any circumstances.
What he doesn’t mention, but what the filmmakers do, is the many risks that private security forces take when handling these contracts. Because these are private companies, the standards and responsibilities for putting employees at risk are nowhere near those of the U.S. military, and the working conditions they face often reflect this. Understaffing, unfamiliar teams, and tax-driven priorities often put contractors at far greater risk than they would in proper military equipment.
Four ill-equipped men were killed and videos of the brutal aftermath posted on the internet even undermined US military strategy in the region, as the resulting political turmoil caused local forces to abandon more peaceful intentions to find him and bring him back. In the end, it was the murderers of American civilians who were brought to justice.
Of course, this raises the political question of whether the presence of private security companies in these areas is in significant conflict with military operations. Even if the sole purpose of the existing company is to act as a liaison between military intelligence and private security, the film shows that there is little control in this modern denim industry.
