Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry, Updated Edition (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs),   ISBN:9780801474361

Customer Rating: 

This is THE reference for the PMC business, or like others call it, the Bible of PMC. Who ever wants to step into the topic of the privatized military industry can't do it without reading Singer's "Corporate Warriors".

Customer Rating: 

I didn't read the whole thing, but from what I read this was the first book of it's kind. Since it's publishing so much has been written on this aspect of the war. This is a tough read, its ivy league hard, if you're looking for an easier read and better time try Robert Young Pelton's License to Kill 1400097827

Customer Rating: 

Amazing book that reviews the realities of "mercs" and the very recent boom in their corporate organization.

Customer Rating: 

In the field of modern development of Private Military companies this should be your first port of call. Outlines the development of PMCs and examines the implications of these developments. Its major shortfall is that it was written before some of the major growth in Iraq in recent years. It could also look more at the implications for governments and policy makers.
A must read in the field.
Peter Mahon

Customer Rating: 

This book provides an academic view of the topic (i.e., dry and sterile). Coming from an academic press (Cornell) and an academic, however, this not a surprise. The author starts with a history of the private sector in warfare during the medieval ages up to the current period, with emphasis on trend towards increasing state control (i.e., de-privitization) over time with increasing re-privatization. The later is in regard particularly to the U.S. and its overstretched (probably temporarily) forces. This is, in the author's opinion, is cause of large increase in recent expansion of privitization in the U.S. The author then discusses various aspects, mostly negative, regarding this privitization (i.e., legal status of private "troops", reliability in case of large scale combat and increase of the danger they face, etc.).

The book has two weaknesses. The first is that it does not cover the benefits of this privitazation in sufficient detail. Especially financial savings and, more importantly, the private sector filling the void in Iraq due to lack of long-term permanent U.S. public sector troops. The author needs to address the question of how else the U.S. would be able to cope without this strategy (i.e., draft?). No discussion here. Also, some perspective on other nations' attempts at privitization would be useful for purposes of perspective and comparison with U.S. How much are they privitizing vis-a-vis the U.S. and how has it affected their combat effectiveness/cost of operations. For these reasons the book receives four stars instead of five. Nevertheless, provides a good primer on the subject. Especially considering the fact that most other books have been written by journalists from a sensationalist point of view.