PSMCs: Lessons Learned and Where to Go from here

Abstract

The articles in this volume provide rich information about the privatization of security and the emergence of private security and military companies. The approaches to the topic differ; some are more empirically oriented, some are more theoretically oriented; some deal with the whole spectrum of private military and security companies, same make a distinction between private security companies on the one hand and private military companies on the other and pay more attention either to the former or the latter. Quite naturally, the contributors to this book also differ in their opinions and attitudes towards private security and military companies; some perceive more risks than chances and see the problems, pitfalls and disadvantages outweighing the prospects, chances and advantages; with others just the opposite is the case. We thus need to stress that our conclusions are our conclusions as inferred from our reading of the various chapters of this anthology, i.e., others might come to different conclusions and ideas.