the authors of the study disregarded the his words, “the private sector equivalent heroism of the 369th and produced a of combat arms.” As he notes, the most document that was blatant in its racism. disturbing aspect of the Pentagon’s The chief was advised to maintain increasing reliance on contractors is “the racial segregation and to ensure that all- decision to outsource lethal force.” He black fighting units were commanded by places these companies in two categories. whites. The study concluded, incorrectly, Those that directly apply military force that blacks believed themselves to be are “mercenaries,” while those that train inferior to whites and that they were “by others to do so are “enterprisers.” These nature” subservient, lacking “initiative categories represent two distinct mar- and resourcefulness” because, as stated kets. Mercenaries exist as a free market in the report, “[t]he cranial cavity of the in which each individual sells his or her Negro is smaller than the white; his brain services directly to the buyer, offering weighs 35 ounces contrasted with 45 for the means of war to anyone who can the white.” Most damning, however, was afford it. Enterprisers represent a medi- the illogical argument that “[i]n physical ated market in which the company is an courage . . . the American Negro falls well arbitrator between the individual and the back of the white man and possibly be- buyer. Essentially, the company recruits hind all other races.” This statement flew and organizes personnel to fulfill specific in the face of the numerous black soldiers mission/contract requirements as defined who had served with honor in the Civil by the buyer. For good business reasons, War, Indians Wars, and Spanish-American enterprisers are more discriminating in War and were awarded congressional The Modern Mercenary: both the clients and tasks they accept. medals of honor in recognition of their Private Armies and What Unfortunately, if business demands, en- courage and valor. (No medals of honor They Mean for World Order terprisers can easily slip to the mercenary were awarded during the 20th century for side of the scale. By Sean McFate World War I.) The report was prepared McFate does not see mercenaries Oxford University Press, 2014 by the entire student body and faculty at and enterprisers in the same light. Using 235 pp. $29.95 the Army War College in 1924 and 1925 Somalia as a case study, he argues that ISBN: 978-0199360109 with nine additional iterations appearing free market mercenaries are likely to prior to the start of World War II; the Reviewed by T.X. Hammes contribute to increased instability and will same racist notions were included in each not improve a state’s chances of success. report. The United States in general— In contrast, enterprisers offer a state an and the U.S. Army in particular—paid t their peak, contractors com- opportunity for success. He uses Liberia a steep price for allowing the country’s prised more than 50 percent as a case study where, as a DynCorp deeply entrenched racism to define—and A of U.S. personnel in Iraq and employee, he participated in raising and limit—the use of a courageous, deter- Afghanistan. Furthermore, despite training the new Liberian army. However, mined, and highly capable fighting force complaints about contractor perfor- his argument for enterprisers is weak- in World War II. mance, the Pentagon has stated that ened by the lack of success in Iraq and Harlem’s Rattlers is a soundly re- contractors will make up half of any Afghanistan despite the presence of doz- searched and documented history that future U.S. force deployments. Why? ens, if not hundreds, of enterprisers. all Americans—and especially military Because they work. This reality requires In one of the most interesting aspects officers—should read. JFQ defense professionals to seek a deeper of this intriguing work, McFate applies understanding of what contractors the concept of neo-medievalism—the do and the implications for future belief that the world is becoming Dr. Alan L. Gropman is Professor Emeritus in conflict—making Sean McFate’s The increasingly non–state-centric and mul- the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resources Strategy at the National Modern Mercenary a very timely book. tipolar—to describe the emerging global Defense University. In it, he not only carefully examines security environment. While states will contractors, but also describes the remain major players, overlapping au- changing international environment in thorities and allegiances will have major which they will operate. impacts on how and why wars are fought McFate does not claim his book and who fights them. covers all aspects of contracting. Rather, In this environment, McFate states, he focuses on the most controversial ele- “the private military industry has a bright ment: private military companies or, in future. This multi-billion-dollar industry

126 Book Reviews JFQ 78, 3rd Quarter 2015 will not simply evaporate once the United Department policy indicates he is—any States withdraws from overseas deploy- U.S. forces deployed overseas must ments such as Afghanistan. In fact, the expect to work with, and perhaps fight opposite will occur: contractors will help against, armed contractors. It is a subject fill the security vacuum left by US forces. that requires our professional attention, . . . Already, private military companies of and The Modern Mercenary is a great all stripes are seeking new opportunities place to start. JFQ in conflict zones in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.” He notes four trends that are driving this global Dr. T.X. Hammes is a Distinguished Research Fellow in the Center for Strategic Research, expansion. First, private companies are Institute for National Strategic Studies, at the resilient and strive to grow. They will be National Defense University. assisted in that growth by the next two trends: globalization and indigenization. Globalization is driving military con- tracting to seek overseas markets. At the same time, the numerous third country nationals who were hired by U.S. firms in Iraq and Afghanistan will take their new business and technical skills home and indigenize the market. Finally, the market will bifurcate into two major categories: mediated and free-market segments. Meeting China Halfway: McFate’s meticulously researched How to Defuse the Emerging and well-presented work concludes that U.S.-China Rivalry “private military actors worsen security By Lyle J. Goldstein in a free market such as Somalia but Georgetown University Press, 2015 increase it in a mediated market such 400 pp. $29.95 as Liberia and under the right market ISBN: 978-1626161603 conditions could even prove a powerful tool for the United Nations and oth- Reviewed by Christopher Nelson ers.” This reviewer found McFate’s two categories useful, but they understate the complexities of modern military con- hina is on the minds of many tracting. The reader must understand today. In fact, an informal term that McFate is really describing a spec- C has been coined for the group of trum from pure individual mercenary to scholars and defense officials who spend major corporate enterpriser. most of their waking hours thinking, McFate concludes by cautioning talking, and writing about China. They that the: are so-called China Watchers. In no other foreign policy realm is a similar United States has limited regulation of term used with such frequency. This and oversight over the private military alone should give everyone pause. industry despite employing it widely. This Watching for what, exactly? creates opportunities for abuse by contac- With “watchers” there comes read- tors as firms subtly steer client decisions in ers. There is an unending stream of favor of profit over policy goals, altering books and magazine articles on China. strategic outcomes in the process. The objec- Of course, this is both frustrating and tives of [private military companies] and promising. It is frustrating because there their clients will differ, just as those of the are too many books to choose from; condottieri and the provveditori did in the many of us simply do not have the time Middle Ages. to read, let alone to think about many of these issues. It is promising because with If he is right about the growth of mili- more minds turned to the challenges tary contracting—and current Defense and opportunities of a rising China,

JFQ 78, 3rd Quarter 2015 Book Reviews 127