The new autonomous corporate warriors and their implications for humanity

Abstract

The post-Cold War rise of private military contractors (PMCs) and their impact on the laws of war, in particular International Humanitarian Law (IHL), requires investigation. The need for accountability together with the repercussions for the Geneva Conventions and state sovereignty is immediate. This article is aimed at uncovering some of the implications this growing phenomenon has for society. Issues surround the sufficiency of current international law to regulate PMCs acting in war zones. The development of the laws of war from the Christian ages through Rousseau’s ‘social contract’ to the current times of corporate privatisation of previously held sovereign state domains is considered. The likelihood of successfully subjecting PMCs to prosecution for war crimes in the current climate of regulation is minimal. The idea of states using PMCs for inappropriate gain is discussed along with the threat created by this phenomenon to the stability of national armies. The author concludes the need for investigation, review and control of the privatisation of the military is urgent.