The Modern-Day Soldier Of Fortune

The World's Most Powerful Mercenary Armies -- Business Insider

Its been a banner decade for modern military fighting. In 2010 alone there were more than 70 armed conflicts across the globe from Sangin to Ingushetia.

As different as each of them were, they all had one thing in common, at some point one side wanted more troops.

Most battles eventually come down to boots on the ground and rifles in the field. So when commanders are building their ranks it's often with professional soldiers who know how to fight, and get paid well to do it.

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My Comment: Mercenary armies have been with us since the beginning of mankind. But this is an amazing list ..... most of these companies I have never heard about.

The Problems Of Having A Private Army Start When You Disband Them

Erik Prince, the former head of Blackwater Worldwide. Adam Ferguson/VII Network

Private Army Formed To Fight Somali Pirates Leaves Troubled Legacy -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — It seemed like a simple idea: In the chaos that is Somalia, create a sophisticated, highly trained fighting force that could finally defeat the pirates terrorizing the shipping lanes off the Somali coast.

But the creation of the Puntland Maritime Police Force was anything but simple. It involved dozens of South African mercenaries and the shadowy security firm that employed them, millions of dollars in secret payments by the United Arab Emirates, a former clandestine officer with the Central Intelligence Agency, and Erik Prince, the billionaire former head of Blackwater Worldwide who was residing at the time in the emirates.

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My Comment: This is what usually happens when a conflict or war ends .... some soldiers just do not want to stop. For mercenaries .... doubly so.

UN Wants Guidelines For The Hiring Of Security Contractors

UN Experts On Mercenaries Seek Stronger Regulation Of Private Security Companies -- UN News Centre

26 July 2010 – The United Nations group of independent experts on the use of mercenaries says it will present a proposal for a possible international convention to regulate activities of private military and security firms during its five-day meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York this week.

The UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries will brief permanent missions at the UN, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academics on the content and scope of its proposal aimed at closing the legal gap covering such activities at the international level.

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Update: U.N. group investigates mercenaries -- UPI

My Comment: Since it is the U.S. that is the major user of security contractors .... it will probably be perceived (in the U.S.) that this UN Working group will be targeting them specifically. As a result of this "perception" .... and with the war in Afghanistan heating up thereby presenting an even greater need for contractors .... I expect nothing "of significance" to come out from this body.

Russian Company Decides To Go Into The Mercenary Business

Russian Mercs: We’ll Out-Blackwater Blackwater -- The Danger Room

The “Baghdad bubble” for private security firms may have burst long ago, but a company based in Russia still wants a piece of the action.

That, at least, is how satellite channel Russia Today presents the Oryol anti-terror center, a group of former Russian soldiers who want to give Blackwater Xe a run for their money in Iraq. Has anyone mentioned to these guys that Blackwater is on the way out? It’s always worth watching Russia Today for laughs — and to remind ourselves how Al-Hurra probably looks like to Arab audiences.

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My Comment: With Russia cutting back on military personnel for a smaller and leaner military .... I am sure there are going to be a lot of men looking for work.