Table of Contents

Executive Summary

List of Acronyms

1. Introduction
1.1. The Rapid Growth of the Private Military Sector
1.2. The Changing Nature of the Private Military and Security Sector
1.3. The State of the Debate and the Unanswered Questions

2. What are Private Military and Security Companies?
2.1. Mercenaries
2.2. Private Military Companies
2.3. Private Security Companies
2.4. In Search of a Typology

3. Issues and Problems of Military and Security Privatization
3.1. Contractors in the Battlespace
3.2. Contractual Problems and Dilemmas
3.3. Legal Murkiness
3.4. Impact on Civil-Military Relations
3.5. Challenges of Accountability and Transparency
3.6. Contractors as Proxies for Governments
3.7. Double Standards
3.8. Other Issues and Problems

4. The Use of Private Military and Security Companies
4.1. Pros and Cons of Using Private Military and Security Companies
4.2. Lessons from Privatizing Security
4.3. Lessons from Outsourcing

5. Deficiencies in the Governance of Private Militaryand Security Companies
5.1. Regulation at the International Level
5.2. Types of National Legislation

6. Options for Effective Regulation of Private Military and Security Companies
6.1. Options for International Regulation
6.2. Options for National Regulation
6.3. How to Regulate Private Military and Security Companies?

7. Conclusion

Annex I

Private Military Companies and Private Security Companies on the Web

Annex II

International Conventions against Mercenarism

Bibliography