Private Military and Security Companies in the International Legal Void
... the context of armed conflict or occupation is directly affected: Should they be there? Can they be legitimately targeted? Private military and security companies: Mercenaries in suits and khakis? A basic starting point of the debate over the privatization of military force has been the question of whether private military and security companies (PMSCs) and their personnel should be classified as mercenaries. The proponents of PMSCs argue that, on the basis of existing international law, these companies and their personnel cannot be legally equated to mercenaries, given their corporate structure, range of services and legitimate clients. On the other hand, the UN General Assembly has traditionally opposed the use of ...
04.08.2013
