About Me

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I saw active service in conventional, clandestine and covert units of the South African Defence Force. I was the founder of the Private Military Company (PMC) Executive Outcomes in 1989 and its chairman until I left in 1997. Until its closure in 1998, EO operated primarily in Africa helping African governments that had been abandoned by the West and were facing threats from insurgencies, terrorism and organised crime. EO also operated in South America and the Far East. I believe that only Africans (Black and White) can truly solve Africa’s problems. I was appointed Chairman of STTEP International in 2009 and also lecture at military colleges and universities in Africa on defence, intelligence and security issues. Prior to the STTEP International appointment, I served as an independent politico-military advisor to several African governments. Until recently, I was a contributing editor to The Counter Terrorist magazine. All comments in line with the topics on this blog are welcome. As I consider this to be a serious look at military and security matters, foul language and political or religious debates will not be entertained on this blog.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

THE PUBLICATION AND LAUNCH OF COMPOSITE WARFARE


Many thanks for the overwhelming interest shown in the publication and launch of my book “Composite Warfare”.

I have been inundated with emails and Facebook messages regarding the book along with many, many questions that I, unfortunately, am unable to answer.

As previously mentioned, the publication is expected to be around end-September/early-October. Also, I do not yet have any information on where exactly the book will be for sale—locally and/or internationally—and if there will be a book launch or not.

I spoke to my publishers this morning in an attempt to get answers for you.

The publishers (http://www.30degreessouth.co.za/) will obviously have all of the answers to the many questions I have been asked.

I was told that the book, once it has been published, will appear on their website, and will be able to be purchased off their website. Also, it will be in certain stores.

I would suggest that any questions regarding publication, launch and sales be addressed directly to Aulette Goliath at email office@30degreessouth.co.za She is a very helpful lady and will be able to provide much more information than I can.

Again, my sincerest thanks to all.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

ACTIVATING MY FACEBOOK PAGE


For some time now, I have been under pressure from numerous folks to activate my Facebook page.
I finally relented and due to ‘popular demand’ I am now on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/eeben.barlow.7
My Facebook pages will not be replacing the blog as my blog will continue to be maintained as and when I have time to write something or when I wish to address a military or other security-related topic.  

Sunday, August 21, 2016

THE DISGRACEFUL UN ‘PEACEKEEPING’ FORCE


I felt I ought not to write something when I am filled with anger, but to say I am absolutely and totally disgusted would be an understatement.

The uncontrolled actions by South Sudanese troops on 11 July 2016, within close proximity of the increasingly useless and ever-incompetent United Nations Peacekeeping Force, resulted in multiple rapes of foreign aid workers, along with a looting spree and murder. One shudders to think how they treated the local population…

After winning a battle in Juba, the South Sudanese troops celebrated their victory with an uncontrolled four-hour rampage through a popular residential compound preferred by foreigners. One aid worker was allegedly raped 15 times…looting and stealing was the order of the day along with the murder of a journalist.

These despicable actions are indicative of an undisciplined rabble posing as soldiers who have no understanding or knowledge of what the mission of the armed forces is.

Not surprisingly, when the UN peacekeeping force stationed approximately a kilometre away were begged for help, they refused to even respond. Several embassies were also called on for help, but they too did not even bother to react.  Perhaps they did not want to infringe on the ‘human rights’ of the out-of-control soldiers?

I consider the lack of action by both embassies and the UN to be a display of spineless cowardice of the highest order, and nothing else. If the UN ‘peacekeepers’ are unable to protect non-participants, then what on earth are they doing in Southern Sudan let alone in Africa?

This is also merely another example of the folly of forcing the balkanisation of a country and then allowing it to implode.  I am sure Pres Bashir—he of now simply ‘Sudan’—is smiling at the incompetence and lack of control that has now become the norm in another state that was set up for failure. 

I wish the day will come when African governments realise that the UN’s so-called ‘Peacekeeping Department’ has NO desire to keep peace. Their inability to perform their function has been proven time and again across Africa. Instead, it is a United Nations sanctioned ‘occupying force’ that continually turns a blind eye to atrocities committed against the vulnerable.

Instead of acting as their name implies and assisting the innocent, they cower behind their barricades like spineless creatures and watch rape, looting and murder take place.

Yet, despite a seriously blighted track record littered with failure after failure, the UN still continues to convince African governments that it is needed, and that it is a ‘successful’ organisation. To reinforce this bluff, they are probably going to increase their force levels and of course, their budget. This will imply that governments must ‘pay more for less’—a corrupt business model if ever there was one.

One only has to look at the gross failure ‘peacekeeping’ has become in DRC. If peace was measured by the amount of peacekeepers and the size of the budget, DRC ought to be a very stable and peaceful country. Sadly, that is not the case.

But if our governments wish to turn a blind eye to this grossly disgraceful incompetent organisation of incompetents, then they will have to suffer the consequences. Equally sad is that the ‘world’ watches and says very little to nothing. But watching these atrocities happen and saying nothing is silent complicity in this gross violation of all that is supposedly humanity.

One also has to wonder who trained these scumbags. It is obvious that they are lacking in any type of training befitting a peacekeeping force as they have yet to yield a positive result anywhere in Africa. Where does the UN find its particularly cowardly dirtbags who make up the misnamed ‘peacekeeping’ forces?

In the not too distant past, commanders who watched atrocities being committed and did nothing to stop them or intervene were considered to be complicit in the atrocities. They were charged with war crimes…

Not so the UN.

They will probably claim they were unable to stop the rampage, call for a ‘special UN investigation’, and insist on an increase in ‘peacekeepers’ along with a massive increase in their budget. And when they finally run out of Southern Sudan, they will hail it another great success story.

The so-called UN ‘peacekeepers’ are nothing other than an international disgrace and the perpetrators of these atrocities should, by all rights, face trial for war crimes.  

Thursday, August 18, 2016

PUBLICATION OF BOOK: COMPOSITE WARFARE


Firstly, many thanks to everyone who has shown such an interest in my book, ‘Composite Warfare: The conduct of successful ground force operations in Africa’.  


The many emails, LinkedIn, and Twitter messages as well as a few via the blog have all been very encouraging.

It has been a long arduous road—and wait—but the end is finally in sight.

The book (544 pages and several years of writing) has been through the final page proofing and cover design phases and I was told this morning (18 August 2016) that if all goes according to plan, the book will be available by end-September/early-October 2016.

I trust the book will prove educational to soldiers, scholars and military history enthusiasts across Africa and the world.