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.

Monday, April 17, 2017

EXECUTIVE OUTCOMES: REVISITED AND REVISED


My book, ‘Executive Outcomes: Against all Odds’ will undergo a revision, a re-edit and then be republished sometime later this year. The book will also be updated with new material.




The book was initially published by Galago. However, since Peter Stiff’s untimely passing, the rights to the book reverted back to me.

Peter was the only publisher (both locally and abroad) that was prepared to publish the book as too many considered it ‘inopportune’ or ‘not politically correct’. I will forever remain grateful to him for his publishing courage.

Some wanted me to remove the names of their journalist friends I named as disinformation agents and outright liars—or of the duplicity of the then South African government. Other publishing houses informed me that the book ‘was not in the public interest’. Some simply ignored my initial manuscript.

Several book stores steadfastly refused to carry it on their shelves once it was published.

At that time, it was apparent to me that the book simply did not match the narrative that had been so successfully, albeit nefariously driven by several local and foreign intelligence services and media houses. For that reason, it had to be stopped.

Efforts to stop publication of the book bordered on the ridiculous. Threats of violence against me should I continue writing the book, as well as the burglary at my home where only my computer was stolen, were, I suspected at that time, part of the efforts to stop the publication of the book.   

Having gone through numerous reprints, there have, to date, been no revisions to the book.

Finally, I have an opportunity to revise the book, have it re-edited and also include new information as well as some information that was initially cut out in the final print editions.

The new edition will be a collaboration between my current publisher and Bush War Books (www.warbooks.co.za). There will also be a limited and numbered hardcover edition (most probably only 50 copies) which will each include an Executive Outcomes commemorative coin.   


  

An Artist’s rendition of the EO Commemorative Coin

The hardcover books with commemorative coins will only be available through Bush War Books. For anyone interested in the numbered hardcover copies, please contact Bush War Books directly as they will be the exclusive outlet for those copies once the revised edition is published.

My thanks to everyone who encouraged me to revisit the book and requested that it be updated and re-released again.