tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post128761536593678933..comments2024-02-06T08:33:52.695+02:00Comments on Eeben Barlow's Military and Security Blog: THE COUNTER TERRORIST MAGAZINEEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-32782467864315737562010-09-09T14:19:11.532+02:002010-09-09T14:19:11.532+02:00Many thanks, Tango. It does one good to go back in...Many thanks, Tango. It does one good to go back into history and see what happened and where. I read this some time ago but was not sure where.<br /><br />My thoughts on some politicians are well known...<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-30244505957768867302010-09-01T12:20:31.502+02:002010-09-01T12:20:31.502+02:00Hi Eeben,
The recent publication about the passing...Hi Eeben,<br />The recent publication about the passing of the three Rhodesian Soldier legends made me look up how the war started in South West Africa with the first contact in SWA /Namibia Ongulumbashe base on August 26 1966.<br />If this is a duplicate already received please delete .<br />Regards<br />Tango<br /><br />Exposé: AN EXPOSÉ ABOUT NUJOMA’S CIA CONNECTIONS: PART 20Published: Feb 29, 2008 - 07:06 PM<br /> <br />________________________________________<br />Critical Analysis by P. ya Nangoloh* <br /><br />I have promised in Part 19 to tell you how and when SA security forces finally attacked the Ongulumbashe base on August 26 1966. In Part 19, I have also demonstrated to you, by means of inter alia excerpts obtained from a book written by former South African Republican Intelligence (RI) operative Lieutenant Piet Cornelius Swanepoel, how the CIA and apartheid SA Government apparently invited still exiled SWAPO leader Mr. Sam Nujoma to come on a top-secret visit to Namibia on March 20 1966. This was ostensibly in order to reveal the military and other secret plans of SWAPO. Despite the secrecy surrounding that clearly treacherous visit, it is now becoming abundantly clear to me that during that visit Mr. Nujoma had been accorded full red carpet treatment. This is how anyone would treat his or her VIP guest! <br />All the information at my disposal shows that the attack on Ongulumbashe base on August 26 1966 had its origins in that VIP arrival and that very warm reception that Mr. Sam Nujoma had received from the apartheid SA regime in Windhoek on March 20-21 1966. I am saying this because immediately after Nujoma was “deported” back to Zambia, SA security forces traveled straight to the southwestern bush of Ovamboland where six SWAPO guerrillas had their bases. The SA security forces immediately started to hunt down and take other concrete steps against the hitherto undiscovered SWAPO fighters hidden in an area near Uuvudhiya in southwestern parts of Ovamboland.<br /><br /><br />Source:<br />http://www.nshr.org.na/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=898<br /><br />PS: Politicians don't only know know how to start ,but they also know how to lose wars....not soldiersTangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12651381316753084396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-58229724519571879662010-08-30T15:21:07.182+02:002010-08-30T15:21:07.182+02:00Many thanks for the English version, Tango.
Rema...Many thanks for the English version, Tango. <br /><br />Remarkable men who will be sadly missed by their troops.<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-6207220637145653412010-08-30T00:06:06.544+02:002010-08-30T00:06:06.544+02:00Eeben thank you for publishing the cutting.
A bit...Eeben thank you for publishing the cutting.<br />A bit more history published in English on these 3 legends !<br />Regards<br />Tango<br /><br />Air Marshal Norman Walsh <br />Air Marshal Norman Walsh, who has died aged 77, was a courageous pilot during Rhodesia's bush war and then appointed by Robert Mugabe, when he came to power in 1980, to command the first Zimbabwe Air Force. <br /><br /> <br />Walsh's hopes of maintaining the long, proud tradition of the old Rhodesian Air Force under the new regime were dashed when a new fleet of British Hawk fighters acquired by the Zimbabwe government was blown up at base and his entire superstructure of white officers arrested on suspicion of sabotage. After being jailed and tortured they were eventually brought to trial. <br /><br />Walsh was horrified by the treatment of his senior men, most of them close friends, especially when the Zimbabwe High Court acquitted them after a long trial only for Mugabe to order their immediate rearrest outside the courtroom. He resigned his command and moved to Australia. <br /><br /><br />Lt-Cdr Sammy MearnsNorman Walsh was born in South Africa's Eastern Cape province to a family with a long air force tradition.<br />After leaving the Queen's College in Queenstown, South Africa, he moved to the neighbouring British colony of Southern Rhodesia to enrol in the air force officers' cadet force, which had been established with the help of the Royal Air Force. <br /><br />The RAF had a long association with Southern Rhodesia, which had provided a squadron (No 237 Rhodesia Squadron) that had seen action in East Africa during the Second World War.<br />More than 10,000 Allied airmen, among them Tony Benn, were trained for war service in Southern Rhodesia from 1940 to 1945, many of them choosing to return to settle in the country after the war. <br /><br />Norman Walsh, demonstrating what his instructors described as "a natural aptitude for flying" rose rapidly through the ranks in the Southern Rhodesian Air Force, becoming a pilot attack instructor and later instrument rating examiner. By 1964 he was a squadron leader with No 1 Squadron flying Hawker Hunter FGA9 ground attack fighters. <br /><br />He switched to helicopters – which he loved flying – becoming commander in 1968 of No 7 Squadron operating Allouette 111s used for troop transport, casualty evacuation and battlefield support. In an operation against an early guerrilla incursion from Zambia, he was awarded the Bronze Cross for conspicuous gallantry for his skilful low-level flying at night among the cliffs and rocky gorges of the Zambesi Valley. <br /><br />The guerrillas had established themselves in a deep gorge and engaged the Rhodesian security forces with heavy automatic fire, machine guns and bazookas. Walsh provided close support from his helicopter and, under heavy fire, landed in broken terrain to rescue a wounded soldier. <br />continued.While never happier than when behind the controls of an aircraft, Walsh also showed great ability in administration and planning. He was promoted wing commander, and then, as the bush war against nationalist guerrillas intensified, to group captain on the Joint Planning Staff. <br /><br />The Rhodesian Air Force played a key role in the bush war, adapting most of its ageing fleet of aircraft, including Canberra bombers and Dakota transports, to be deployed in tracking and attacking the elusive groups of insurgents operating from within the depths of the African bush. Walsh, by now an Air Commodore and a director general in the Joint Operations Command, was instrumental in organising and maintaining the fighting capability of the "blue jobs" – as air force personnel were affectionately known. <br /><br />continued....Tangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12651381316753084396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-16510379354772763502010-08-29T11:06:56.085+02:002010-08-29T11:06:56.085+02:00Very sad indeed Tango.
To our English-speaking v...Very sad indeed Tango. <br /><br />To our English-speaking visitors, the article Tango sent deals with the passing away of three military legends from Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Lt Col Ron Reid-Daly (founder and OC Selous Scouts), Gen Peter Walls, (Commander, Rhodesian Army) and Air Marshal Norman Walsh (Rhodesian Air Force). <br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-22623124665141069872010-08-29T11:01:03.402+02:002010-08-29T11:01:03.402+02:00Many thanks for the cutting Tango. Likewise, I hop...Many thanks for the cutting Tango. Likewise, I hope you are well?<br /><br />Indeed a great loss to the military fraternity and to the men who served under these commanders. As time passes, we will sadly miss the passing of more great officers, NCOs and men.<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-76170937443285348742010-08-20T08:55:31.071+02:002010-08-20T08:55:31.071+02:00Hi Eeben,
Three legends of the former counter terr...Hi Eeben,<br />Three legends of the former counter terrorist units in Rhodesia....Selous Scouts ..RLI have passed on within two weeks .<br />May they RIP.<br />Regards<br />Tango<br /><br /><br />Legendes van Rhodesiese weermag sterf<br /><br /><br />2010-08-16 22:44<br /><br />Oudlt.kol. Ron Reid-Daly. (Foto uit Selous Scouts Top Secret War deur Peter Stiff en Ron Reid-Daly.)<br />Foto's · Lesersfoto’s · Nuus in Foto's Stuur vir ons jou foto's · Stuur vir ons jou foto's<br />Erika Gibson<br />Die stigter van die Selous Scouts en nog twee legendariese lede van die destydse Rhodesiese weermag is binne twee weke dood.Al drie was vroeg in die 80 en is aan natuurlike oorsake dood. Saam verteenwoordig hulle die einde van ’n era in wat nou Zimbabwe is.Oudlt.kol. Ron Reid-Daly (82) is die afgelope week ná ’n lang stryd teen kanker in Simonstad dood. Hy was die laaste drie dae in ’n koma, het mnr. Tom Thomas, ’n oudmakker en voorsitter van die Selous Scout-vereniging, gesê.Reid-Daly was die stigter van die Selous Scouts, een van die gedugste spesialemag-eenhede van die Rhodesiese insurgensie-oorlog.Kort voor hom is oudlugmaarskalk Norman Walsh, wat van 1981 tot 1983 hoof van die Rhodesiese lugmag was, in Australië dood.Enkele dae voor Walsh se dood het oudlt.genl. Peter Walls (83) op George se lughawe inmekaargesak kort voordat hy in die Krugerwildtuin sou gaan vakansie hou het. Hy is op die toneel dood.Tangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12651381316753084396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-82910577645924835112010-08-18T23:04:03.054+02:002010-08-18T23:04:03.054+02:00Eeben hope you are well.
A story in Beeld not rel...Eeben hope you are well.<br /> A story in Beeld not related to your latest post <br />Three of the legends gone within two weeks.<br />Newsreport in Beeld <br /><br />Regards<br />Tango <br /><br /><br /><br />Legendes van Rhodesiese weermag sterf<br />2010-08-16 <br /> <br />Oudlt.kol. Ron Reid-Daly. (Foto uit Selous Scouts Top Secret War deur Peter Stiff en Ron Reid-Daly.)<br /><br />Erika Gibson<br />Die stigter van die Selous Scouts en nog twee legendariese lede van die destydse Rhodesiese weermag is binne twee weke dood.<br /><br />Al drie was vroeg in die 80 en is aan natuurlike oorsake dood. Saam verteenwoordig hulle die einde van ’n era in wat nou Zimbabwe is.<br /><br />Oudlt.kol. Ron Reid-Daly (82) is die afgelope week ná ’n lang stryd teen kanker in Simonstad dood. Hy was die laaste drie dae in ’n koma, het mnr. Tom Thomas, ’n oudmakker en voorsitter van die Selous Scout-vereniging, gesê.<br /><br />Reid-Daly was die stigter van die Selous Scouts, een van die gedugste spesialemag-eenhede van die Rhodesiese insurgensie-oorlog.<br /><br />Kort voor hom is oudlugmaarskalk Norman Walsh, wat van 1981 tot 1983 hoof van die Rhodesiese lugmag was, in Australië dood.<br /><br />Enkele dae voor Walsh se dood het oudlt.genl. Peter Walls (83) op George se lughawe inmekaargesak kort voordat hy in die Krugerwildtuin sou gaan vakansie hou het. <br /><br />Hy is op die toneel dood. <br /><br />Walls was hoof van die gesamentlike veiligheidsmagte in die bewindstyd van mnr. Ian Smith.<br /><br />Saam was die drie ’n gedugte span van gesoute en deurwinterde soldate wat geen nonsies geduld het nie, het Thomas vertel.<br /><br />Walls en Reid-Daly het in die 1950’s as C-eskader in die Britse Special Air Service (SAS) in wat deesdae onder meer Maleisië is teen kommunisme geveg. <br /><br />Albei was in Rhodesië lede van die Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI).<br /><br />Rhodesië was in daardie tyd nog ’n Britse kolonie en dié eskader het hoofsaaklik uit Rhodesiërs bestaan.<br /><br />Toe Walls in 1973 iemand gesoek het om ’n teen-insurgensie-eenheid teen die toenemende instroming van nasionalistiese guerrillas in Rhodesië op die been te bring, het hy hom tot Reid-Daly gewend. <br /><br />Die Selous Scouts het in pseudo-oorlogvoering gespesialiseer en die vyandelike magte in die geheim geïnfiltreer. ’n Groot aantal van die eenheid se soldate was swart.<br /><br />Namate dit duidelik geword het dat onafhanklikheid in Rhodesië onafwendbaar was, het Walls in samewerking met mnr. Robert Mugabe al die gewapende magte in die land probeer saamsnoer.<br /><br />Erge teenkanting het uit die geledere van sy ondergeskiktes gekom en ’n groot aantal van die soldate het na Suid-Afrika of elders uitgewyk. Walls het tou opgegooi en ook Suid-Afrika toe getrek. Hy het nooit oor sy wedervarings geskryf nie. <br /><br />Reid-Daly was volgens Thomas nooit iemand wat stilgebly het as hy sterk oor ’n saak gevoel het nie. <br /><br />Hy het later bevelvoerder van die Transkeise weermag geword voordat hy sy eie veiligheidsonderneming in Suid-Afrika bedryf het. <br /><br />“Ron het altyd sy soldate en die taak op hande eerste gestel. Politiek het hom koud gelaat. Sy leierseienskappe het hom van die meeste soldate onderskei,” het Thomas gesê.<br /><br />’n Gedenkdiens vir Reid-Daly word Vrydag in Newlands, Kaapstad, gehou.( Beeld ) <br />RIPTangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12651381316753084396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-32760452041861232802010-08-09T10:31:56.220+02:002010-08-09T10:31:56.220+02:00Sadly, to do well is no measure of being successfu...Sadly, to do well is no measure of being successful today, Matt. I am still astonished at how some companies are awarded contracts – however, I am not surprised when I see their inability to do most things correctly. Even more astonishing is how some of them have created their own sub-companies that they in turn sub-contract – and the money wheel keeps spinning, not to mention the other things some of them get up to. <br /><br />In my view, all of this has nothing to do with ending a conflict but rather in keeping it going. But the longer it goes on, the more money is made. From my desk, this is the opinion I have formed and I have yet to be proven wrong.<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-79881383512760068512010-08-08T10:25:34.582+02:002010-08-08T10:25:34.582+02:00Eeben Said:
As far as I know, EO is the only organ...Eeben Said:<br />As far as I know, EO is the only organisation that actually ended wars in Africa, in time and within budget. Not once did we try to keep any war or conflict going. Nor was the company ever awarded any mining contract as so often in mentioned. <br />------<br />Awesome quote. This is the epitome of a truly professional PMC and how free market based warfare should work. Because if a company wanted more business, it must do well. If a company does bad, then it is up to the customer to fire them. I see this as one of the biggest problems with the way the US uses companies for warfare.matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04645537637248773668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-63082442844108983912010-08-05T10:28:08.002+02:002010-08-05T10:28:08.002+02:00I look forward to receiving it, Dan, Thanks.
Rgds...I look forward to receiving it, Dan, Thanks.<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-29215793511202308602010-08-04T19:55:48.489+02:002010-08-04T19:55:48.489+02:00Eeben,
Thank you very much for your comments, I t...Eeben,<br /><br />Thank you very much for your comments, I truly appreciate your input. I can send you on a copy of my thesis when it's done if you're interested, in any case I owe you a drink if I ever get the pleasure of meeting you in person.<br /><br />Regards,<br />DanDan Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08650648334014225384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-54758552347617168862010-08-04T19:25:54.189+02:002010-08-04T19:25:54.189+02:00I cannot speak on the manner how others run their ...I cannot speak on the manner how others run their companies, Dan. <br /><br />EO never got involved in an invasion of a country. It was a policy decision taken right at the very beginning. Even when we were asked by a US official to train the Taliban, we turned it down. <br /><br />Given the inability of the UN to do anything – except nothing, African governments will be very silly to ask the UN to train their men. <br /><br />However, doesn’t a government have the right to decide who it wants to use? But, this is where African governments find themselves in difficulties – foreign government “x” tells them they will pay for training but only on condition that the use foreign government “x” PMC. Sadly, I have seen some of the results of this training and it has been exceptionally poor. <br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-90313871752656040502010-08-04T15:30:50.189+02:002010-08-04T15:30:50.189+02:00Dear Eeben,
All of this does seem to be the case....Dear Eeben,<br /><br />All of this does seem to be the case. EO truly was a remarkable case of how the PMC concept should be done properly, something that no company has since managed to accomplish. I'd credit some of that at least to your own seeming dislike and distrust of politicians and political agendas and a commitment to helping ordinary people. My last question is on the concept of using PMC's in peacekeeping roles or to deal with small scale conflicts either as a stopgap till or an alternative to a UN force arriving. Often it gets brought up by people like Eric Prince and Tim Spicer in an attempt to try to distract from the unscrupulous practices of their companies, but in a hypothetical situation where EO was still operational do you think you would be conducting these kinds of operations? Given how spectacularly unreliable the UN is in terms of enforcing peace, do you think it would be better for a state needing help in enforcing its own internal security to turn to a PMC?<br /><br />Regards,<br />Dan KellyDan Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08650648334014225384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-63147906858938180842010-08-04T07:55:52.273+02:002010-08-04T07:55:52.273+02:00Had EO been a front for SA Int, it would certainly...Had EO been a front for SA Int, it would certainly not have been necessary for us to infiltrate Mil Int, Dan. Nor would Mil Int have been feeding intelligence to rebels and asking them to attack us. Nor would they have part of the operation to provide the rebels with a SAM to shoot down an EO aircraft, etc, etc.<br /><br />Even the SA media finally admitted that they had been duped about EO with a full page apology in a broadsheet. EO’s greatest sin was to end wars in Africa and not keep them going. That did not bode well for certain political and business objectives. As far as these conspiracy theorists are concerned, after all one of their sites labelled me as the “anti-Christ”<br /><br />As far as I know, EO is the only organisation that actually ended wars in Africa, in time and within budget. Not once did we try to keep any war or conflict going. Nor was the company ever awarded any mining contract as so often in mentioned. <br /><br />When I challenged our then Min of Foreign Affairs to a live TV debate, along with some of his cronies and called them liars and thieves – on air – they refused to debate me. Ironically, they also never tried to sue me for tainting their “good names”. When I said that they intend to keep Africa in conflict on behest of their bank accounts, they never uttered a word to counter that. As far as I am concerned, that says it all. <br /><br />Despite its own problems, EO tried to operate as ethically, professional and objectively as possible.<br /><br />You may use what I say in your studies.<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-36523755813227809372010-08-03T21:43:13.200+02:002010-08-03T21:43:13.200+02:00Dear Eeben
This is all extremely helpful, thank y...Dear Eeben<br /><br />This is all extremely helpful, thank you very much for your time. <br /><br />As regards the allegations about EO having been a front for S.A. intelligence that I mentioned, it's a theory doing the rounds on a number of crackpot left-wing conspiracy theorists sites so I give no credence to it. I did find it funny that it suggested de Klerk was heading a committee to reinstate apartheid but it is an example of the bad public image PMC's have. EO seems, according to my research at least, to have been a well run, professional and efficient organization that would be unlikely to be a vehicle for any conspiracies primarily because, as you yourself said, there was no interference or 'steering' by any government or politicians. I find it makes for an interesting contrast with Blackwater et all where things started to go wrong as soon as they got mixed up with politicians and ended up becoming foreign policy tools whereas EO was subservient to no government and operated more like the honest to god business that it was more than any PMC before or after it. The objective of my research is to examine how and why this happened and how organizations like EO were able to break the mold and actually did good in the world rather than become a tool of a government.<br /><br />By the way, is it alright with you that I use this correspondence as an appendix in my thesis for reference?<br /><br />Regards,<br />Dan KellyDan Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08650648334014225384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-13707715575957139352010-08-03T17:36:24.454+02:002010-08-03T17:36:24.454+02:00The answers to your questions, Dan:
1. I cover th...The answers to your questions, Dan:<br /><br />1. I cover this in some detail in my book. Suffice to say that we were not influenced by Sir David Stirling. Blackwater/Xe came long after we left the scene.<br /><br />2. The links are very obvious. A US PMC gets US contracts, a UK PMC gets UK contracts, etc. They are very seldom, if ever, judged on performance. As long as the boxes are ticked, all is fine and they qualify. They all serve the foreign policy interests of their respective governments. As for EO ever having served the SA govt or being a front of it – I suggest you read the history to answer that. I suspect that you are basing your research on some very dodgy documents re EO.<br /><br />3. Africa has long suspected that foreign armies train them badly. I know this from speaking to many senior officers in several armies. Also, they are increasingly seeing themselves as being proxies of foreign powers. That said, they have not sacrificed their control over their armies to foreign PMCs. They use them to give training the foreign powers either wont or are unable to do. <br /><br />Hope that helps,<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-56928995857800075652010-08-03T17:25:40.641+02:002010-08-03T17:25:40.641+02:00I must make it clear that EO was not an “army”, Da...I must make it clear that EO was not an “army”, Dan. In essence, an army is a force that is both permanent and part of a nation’s armed forces, equipped to do battle with the enemy. <br /><br />EO had no weapons of its own, nor did it act as a proxy for a foreign government, apart from those govts that hired the company to work within their countries and to uphold their territorial integrity. Even so, we were accountable to the Chiefs of Staff of those countries and were not a “law unto ourselves”. Although the company conducted a combination approach to warfare, we used what the contracting governments had in terms of equipment. <br /><br />I shall look at and answer your questions as and when I receive them.<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-49309856769332408922010-08-03T16:03:35.831+02:002010-08-03T16:03:35.831+02:00Dear Eeben,
The first few questions I'd like ...Dear Eeben,<br /><br />The first few questions I'd like to ask are as follows<br /><br />1 - What gave you the idea for EO to begin with. I know you said that stories about your firm being based on Stirling's model wasn't true, but I'm curious to know what actually influenced and inspired it The similarities in personality and background between Eric Prince and David Stirling lead me to believer the former was heavily influenced by the latter whereas you yourself don't seem to fit their molds by any stretch of the imagination.<br /><br />2 - What are your opinions on, as you said, the obvious links that most PMC's have with the governments of their countries of origin. I'm a firm beliver that despite the conspiracy theories and some documents that are in circulation that EO was by no means a front for the CCB or South African intelligence simply because it wasn't really in the South African national interest at the time.<br /><br />3 - Niccolo Machiavelli wrote in the 15th century warning against the use of mercenaries and stressing the need for governments to have both ideological loyalty and de-facto control over any troops that do battle on their part. From his time up to WW2 there was a steady decline in the numbers of privateers/contractors in use by states but do you think that since the Congo Crisis in the 60's there has been a reversal of the trend and do you think that it could swing around the other way again?<br /><br />Regards,<br />Daniel KellyDan Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08650648334014225384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-42262161116989947842010-08-03T16:02:46.012+02:002010-08-03T16:02:46.012+02:00Dear Eeben,
Thanks very much for replying, I'...Dear Eeben, <br /><br />Thanks very much for replying, I'm very glad to have your support as you were one of the key people I mention in the thesis and thankfully seem to be the easiest to contact. It's true that a lot of studies are being conducted on PMC's at the moment simply because most people see them as a new phenomenon. My thesis aims to prove that there was a steady progress from the 1960's to present where states began to view contracting the use of military force as a legitimate act to protect national interest abroad. So far in my study I've concluded that EO was a critical development because it was the first true 'private army' in that it was not tied to a government in any way and was capable of combined arms warfare without external support. Contrasted with Stirling's outfit and modern day PMC's, EO seems to have been a special case. I can send you on what I have written so far if you would like, but there are a few questions I'd like to pose that have come up in the course of my research that I hope you could answer. They're long enough so I'll have to post this reply in two parts<br /><br />Once again, thanks very much for your help.<br /><br />Kindest regards,<br />Daniel KellyDan Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08650648334014225384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-22780984832085327222010-08-03T15:05:01.186+02:002010-08-03T15:05:01.186+02:00Thanks for the visit as well as your kind comment,...Thanks for the visit as well as your kind comment, Dan.<br /><br />The media story that EO was “modelled” on Sir David’s group was another piece of rubbish they thought out. Anything to be sensationalist and prove their lack of credence was acceptable as it would be believed – after all, it was written...EO was very different form the modern-day PMCs who are not really “Private” at all but rather appear to rather be extensions of their respective governments. <br /><br />I must admit that there seem to be many studies at present on PMCs/EO going around. If you think I can add to your work, you can fire away.<br /><br />I also believe that AFRICOM was created to counter the Chinese in Africa. Our offer to assist was very quickly turned down when it was stood up. But China’s approach has been focussed primarily on resources and in many instances development in Africa. Given the USA’s reliance on much of what China produces, it will certainly be interesting to see who does not need who. I somehow suspect that China will be in the driving seat if one views it all objectively. <br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-47092106019474452472010-08-03T11:16:29.693+02:002010-08-03T11:16:29.693+02:00Dear Eeben,
I've been following the blog for ...Dear Eeben,<br /><br />I've been following the blog for a while and I appreciate the time you take to maintain it as well as your honest, political B.S. free insights on whats going on in the Africa and the world.<br /><br />Fanboyism aside, the reason I'm contacting you is to ask for your assistance. I'm a historian currently writing an academic thesis on the evolution of PMC's. Executive Outcomes features heavily and I was hoping to ask a few questions of you as regards how relevant EO was in terms of the development of the concept from David Stirling's adventures with the BMO in Yemen to the current situation with Aegis, Xe, etc in Afghanistan and further afield. I'm currently trying to track down a copy of your book but there are several questions that would best be asked directly and I would appreciate it greatly if you could help.<br /><br />Finally, just to give a few cents on the Africom issue which is one of the main reasons I've been following you, everybody knows that the real motivation behind it is to counter Chinese influence in Africa. In the wake of the events of the financial crisis, China is now pretty much America's "Best Enemy" and with ever increasing economic co-operation there is every reason to assume that there will be increasing military co-operation, do you think this will have any bearings on Africom's future?<br /><br />Kindest Regards,<br />Daniel KellyDan Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08650648334014225384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-64440228092359855102010-07-24T06:51:50.475+02:002010-07-24T06:51:50.475+02:00Correct John. Determining the intelligence require...Correct John. Determining the intelligence requirements and EEI at strategic level, as well as the tasking of sources ought to be centralised. However at tactical level, that responsibility lies with the commanders. <br /><br />Layers of interference do exactly that: interfere. But even worse, they deny initiative and prevent pro-active operations. As you point it, it adds to duplication and wasted effort. Costs skyrocket. But the question remains: How long can it be sustained?<br /><br />I would be interested in reading your comments re the WP series.<br /><br />Matt has certainly put a lot of effort into LoM research. It will be interested to see which way it goes at political level but I am sure that as it has worked in the past, it ought to still work. But you can bet the media and the UN will fight to stop it.<br /><br />The book is coming along (slowly) as a lot of actions interfere with my attempts to write it. As for SSI, the article always starts with a request from the editor and I know he is up to his eyeballs in work. <br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-7672706331069730932010-07-23T14:44:41.628+02:002010-07-23T14:44:41.628+02:00Good Morning Eeben,
Very good points on decentral...Good Morning Eeben,<br /><br />Very good points on decentralization and centralization. Were you pointing at centralized evaluation of intelligence with widespread dissemination of those results to the independent strategic and/or tactical users? That looks to be exactly how EO operated. Granted you were smaller than the situation the US has found itself in but the principle is the same and will work at any level once implemented properly - which has not happened here.<br /><br /> What congress did in response to the 9/11 commission report (which is another piece of fluff with tidbits of wisdom thrown in to keep the readers interest) is go to their typical response - they set-up another layer of interference. This has actually hampered US intelligence by driving even more duplication and wasted effort by valuable human assets and kept vital work from being performed. It has also skyrocketed the costs.<br /><br />More to come once I can sit down with the WP series for certain.<br /><br />As to LoM - very interesting comment and thought. On first blush even floating the idea in the public arena would make the media's head explode figuratively - which is good in and of itself. Have to do some thinking there.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />John<br /><br />P.S. Any more progress on your next magnum opus? Or forewarning on new articles with SSI?Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14052355800345172823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-31175188210266887952010-07-23T08:43:29.287+02:002010-07-23T08:43:29.287+02:00I know that you are very keen on a LoM system, Mat...I know that you are very keen on a LoM system, Matt, and your continual research on the matter benefits us all. Thanks for that.<br /><br />If one looks at history, it is – as you mention – very evident that POWs have always played a very important role in assessing and building on a situation. Not only do POWs add to our database of knowledge, some of them become parts of the operation ie Koevoet, 32 Bn and similar units. They can also play an important role in pseudo-ops – on condition that the vetting was correctly done. If not, they can cause massive damage by striking from within. <br /><br />Back to your LoM: I agree with you that the POWs can play a most valuable role. It is after all the POW who knows the latest plans, equipment, contacts, deployments, targets, etc etc. Their intelligence is also more current that that of an agent who cannot always submit his reports due to numerous factors. <br /><br />Whereas technology may be able to locate an enemy force, it is only the POW or the defector who can accurately build on that info. Plus, you comment that they add to the knowledge of “terrain” is vital.<br /><br />If we ignore the host of sources – and in particular the POW, we may lose an insight we needed at a critical time and place. <br /><br />Keep up your good work.<br /><br />Rgds,<br /><br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.com