Mercenaries: Guns for Hire
The role played by privatised military forces in modern conflict
The use of mercenaries in warfare has a very long history, and still very much in evidence today. African governments seeking to push back rebel insurgents often employ mercenaries to carry out the task. From Yemen to Syria, mercenaries are directly involved in combat roles. And defence and training work once carried out by national armies is now often done by private military contractors. In this week鈥檚 Newshour Extra, Owen Bennett Jones and his guests consider the role played by these privatised forces fighting someone else鈥檚 war.
Photo: soldier firing automatic weapon Credit: Getty Images
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Contributors
Sean McFate - professor at Georgetown University and author of the Modern Mercenary - Private Armies and What They Mean for World Order. He also worked as a private military contractor.
Katarina Galai - University of Sussex
Ase Gilje Ostensen - political scientist at the Christian Mickelsen Institute in Bergen, Norway.
Vincent Magombe - analyst of African affairs, originally form Uganda
Also featuring Iona Craig, journalist specialising in Yemen; Umaru Fofana, 91热爆 correspondent in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Broadcasts
- Fri 7 Oct 2016 08:06GMT91热爆 World Service except News Internet
- Fri 7 Oct 2016 23:06GMT91热爆 World Service except News Internet
- Sat 8 Oct 2016 03:06GMT91热爆 World Service except Australasia & News Internet
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