Wheeled Warriors: Explaining Variations in the Use of Violence by Private Security Companies in Iraq

Fitzsimmons, Scott

doi:10.1080/09636412.2013.844521

Cited by 18 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…In contrast to the other sources, icasualties does not report how the data were compiled. Finally, Fitzsimmons (2013) introduces a new data set on violent incidents involving private security companies operating in Iraq between 2005 and 2007; the data are based on reports by media, government authorities, and NGOs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons on Political Violence from America’s Post–9/11 Wars

Mikulaschek

Shapiro

2016

Journal of Conflict Resolution

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A large literature has emerged in political science that studies the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This article summarizes the lessons learned from this literature, both theoretical and practical. To put this emerging knowledge base into perspective, we review findings along two dimensions of conflict: factors influencing whether states or substate groups enter into conflict in the first place and variables affecting the intensity of fighting at particular times and places once war has started. We then discuss the external validity issues entailed in learning about contemporary wars and insurgencies from research focused on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars during the period of US involvement. We close by summarizing the uniquely rich qualitative and quantitative data on these wars (both publicly available and what likely exists but has not been released) and outline potential avenues for future research.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons on Political Violence from America’s Post–9/11 Wars

Mikulaschek

Shapiro

2016

Journal of Conflict Resolution

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“…Aggressive driving and preemptive shootings repeatedly resulted in the killing of Iraqi civilians, leading a State Department memo to conclude that Blackwater contractors ‘saw themselves as above the law’ (Cusumano, 2017: 43). Blackwater’s organizational culture created a permissive environment for aggressive behaviour (Fitzimmons, 2013: 709).…”

Section: A Visual History Of Pmscs’ Logosmentioning

confidence: 99%

Private military and security companies’ logos: Between camouflaging and corporate socialization

Cusumano

2020

Security Dialogue

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International relations scholarship has paid insufficient attention to security providers’ tendency to emulate the visual attributes of other actors in an attempt to (re)construct their identities and increase their legitimacy by signalling adherence to prevailing norms. Research on the discourses deployed by private military and security companies (PMSCs), for instance, has relied almost exclusively on the analysis of written documents. This article argues that even basic visual units like logos serve as windows into the genealogy and evolution of the international market for force. By combining insights from Peircean semiotics and institutionalist theory, I show that PMSCs’ logos are not only marketing tools, but also symbolic acts that shed light upon the shifting identities and legitimization strategies of the international private security industry. Specifically, I argue that PMSCs’ logos can be conceptualized as forms of camouflaging, blame-shifting, mirroring and socialization into corporate identities. These overlapping processes have reshaped the international private security industry brandscape, informing a shift away from the use of logos displaying symbols and colours borrowed from military visual identity systems.

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“…Services are essential for the US military because they free the military to focus on core combat requirements. However, PMSCs may detract from military effectiveness when they are not integrated into the command structure (Dunigan ), shirk service responsibilities (Tkach ) or commit acts that undermine government legitimacy, including rules of engagement violations (Fitzsimmons ). Thus, while PMSCs are secondary actors in Iraq when compared to US military operations and insurgent activity, PMSC service delivery affects the US military operations and level of violence.…”

Section: Pmscs Service Delivery and Civilian Casualtiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managerial capacity in conflict environments: Management effects of private military and security companies in Iraq

Tkach

2020

Public Administration

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An enduring challenge of public administration research is examining whether public management affects the delivery of public policy results. This study extends managerial influence to include public policy delivery in an active conflict environment. Individual manager training is critical in conflict environments because limited bureaucratic capacity and general environmental confusion are common. Organizations under stress use substitute managers. We argue that substitute managers' effectiveness is conditioned by two factors: managerial capability and networking capability. We examine substitute managers in a unique context, the US–Iraq War. Managers coordinated private military and security companies (PMSCs) to provide coalition forces and the civilian population with multiple services. We argue that managers with prior management experience and network capability are more effective substitute managers. The results suggest that managers with prior experience and networking capability are associated with decreases in civilian casualties. The results provide important policy insights into public management and defence policy.

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Wheeled Warriors: Explaining Variations in the Use of Violence by Private Security Companies in Iraq

Cited by 18 publications

References 0 publications

Lessons on Political Violence from America’s Post–9/11 Wars

Lessons on Political Violence from America’s Post–9/11 Wars

Private military and security companies’ logos: Between camouflaging and corporate socialization

Managerial capacity in conflict environments: Management effects of private military and security companies in Iraq

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