The Rise and Rise of Private Military Companies
COTIPSO Thesis: Approved
Student: Gulam, Hyder
Completion Date: Nov 2005
An excerpt from the thesis:
One of the problems with a discussion on PMCs is the multitude of terms and concepts and the entailing lack of clarity in defining these entities. This paper will attempt to show how the various international instruments, ie the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions 1977, the Organisation of African Unity and the UN Convention on Mercenaries have caused a degree of uncertainty on this topic. For example, are PMCs commercial entities applying military skill sets and capabilities or are they security guards, or do they also include private military contractors who provide a range of technical expertise to support increasingly complex weapons systems, such as unmanned aerial vehicles and combat helicopters.
