Contract Warriors - how mercenaries changed history and the war on terrorism

Contents

By Fred Rosen
Published by Alpha, Penguin, UK, 2008
Paperback, great reading condition, 242

Mercenaries, Privateers, Soldiers of fortune. Private armies, Contract workers. Each has its name for the men and women who fight not forf patriotism but for profit. From the conquests of Ancient Rome to America's war in Iraq, whether it's vast hordes of experieinced fighters, munitions or material suppliers, experts on covert intelligence, or black ops suicide missions, contract warriors often play a vital role in military and paramilitary.

In veteran reporter Fred Rosen's rich & authoritative narrative, Contract Warriors offers a detailed history of how such men and women have fought, killed and died in their chosen profession. History repeats itself time and again, as governments and powerful organsations rely on soldiers for hire to go where others cannot or will not go to get the job done. Be it the overthrow of an African nation, the security of drug lord's vast empires, covert actions, or full-scale combat, contract warriors are paid to acheive victory for their employers.

Drawing on historical sources and up-to-the-minute reports from Iraq and other hotspots around the globe, Contract Warriors sheds light on the secret world of private mililtary companies, the tens of billions of dollars they receive, their relationship with the international arms trade, and most importantly, the kind fo men and women who offer their services.