The Pentagon’s New Wonder Weapons for World Dominion

by Alfred W. McCoy Not quite a century ago, on January 7, 1929, newspaper readers across America were captivated by a brand-new comic strip, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.  It offered the country its first images of space-age death rays,… Continue Reading

Trump and the Return of Private Military Contractors

by David Isenberg In 2005 the Marine Corps University published a paper entitled “The Professional Military Services Industry: Have We Created a New Military-Industrial Complex?” To consider that question now, more than a decade later, is the equivalent of asking… Continue Reading

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Don’t Fire

by David Isenberg The performance of private security contractors (PSCs) working for the U.S. government in war zones is a mixed bag. Sometimes the PSCs operate very well, but the accountability and oversight of them leave something to be desired. Sometimes… Continue Reading

When Crime Pays for Private Military Contractors

by David Isenberg Everyone has heard the old cliché that crime pays. But criminals are not the only ones who make the money. Those fighting the criminals—police and law enforcement of all types, the judicial system—also make money. These public… Continue Reading