The Impact of Mercenaries and Private Military and Security Companies on Civil War Severity between 1946 and 2002

被引:24
|
作者
Petersohn, Ulrich [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZT, Merseyside, England
关键词
mercenary; severity; private military and security company; civil war; DURATION; INTERVENTION; PEACE;
D O I
10.1080/03050629.2014.880699
中图分类号
D81 [国际关系];
学科分类号
030207 ;
摘要
Research has long abandoned the view that only states wage war. On the contrary, civil war research has produced an impressive body of literature on violent non-state actors. Still, a particular group of actors-mercenaries-has been widely neglected so far, although they have participated in numerous conflicts in the second half of the twentieth century. Whether their presence aggravated or improved the situation is a matter of dispute. Some believe that the additional military capabilities provided by mercenaries help to end civil wars quickly without increased bloodshed, while others deem mercenaries greedy and bloodthirsty combatants who contribute to making civil wars more brutal, while a third opinion differentiates between different types of mercenaries. This article tests the impact of mercenaries on civil war severity. The evidence indicates that the presence of both mercenaries and private military and security contractors increases its severity.
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页码:191 / 215
页数:25
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