Blackwater and Erik Prince do mostly GOOD

Media slam "profit-seeking" military contractors, yet evidence shows they're more efficient and even helped end piracy in Somalia.
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Trump recently agreed to send more troops to Afghanistan, instead of adopting a proposal from military contractor Erik Prince that would have meant fewer troops at a fraction of the cost.
How could it be done so cheaply by private contractors? Erik Prince says private is better because the military -- like all government agencies -- is bloated and bureaucratic.
While government once used 35 people for a helicopter resupply mission, Prince did the same job using only 8.
The government is also inefficient because it fails to adapt. Prince says government uses: "equipment that was designed to fight against the Soviet Union [against] an enemy with pickup trucks and people living in local villages".
Contractors, on the other hand, have to compete. You've probably heard about their mistakes from the media, but you probably haven't heard of the successes, like helping to end piracy in Somalia.
The video has the full story on that, and John asks Erik Prince about the attacks on him and profit in general.
Produced by Maxim Lott. Edited by Josh Swain.

[@BennettParsons1]

I just love how John always plays devils advocate

[@Snubrevolver]

A true journalist.

[@Reub3]

If only we had about 30 more of young john stossels around the country. Imagine all of the most interesting stories that would be coming out on a weekly basis. I'd pay good money for that.

[@TheHumanSynthesisProject]

It's because he is a true journalist, and that's what real journalists do.

[@copperjarhead]

if you want to better your argument, that is what you do. if your argument holds no water, then you will change your own mind. if you are doing it right. if you are doing it right, and your mind is NOT changed, then you have a watertight argument. liberals may call that confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, non sequitur, straw man, or call you un-empathetic, bigoted, narcissist, or racist, which means they lost the argument, and are now smearing your character to discredit your argument by the proxy of, if your character is bad, your arguments are bad.

[@Xpistos510]

He’s a pro-corporate hack.

[@camcam2457]

"And that is why they have spent a trillion dollars and are still losing." This guy said it like it is.

[@briandarlage9815]

It's morons like you that lead to perpetual war.

[@cheesemccheese5780]

@@briandarlage9815 ok.

[@spikedpsycho2383]

Or we could leave afghanistan and Spend NOTHING.

[@dreisiglps2451]

@@spikedpsycho2383 Yeah, and then you create MASSIVE pain for us Germans to take those refugees in. We ALREADY had a refugee exodus in 2015!

[@waynebrown616]

Prince got rich, so he doesn't really care.

[@jonathangrey2183]

Wow. I had forgotten all about those pirates.

[@vandertuber]

MSM bias.

[@sandercohen9712]

Because the pirate problem has largely been dealt with.

[@owenbunny4023]

This is my comment section now

[@warriorcaste4304]

Van Doren he's right though. I did vessel security off the coast of Africa for five years and I had a chance to learn about how everything came to be. I however had no qualms fighting pirates. Piracy is wrong, plain and simple; but so is dumping your shit off the coast of a country and ruining their food source. If the Somalis would have just attacked the ship's doing that until they stopped none of what happened would have happened but they wanted to take it further by becoming pirates. Also, and this is NEVER talked about so idk how true it is, but a little birdie told me that towards the end when piracy was decreasing the insurance companies were paying warlords in Somalia to "attack" (more like harass) ships in the area so they could keep charging shipping companies more money when they were inside the HRA (High Risk Area).

[@xXJeReMiAhXx99]

yep, people just forget about ISIS, terror attacks on US soil etc, nothing improves by itself.

[@ianirwin9480]

Companies like Blackwater had a huge impact on shipping around Somalia, close to one of the biggest shipping channels in the world. Private shipping companies hiring armed guards was SIGNIFICANTLY more effective than all the different nations' military efforts combined.

[@edwin2600]

I wonder who paid for their services.

[@ianirwin9480]

@@edwin2600 the shipping company pays, they're private security contracts. Most of the military operations were exclusively govt navies

[@Redmanticore]

just give the sailors personal rifles. no need to hire security guys. both will do the exact same bang bangs from the ship, but 500 armed sailors is more formidable than 5 hired mercenaries, and both cost the same. actually, 500 rifles is cheaper. that's how life was back in the day. a single mercenary costs 2000 dollars per day. 5 mercenaries cost 300k just in a month. 500 new rifles, 500 dollars each, cost 250k, and you only need to buy them once for the ship. if well maintained, you will be using those small arm guns on the ship for decades. also The use and recruitment of mercenaries are legally forbidden by the 1989 International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. and U.S. government is restricted from hiring mercenaries under what is known as the Anti-Pinkerton Act of 1893. thats why they are called private military contractors, private security, and not just mercenaries, even when they are mercenaries.

[@ianirwin9480]

@@Redmanticore dude there's like 15 to 20 sailors on a cargo ship, with other jobs to do and completely untrained in combat and weapons handling Also US government regulations don't apply to ships that are around Africa and aren't even US flagged, they're technically privately hired security guards not mercenaries

[@miguelzurita3216]

The bit where the UN acts like they have ajy power was amusing especually since pmcs just did what they wanted to do anyway

[@publicenemy776]

When he said "the media doesn't like markets period" John almost couldn't hold back how much he liked that answer.

[@pauldraper1736]

The mustache twitched

[@cheesemccheese5780]

@@pauldraper1736 Something else twitched.

[@Ottowa]

2:51

[@TheNugler]

@@cheesemccheese5780 lmao

[@litigioussociety4249]

Thank God for a libertarian with a large platform that doesn't try to make excuses for not privatizing the military.

[@JERRYMILLETT]

Liberalism: Find a Cure

[@avowliberty2250]

PALMSPRINGSLIFE561 The cure is a book on basic economics. Preferably something by Hazlitt or Sowell.

[@inbedwithagoblin8290]

free your mind Libtards can't read

[@avowliberty5384]

chris n Your sarcastic tone is unjustified. All of his books (old and new) debunk the talking points espoused by the corporate media and these Marxist political commentators on KZbin.

[@gmmonko]

The American shithole needs to be nuked.

[@JAlexandrG]

Stossel introduced me to libertarianism nearly 11 years ago as an 16 year old. And he's still doing awesome work. These videos are great.

[@GeorgeSemel]

For some things, companies like Blackwater is the way to go for other things well Blackwater hires only former Miltary personnel. Just one more tool in the box. And yeah, you don't need to use F-15's to hunt down guys in pickup trucks.

[@rcairforceone]

But it makes for really cool video footage...

[@seirbhiseach]

I'm all for *BRRRT*ing hondas if it reduces casualties and looks awesome at the same time...

[@louisryan5815]

@Charlie Keiner curb stomp any and everything in it to ash, and sew salt in their fields to make it so nothing can grow there for generations?

[@louisryan5815]

@Charlie Keiner What Rome did to Carthage was essentially a nuke before nukes were a thing.

[@etherspire]

Afghanistan: the graveyard of empires

[@TeensierPython]

It has to be close to 95% of military contractors are former military members. When you don't know any better you think that working for the highest bidder is a recipe for disaster, but the vast majority of contractors are very patriotic and are finding alternate ways to serve their country. Contracting pays more than military service, costs the US less money, and there is plenty of oversight by military/government. Yes bad things happen, blackwater, but that is the exception not the rule. I hated Blackwater when i was a soldier, they were notorious for going rogue and thinking they didnt have to answer to anyone. The stronger military leaders put them in their place, the weak ones were taken advantage of, same thing that happens in all war atrocities.

[@Jesses001]

Right, and they will take people like me. I am not permitted to serve with the US armed forces because I had a major heart operation to repair a birth defect. The truth is, my crafted heart works better then a normal original human heart, so if someone such as myself wanted to serve, PMCs are the only option.

[@sgtwildbill]

I also disliked Blackwater as a Marine. The issue with them is going rogue and acting like a bunch of cowboys without accountability. I don’t think the government should do much, but they should have a monopoly on the military.

[@lightningchegg4823]

@@Jesses001 have you played mgs4?

[@Jesses001]

@@lightningchegg4823 Metal Gear Solid 4? No sorry I have not.

[@Pube83]

Yes, it let's lots of former military make decent money and not suicide themselves.

[@brettoberry3586]

War is the pentagon's cash cow. They don't want to give up that nectar.

[@Eukatae]

They also serve well as the villain in about half of the movies made these days.

[@hermeticascetic]

And who makes those movies? The left.

[@paulsecon4889]

Eukatae AND.....??

[@edwin2600]

I thought it was so stupid when they cast the Mandarin in the Ironman movie as an Afghan.

[@mohnjayer]

THANK YOU for discussing this. A lot of conservatives are blinded by “patriotism” thinking the extremely wasteful traditional military is the only way to defend America.

[@OregonOutdoorsChris]

To be completely honest, I kind of don't want a government and military that is good at fighting insurgents. This really is one of those be happy you don't get all the government you pay for.

[@NeverSuspects]

Well, the police are supposed to be able to perform that role for within the country and they are considered to be 'government' or public. Military is for fighting nation vs nation, not terrorism or criminals. Nuclear submarines are a little bit over kill for dealing with criminal gangs and terrorist groups, very effective weapons in full on modern war though. It really does make a lot more sense to employ military contractors to deal with anything that isn't full on war with another state.

[@gcarlson]

I'm all for the use of contractors doing the dirty work our military can't. If profit is correctly used as motivation, even in violent situations, it can result in highly effective problem solving. I just wish they had not shown an A-10 warthog when referring to supersonic fighter. The A-10 completely contradicts the point they were trying to make.

[@Walker-ow7vj]

thedog556 well war is hell

[@sebastiangarcia-rw1tf]

@@Walker-ow7vj then why not avoiding it?

[@marseldagistani1989]

@thedog556 Tell that to Dresden, and Napalm bombings in 'Nam

[@t.3465]

@@sebastiangarcia-rw1tf it's not an idealistic world, even if one doesn't want to fight, it's sometimes not a choice

[@DrinkWater713]

"The best way to fight a war" is by not fighting it at all

[@DrinkWater713]

@A. D.R. Sun Tzu managed to do it once and again...

[@georgiabowhunter]

I spent three years as a PMC. All we did was good. Every single one of us was US combat veteran who had to pass a strict vetting process. Prince is right contractors do everything the military can but more efficiently and with far less red tape.

[@grayeaglej]

"They say its immoral to make money killing people" Remind me again these same peoples' views on the Abortion Industry? O.o

[@ca7surfer]

I can't tell if they are libertarian or conservative so it's probably either You're body I don't care It's immoral and shouldn't be done Or a necessary evil to be done sparingly Probably falls into one of those 3

[@ca7surfer]

Unless they are talking about Democrats in which case I don't know anymore, too many people with too many opinions

[@grayeaglej]

@@ca7surfer I dont know either. :/ And now cities are being burnt down so its even harder to understand the various factions running around. :(

[@seanspec89]

Private contractors, fine for specific missions but we NEED our own Army. To suggest we privatize the Army is insane.

[@jarheadzader]

The concept isn't to replace the Army but to augment US Forces to free up combat troops for bigger missions. PS. I get it, I wrote this 11 months later but I just saw the the video.

[@ilo3456]

I think that taking advice from Private Contractors is useful, and using private contractors to replace US Military personnel in areas like Afghanistan would be a good idea. The US Military should be geared towards conventional warfare, and we could use Contractors to handle the irregular warfare and counter insurgency operations. They should be used as an auxiliary force which can deal with irregular warfare situations.

[@jarheadzader]

CPU Purple Heart/Neptune Interesting concept. However, we have Special Forces for that kind of warfare but PMC's would be a good way to augment and support them.

[@ilo3456]

@@jarheadzader Yeah afterall I see PMCs as an auxiliary force, meant to aid conventional forces in conflict which do not require the full use of conventional equipment and troops or in unconventional warfare scenarios, we don't need to replace the military simply use the right tools for the right job, and do things in an effective manner.

[@viralbangetindo]

Not privatise the army, but less bureaucracy in millitary. Big Private Millitary is hard to control and scary.

[@ashutoshsharmash]

I support the use of PMCs. The way we fight war has changed. We're no more fighting uniformed enemy combatants with tanks, APCs, gunships and helicopters. It took an unconventional US military approach to win the 2001 war in 3 months against the Taliban. It's taken 14 years and thousands of conventional troops to reverse that. I'm not disrespecting the members of the military. My dad served and I know what it's like. But to win a war, the means need to justify the end.

[@Polo1683Official]

I love listening to the local blackwater range near my cabin. Freedom.

[@shawnwells5141]

So that's where the "i'm the captain now" meme comes from.

[@ggbro2829]

It’s wrong to “kill for profit” unless it’s approved by Congress.

[@user-ni6pi6ez3o]

2:15 "a supersonic jet that's designed to go state on state" And you show a subsonic A-10 lol

[@joshusavage5100]

I think they were pointing out how the government is pushing for more highspeed jets while ignoring the need for better ground support craft like the A-10 Thunderbolt 2.

[@mybackhurts7020]

Wow you're good you have changed my mind about private military in one video!

[@honchohuze169]

I am becoming a huge Stossel fan! I really appreciate that you pose both sides of the argument. This is what VICE news used to do a better job of doing. It's what people who care about the truth are interested in. Thank you!

[@ajax3070]

We need this guy to be our Secretary of Defense! He would save us so much money.

[@leokat001]

A10 is Not a supersonic jet.

[@danielcuevas5899]

Anybody agrees he should be on the Joe Rogan podcast?

[@tristen4142]

Daniel Cuevas Prince or Stossel?

[@jordanchong4142]

@@tristen4142 both

[@MegamikazeMoriko]

i got a big question if blackwater is a private military company that means they get no funding from taxpayers who the hell pays blackwater to do their job?

[@kathleenhuff3059]

村正本刀に三世 big banks, banks, arms manufacturers etc..NEVER food to have a "for profit" military..as wars will be CREATED FOR profit..NOT for safety of the country!!..and keep in mind that Black Water was implicated in MURDER ..so they had to change their business name 3 different times because of that..

[@panama2468]

Kathleen Huff thank you. I was going to ask if anyone knew they changed their name two more times to evade bad media press.

[@vic101ify]

They are trying to get tax money

[@davidreruk3924]

They are like contractors and get paid by their customer, which often includes the military, CIA and State Department, so technically they do receive taxpayer funding(for doing the governments job).

[@achancery10]

They're funded by the government for specific operations at a specific price, at often times half of the cost that the government-run military would require for the same or inferior results. The Federal Military just gets a $716 Billion check every year

[@eod_dan5745]

I remember when AQI ambushers would allow Blackwater convoys to pass just to target us, US Army elements, because we were easier targets. Blackwater would dismount and kill the enemy when attacked but the military would generally collect our KIA/WIA and equipment just to leave/ get off the X.

[@remember_remember]

If we demanded accountability for how our taxes are spent instead of arguing about climate change, education, healthcare, and so on we would more than likely solve every issue to everyone's satisfaction

[@wolfu597]

The best rumours about Navy SEALs were started by people who weren't even in the Teams. Irony abounds.

[@Trials_By_Errors]

Erik prince needed permission from Russia to Enter Afghanistan that's why he meet with Russians

[@jrjohnryanjr]

Oh yeah ! Our "great success" in our last wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan proves how much good black water has done

[@user-mo9ne7fg2e]

I have a question, where does the loyalty of private military lies????

[@gilliqbal13]

Whoever pays more..

[@grantarmbruster6591]

That's honestly a really good question however most of the people involved in Blackwater that I am personally familiar with are all prior service u.s. military and everyone takes their oath to protect and defend the US Constitution personally. Many of them got out of the actual military because of politics bloated bureaucracy hurry up and wait inefficiency. However I do share your concerns when we go into a third world country and then train their soldiers with our private contractors those soldiers do not hold loyalties. But then again we've done this before having the US government train foreign Nationals

[@gilliqbal13]

@@grantarmbruster6591 Power and $$ absolutely corrupts people doesn't matter first or third world.

[@grantarmbruster6591]

@@gilliqbal13 well I'll agree that money and power can corrupt nearly anybody I would put someone who has served in the United States Army as a bit higher caliber then most third worlders I have encountered

[@bloodmoonangel8925]

Big Boss would be proud. Thank you Erik Prince!

[@letters_from_paradise]

"What's the best way to fight a war?" To not start fighting one in the first place.

[@hint0122]

The advantage that blackwater has is that they have highly trained and skilled professional soldiers who know how to fight

[@cones914]

The best way to fight a war is not to fight it. We've seen this in the war on drugs, war on poverty, the Afghanistan war.

[@pamelamassie1199]

5:27 "Put on all the socks"

[@skylerstevens8887]

I know, I was like "what the blazes???"

[@cademitchell7053]

Playing devil's advocate, what about private military contractors working for the highest bidder and not only holding loyalty to the US? Say they complete successful missions for the US, but also missions for other countries that may pose as a threat in the long run.

[@daddysempaichan]

Depends on both the nationality of the Mercenaries and the relationship between the bidder and the Mercenarie's nation in question. Using the current diplomatic climate, If the US hires a Merc from the US, then the Merc would likely still serve the US out of patriotism. If the US hires a Merc from the Swiss, then the Merc would likely backstab if given enough money unless diplomatic pressure force the nation to call it's merc back, or you outpay the compitition. If the US hires a Merc from Afghanistan, then the Merc would likely backstab if given enough reason or the order to do so, regardless of the amount of money you are giving them, that is, IF they were even willing to work with the US in the first place. Basically, Native PMCs are more loyal than foreign PMCs, as you'll have more power over native vs foreign as they operate from within your own boarders and thus, more easily punished and held accountable for their actions. Foreign PMCs doesn't have that loyalty that Native have.

[@joshusavage5100]

That is why we can't fully depend on mercs like the Romans did or to have pure fighting mercenaries that depend on war. Look at Black Water going after pirates.

[@joshusavage5100]

@@daddysempaichan but at the same time you don't want the PMCs to exceed 25% of your combat capabilities. Could you imagine if a PMC made up most of the military power in a country? I would just be easy for them to run the country instead.

[@joeblough2812]

media do not want to report good things about private militaries. You got that right.

[@frankpaws]

I've watched John Stossel for 20 plus years, and he's the most honest I know.

[@benjaminvabner2908]

He's a reporter and he's good at his job Mr stossel

[@osphranterrufus]

Give Erik Prince the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nobel Prize in Economics!

[@ClintMaas]

More like put him in the electric chair.

[@Consul99]

Why do I love the idea of a private military so much?

[@goldwinger5434]

He talks about supersonic jets and shows an A-10. LOL.

[@account2871]

Killing innocents? I have yet to hear of a war where that didn't happen.

[@leonardwei3914]

I'm surprised Stossel didn't mention the case of the South African PMC group Executive Outcomes, which almost singlehandedly ended the violent civil wars in Sierre Leone and Angola during the 90's. Unfortunately, the UN pressured the respective governments to either cease contracts or stop using the services of EO. UN peacekeepers were sent in to Angola, but were generally feckless and incapable of maintaining the peace, while Sierre Leone de-evolved back to a full-blown bloodletting when the rebel group Revolutionary United Front took up arms again when EO was ordered to leave before the peace accord took effect. During the sensational Iraq trial, Prince claimed afterward that his company and defendants were not allowed to publically fight back against the allegations levied against them. He contends that the politicians had no problem hiring them for dangerous jobs the military could not do as quickly or efficiently, but if anything went wrong, it gave the same politicians the means to denounce the effort while keeping their hands clean of the matter. There has been some problems with a variety of different individuals and PMC's, let's not pretend otherwise. But I didn't have any problems with the ones I worked with downrange when I was in the military. We even had some Soldiers in our unit go for some training at the (then) Blackwater Training site in North Carolina.

[@MyXxx77]

That was a thing of BEAUTY! Textbook cases of what a well trained private army can do in short order at a tiny fraction of the cost.

[@liamcollins9183]

@KeepItReal No, they weren't part of the Apartheid regime, but many of them were former South African soldiers and officers from that period. I believe they also had soldiers from Russia and other Eastern bloc states, whose communist regimes had also recently collapsed.

[@ArmyRangerSJ]

UN peace keepers have guns be the last response. Even giving their lives not to shoot. Not a good comparison.

[@ArmyRangerSJ]

Also salary of a private contractor $100,000 for US soldier- $41,000.

[@anasyahaya6982]

Angolan soldiers wept like babies the day the South African pmcs were leaving angola

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

I get it. Government can be wasteful. There's no denying that. But I still don't it is a good idea to financially incentive war.

[@LibertarianRF]

It's lowering the financial insensitive because in the free market costs matter

[@truebeliever786]

@Ben White But they don't need permission of the Chilean Government to illegally hire former-Pinochet criminals/rapists, as mercenaries, do they? Or the South African Government, to illegally hire former-Apartheid criminals/rapists?

[@hessluana]

Actually hospitals in Socialist countries keep less serious (less work) patients in their hospitals longer to get more money according to many studies. Serious patients do not get the expensive care we give them in the US. Especially by age cut offs. Why trust the government workers to be more honest than accountable free market workers?

[@truebeliever786]

​@@hessluana "Serious patients do not get the expensive care we give them in the US." You mean the expensive care that you give to the ultra-rich douchebags that can afford it, but not the common plebs, many of whom can't even afford paying shitty premiums (and those who can, often have to pay an excess on top of it). America has a great healthcare system... if you're rich. If you're not, which is 75% of the country, you're shit out of luck. America has the highest healthcare per capita spending in the developed world and simultaneously, the shittiest healthcare system in the developed world (over 30 million people not insured and 53 000 people dying annually, due to lack of insurance etc.). Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Britain, Canada, Australia etc. have a far better healthcare system than America, because they cover everyone and pay less per capita. Ironic how you mention the word "accountable" and "free market" in the same sentence, when "free market" is all about removing regulations (aka removing accountability).

[@MDBenton]

Don't forget Cuba, where they have longer lives, far lower infant mortality, better access to healthcare...oh, but Socialist countries can't do anything better, right?

[@wesjones6370]

“The military adapts.” Laughs in veteran.

[@joshhickman77]

Jocko said contractors save the US money and time. That's enough for me. Was surprised this presented an even stronger case than that.

[@dumbass3770]

Private contractors would end wars quicker

[@brent1041]

If that would end the war quicker than its worth it. They don't play by our rules so why should we.

[@modurhead]

but then they would be out of work,dipshit

[@writerconsidered]

Hey dumb ass if their profit motive is in continuing a war why would they end the war quicker?

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

Metal Gear Solid 4 predicted what will happen

[@dan-lr4zm]

Especially when they don't have to deal with Obama's horrible 'Rules of Engagement' when they were losing in Afghanistan.

[@warlord0877]

If you want to see the effectiveness of PMCs look at the company Executive Outcomes in Angola and Sierra Leone

[@RonKelmell]

I did six deploys under BW contracts in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Most of my companions were good family men serving their country .

[@leonardodakimchi]

Private armies are a threat to later commit coup to the established government. It is the standing army that ultimately uphold the "law".

[@knuckledraggingneanderthal720]

Mercenaries can be a very bad idea if you don't have a way to keep them in line or are unable to defend yourself, look at the history starting with Carthage.

[@MyXxx77]

Apparently, you're not aware that bad actors, i.e. (leftist) dictators, Islamic extremists, the IRA have tried and continue to try numerous times to hire groups like Blackwater, Executive Outcomes (no longer in operation), G4S, DynCorp, etc to do their dirty work for millions of dollars but to no avail. The people who run these companies aren't stupid. Ethics and patriotism aside, do you have any idea what it would do to one of these companies in the marketplace if they got into bed with a Castro, Gaddhafi or Chavez? They would be ruined. The folks who run these companies are former Intelligence "spooks" and black ops veterans. They tend to know far more about the political going's on in any given region than most politicians ever could. In short, your "fear" is a silly one. Get into the 21st century. knuckledragging neanderthal is a very fitting monicker.

[@noahcho8464]

Dude do uk how many civilians we killed in ww2, vietnam and basically every war in us history by us soldiers. They were covered and now when historians look back we find out about these. They really weren’t covered up but media just wanted to report the good things such as things like we are winning the war etc. we even accidently killed our own troops in dday simulations where the navy boats accidently fired on the beach while landing crafts were hitting the beach. This is not to defend pmc killing civilians but to show that it’s not like they’re going in their to kill civilians. There r criminals in all aspects of society and there r many in the military and in pmc which is why there r military courts and etc.

[@keithroy7884]

Actually, I think the founding fathers would approve. They felt a standing army was more dangerous to the people than one activated only in time if need. The only reason that can't work now is due to the sophistication of enemy armies, so we need a well trained force. For all smaller missions, contractors should be used. Just my opinion.

[@keithroy7884]

Complete Savage Certainly would be more efficient. And yes, privateers have been used for centuries, and mercenary armies since recorded history. And they are all volunteers. They can also be more specialized for different missions. And though mistakes are made in war, and since recorded history soldiers have abused innocents, they are usually the national soldiers, and less professionals. A company has a vested interest in keeping their guys under control and not wasting materials, as well as obviously reputation. Governments usually try to just cover up. I don't buy it for a second that a squad of their guys just decided to shoot up a bunch of cars of innocent people. Did some bystanders get shot? Likely yes. The enemy has a long reputation of hiding amongst civilians, then blaming casualties on us. Our guys don't do that shit. I've worked with a lot of guys who were in Iraq and Afghanistan. Here's another thing: These guys are professionals. If you've been around that type of individual, you'll know that they have a deep and abiding pride in their ability to do the hardest job known to man. They don't like fuckups. How much easier and quicker is it for a private contractor to get rid of anyone who is fucking things up? The military is a huge bureaucracy...

[@keithroy7884]

I am not anti-military. I served for 4 years, worked as a civilian contractor for DoD for over 20 years working with the USAF, and then another few years with Army National Guard guys. I respect them on the whole, and most of them as individuals, lol. But the kind of guys who are the real professionals are some of the most admirable people I've ever met. Just don't dismiss them out of hand because of biased media reports.

[@ClintMaas]

Blackwater employees should be put down for the safety of the public.

[@drmartin5062]

I'm pretty sure it is because each helicopter crew is living on the ship working 12-hour shifts and doing flight quarters. 17, people on a large supply ship running helicopter drops really can't be adjusted.

[@tonyli8368]

5:29 Put on ALL THE SOCKS!

[@NunYa953]

I agree with stossel 99% of the time but this is a very slippery slope. What happens when these guys genuinely fuck up big time? They are going to expect the government to clean up the mess. You can't expect the government to take responsibility for these guys if they go off the reservation and in the end that's who is held accountable is the government. Not the private contractors.

[@pridedyanky]

I agree. Im sure pmc has its uses, but as a main force.. that can only end badly. Especially when they get mixed in with domestic situations.

[@hermeticascetic]

They did fuck up and were imprisoned. When the US military fucks up it's covered up.

[@hermeticascetic]

@@pridedyanky and I don't think anyone is arguing to completely privatize the military

[@hankigoe8615]

we need more companies like blackwater, not fewer

[@oliviam5571]

Watching what's been happening of late. To get in and back out in the blink of an eye without the bureaucratic BS, privatisation is the way to go. More efficient use of time and money. Get to it!! Former military know how to get the job done. Vs. Waiting for the wheels of the military to move to act... so much wasted... but look at who's now rescuing those left behind in Afghanistan. Our retired military patriots guys. Thank God for the Erik Princes & guys like him!!

[@debartellomartinez7214]

I worked with these guys you will never find a more professional or patriotic group anywhere.

[@ColTravis]

To this day the British love there little (Gurkha) mercenary force and have even allowed them to mount the Guard at Windsor Palace to protect the Queen.

[@Nexus-ub4hs]

Mark Haushahn The Gurkhas are not mercs, they are part of the British military

[@MyXxx77]

After seeing what "Executive Outcomes" did in Sierra Leone, there is absolutely no doubt that private military groups are the way to go whenever and wherever you possibly can.

[@yoavmor9002]

I'm fine with private contractors as long as they are ‏subsidiary to the army. I don't want any random rich dude using his army to terrorize innocent people using his private army.

[@BesomeTV]

I have served 16 years and in Iraq twice. John thank you for covering this. Even being in the fight, I was convinced mercenaries were 100% bad

[@ThunderAppeal]

With no accountability. Please. GTFO.

[@tinytonymofo3992]

100,000 missions? I highly doubt that

[@BigDaddysLullabyServ]

Show me 1 time they have rescued soldiers....I'll wait.

[@HarryBalzak]

2:31 "The army doesn't adjust[ so that makes mercenaries good]"? Why not have the army "adjust"? That line alone invalidates this entire segment without explanation.

[@battleskorpionYT]

Capitalism. Capitalism drives the innovation, gives the private companies reasons to adapt. That's the whole point.

[@louisryan5815]

His argument is that government controlled war efforts are costly and ineffective, not that mercenaries are morally righteous.

[@pigsareasintelligentasdogs4093]

1:50 is where they lost me.

[@cerebros3671]

I’m all for Private Military Contractor, especially with them operating against pirates.

[@scottnovak8903]

Improvise, adapt, overcome, is the military Creed, Prince is using American exceptionalism and taking personal initiative and getting results, God Bless him .

[@reallyaznokidding]

To whom would private contracting for war respond to?

[@Lobsterwithinternet]

Who watches the watchmen?

[@emZee1994]

The one they are contracted to

[@TheMajorActual]

No. Change the rules of engagement, and you get better than Erik Prince's results, faster. Contractors are fine - mostly - when things go fantastic, and your opposition are narrow-minded pea-brains...the instant it goes sideways, you have a disaster -- that's why the military comes in with more people, because losing 30% of 400 self-programming battle computers means that you still have 310 left to complete the mission, while losing 30% of 40, means that you only have 31 left to complete a job that needed 300 to begin with. Try asking what went wrong in 2003, first. Contractors aren't used because they're better than the military -- they're used because a) no one gives a damn when they die, b) they don't get a GI Bill, and c) they provide a deniable asset to do things that would get you impeached at home.

[@fontaineking5158]

What the hell does a self programming battle computer do and why would you need 300 of them?

[@sixthugger]

I think he is referring to soldiers.

[@nicolasbenson8944]

Check your math. Lose 30% of your force of 400 and it would be difficult to complete a mission that requires 300...because you would only have 280 left.

[@theDudeOfDudes]

The Major < finally, someone in this thread who isn't a dumbass. Thank you for speaking facts. I've seen a fair share of contractors getting their asses handed to them and most of them I've encountered had fairly questionable morals. Stossel is an idiot looking in from the outside.

[@elymolloy8333]

@@nicolasbenson8944 he was rounding... but nice math nazism. Feel smart?

[@jefrey5578]

I did 8 months with DynCorps and another 8 with triple canopy after retiring from the army. I only discharged my weapon twice. It was most cake jobs pulling security in the rear freeing marines to go and do their job. Private contracting is a good gig for a guy that has little to no family.

[@The_Ballo]

The main problem with mercenaries is they don't function under JAG or any other judicial review. If that were remedied I could endorse them whole heartedly.

[@georgeryan8267]

Trump needs to see this video

[@denwilson7278]

He was there

[@guyarrol582]

Trump needs to be in prison

[@ItzSmiT]

@@truebeliever786 ok buddy war happens and will always happen you can fight it but it wont change the fact

[@truebeliever786]

@@ItzSmiT That's like saying pedophilia or rape happens and nothing's going to change it, therefore you should just shut up about it. Yeah, no. I'll still talk against any crime, especially war crimes, which are on a much larger scale than virtually all other crimes. There needs to be accountability for all criminals, even if they wear fancy suits and ties and call themselves "Presidents" or "Senators".

[@Xpistos510]

Please no. He’s dumb enough to do it.

[@nelsonmiller6216]

AMEN!!!

[@ubon11]

Private military contractors are an awesome resource. I spent 23 years in the military, but I wasn’t always focused on the mission. I would worry about performance reports, worry about fitness exams, worry about doing enough community service, worry about completing all the countless hours of useless training, worry about anything and everything under the sun. But once I became a contractor, it was all about performing the mission, meeting my performance work standard, that’s it. I no longer worried about anything, I was free to do my job to the best of my ability. I think we should shrink the military and give a lot of those jobs to private contractors. Don’t get me wrong, the military still needs to be the leadership, but a lot of support positions could be transitioned to contractors. The support to the warfighter would be profoundly improved.

[@megaleadjp]

Private prisons have a bad reputation for cutting corners and sloppy effort.

[@yehudaertel9931]

If a anything pmc's subvert the military industrial complex, by simply going around the military

[@Lobsterwithinternet]

Are you kidding me? They ARE the Military Industrial Complex!

[@maddin95k1]

This is just making the government more efficient that I want to get rid of. I am all for private security but not to strengthen the position of government.

[@litigioussociety4249]

maddin95k1 True, but at least some privatization is better than none, and adds accountability. Had those four men done the same thing as soldiers, they would probably never have been punished, and the government would have found some way to cover it up as necessary, collateral damage.

[@maddin95k1]

That's a very good argument but does not change the fact that the US shouldn't be in most of those countries in the first place. Also with lower cost of operation the US government might get the idea that they can fund more operations.

[@ThreeReichsandYoureOut]

I agree, but it isn't so simple. If we arent there killing and buying off dictators, it's the Chinese (Africa) or Russians (Middle East). They're all just proxy wars, expensive, dreadful, time consuming proxy wars.

[@AbB-nv2wk]

deathbypowerpoint. Sure thats why soldiers in Iraq always carried an AK on them to drop. They made sure the kills were all "combatants". Some accountability.

[@AbB-nv2wk]

Three Reichs and You're Out! China has been dominating via trade and has shown great military restraint. Its a whole different approach to Africa than the old colonial powers. The US is eager for war because we've screwed the economic pooch and are desperate to win with what we have. I for one will not fight another proxy war. Time we accept that our empires dominance is over, and reject using immoral to cling to that power

[@billthompson5644]

Yeah just look at all the money Halliburton made that Dick Cheney said he "wasn't" associated with anymore.

[@frankcaceres1621]

These companies are 100% more effective than the government. More responsible and more profesional.

[@ScalesOfBalance]

I always say that I didn't like Blackwater but they are a good example of how we should run our military.

[@Maurinusa]

Great, video. The media never gives you this side of the story

[@BR54966]

I'm ex SSG Airborne Infantryman Combat Vet, Maritime Security officer trained,worked in Central America, Middle East and Far East Now to old(53) to keep Ops ongoing THIS SUCKS

[@jackmegaro9591]

Also worth noting the heroes of the 2012 Benghazi attack were also private security contractors. An all volunteer gov't military certainly isn't morally superior to an all volunteer private military.

[@vladanlausevic7971]

But does it matter how many missions they did? The point is not to make wars and invasions

[@phlsky]

No. The government shouldn't employ or use mercenaries.

[@michaelweston6083]

Private security with a government paycheck, I like the sound of that. I know what my new job will be.

[@brotherchrisrco1125]

This is a tough one. Anything that undermines our Military is not popular...

[@Austinfamily1]

Rachael madcow is just jealous

[@matikhorasani3842]

Either the US military is extremely incompetent which I doubt or it just simply wants to drag the war in Afghanistan for as long as it takes. The war in Afghanistan with could be over by next month with a decisive victory with the right tactics and strategy and I highly do believe Erik prince's plan will work. An unconventional war requires unconventional methods.

[@Jotto999]

John, you have a way of rekindling my disgust for the government interference in a variety of areas.

[@emilianocaprili4160]

No, the fact isn't that the media do not want report good things about private militaries, the fact is that the media don't want report that we need of bad guys, if we want live a life carefree, quiet and paceful.