Dangerous Partnership - Global Policy Forum

Lou Pingeot | Dangerous Partnership
Cozy Relations with Host
Governments
Key parts of the PMSC industry have very close relations
with the governments of countries where they are headquartered.
This is particularly true of the US, which is by far
the largest source of company contracts, and it is the case
in the UK, which is home base (and prime contractor) to a
large number of firms.
Some companies, like DynCorp International, are almost
entirely dependent on their host country for contracts and
they see themselves as extensions of their government’s
policies and interests. DynCorp derived 96% of its 2009
revenue of $3.1 billion from the US government 40 and it
announces proudly on its website that it works “in support
of US national security and foreign policy objectives, delivering
support solutions for defense, diplomacy, and international
development.”
The exchange of top personnel between companies and
host governments makes for especially close relations, as
does the often secret nature of the contract work, which
touches on the most sensitive national security, military and
intelligence issues.
Observers believe that many PMSCs are extensions of their
host governments’ foreign and military policy and instruments
of their nation’s economic interests. A recent French
government report notes enviously the powerful influence
of the “Anglo-Saxon” (US and UK) security companies and
comments that they are advancing the economic interests
of their host governments in places like Libya to the
detriment of French interests. It concludes that the firms
act as “a formidable lever of influence for their country of
origin,” 41 that they enable governments to have a “military”
presence without actually intervening directly, and
that France needs to promote its own PMSC industry if it is
to compete effectively.
Branding and Public Relations
The private military and security industry has made great
efforts to shake off the “mercenary” label and brand itself
as a respectable and legitimate business. Through an active
public relations campaign, it is seeking to identify itself
through neutral terms such as “Private Security Providers”
(PSPs). Industry heavyweight Securitas touts its three core
values as “Integrity, Vigilance and Helpfulness.” 42
As part of this PR campaign, many security companies feature
their “corporate ethics” and “code of conduct” prominently
on their website. 43 To prove a commitment to ethical
practices, some have joined the non-binding UN Global
Compact. 44 Compact members include G4S, Securitas, Aegis,
Mission Essential Personnel and IDG Security. The toothless
International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service
Providers, 45 which the companies helped bring into being,
is yet another vehicle for company reputation-building. Like
the Global Compact, it is very low on accountability.
Industry lobby groups have adopted names that evoke
comfortable and positive concepts, such as the Washingtonbased
International Stability Operations Association (ISOA)
and the British Association of Private Security Companies
(BAPSC). These groups affirm that their industry provides
“peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction” 46 as well
as “nation building and security sector reform.” 47 By using
United Nations policy language, evocative of peace, legality
and economic progress, the industry attempts to dissociate
itself from its tarnished image and from the traditional
idea of mercenaries as assassins, coup-plotters, demolition
experts, and purveyors of violence for hire. Mergers and
name changes also help to shake off bad reputations. The
infamous Blackwater has changed its name twice in a short
period, first to Xe in 2009 and then to Academi in 2011.
The industry features humanitarian imagery and language
in its public communications. The ISOA, for instance, advertises
its members as providing “humanitarian aid” and
14
40 DynCorp International Annual Report, 2009, 3.
41 Christian Menard and Jean-Claude Viollet, note 13 above, 15.
42 www.securitas.com/us/en/About-Securitas1/Our-Values/.
43 See, for instance, Hart Security (www.hartsecurity.com/aboutus_codeofconduct.asp),
IDG Security (http://web.mac.com/idgsecurity/
idg-security/Our_Ethos.html), or Aegis (www.aegisworld.com/index.
php/code-of-conduct-2).
44 To join the Global Compact, companies only have to agree nomally
to respect core principles of human rights, labor, the environment,
and anti-corruption, and submit a yearly report on their performance.
45 www.icoc-psp.org/.
46 This exact description was available on the old version of the
ISOA website as late as January 2011.
47 BAPSC website: www.bapsc.org.uk/?aboutus=about-us.