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24terms such as legitimacy, particularly in <strong>the</strong> third world, means that this issue can onlybe resolved according to <strong>the</strong> interests of a particular state on a case-by-case basis.Sixth, PMC may control or suppress conflict in a state, but may not resolve <strong>the</strong>fundamental issues which caused that conflict. PMC may also be contracted to actagainst legitimate desires for self-determination or even revolution.Seventh, PMC may not wish to completely resolve conflict, as to do so wouldremove <strong>the</strong> requirement for fur<strong>the</strong>r contracts. 80 A tension may exist between <strong>the</strong> needto provide efficient services to <strong>the</strong> host country yet retain a lucrative contract.Eighth, PMC may disregard <strong>the</strong> laws of war and perpetrate human rights abuses.The Blackwater scandal is often cited as evidence of <strong>the</strong> potential for such activity. PMCtroops, like all soldiers, require good leadership and training to remove <strong>the</strong> temptationto misuse <strong>the</strong>ir power. 81Ninth, <strong>the</strong> loyalty and willingness for self-sacrifice espoused by PMC troops may beless than that of national armed forces. Leading military philosopher General Sir JohnHackett wrote in <strong>the</strong> 1980s of <strong>the</strong> ‘unlimited liability’ of military service—a pointedreference to <strong>the</strong> fact that getting killed may actually be part of <strong>the</strong> job. He questioned<strong>the</strong> level of such ‘liability’ among PMC troops:A man will suffer great inconvenience and hardship for pay, and inflict a greatdeal more of it on o<strong>the</strong>r people. Men have often been known to kill o<strong>the</strong>rs formoney, but <strong>the</strong> cases where <strong>the</strong>y will sell <strong>the</strong>ir own lives for cash alone are, Iimagine, exceedingly rare. 82Reputation and reliabilityPMC personnel are motivated by relatively high remuneration, <strong>the</strong> desire foradventure and higher callings such as patriotism. Higher remuneration is one of <strong>the</strong>primary reasons for disquiet about <strong>the</strong> operations of <strong>the</strong> PMC. Yet, as Michael Walzerinsists, <strong>the</strong>re is no clear difference between troops from national armed forces andhired troops ‘who sell <strong>the</strong>ir services on <strong>the</strong> open market’. 83 The all-volunteer forces80 It is generally accepted that this occurred during <strong>the</strong> Nigerian Civil War of 1967–1970.81 G S Thomas, Mercenary Troops in Modern Africa, Westview Press, Boulder, 1984, pp. 51–52, 65–67.82 J Hackett, The Profession of Arms, Book Club Associates, London, 1983, p. 52.83 M Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations, Penguin Books,Ringwood, Victoria, 1977, p. 27.

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