Victory for Hire

"Molly Dunigan's seminal piece on the role of private security companies (PSCs) is already considered a classic in the field since its appearance in 2011. Her work filled a gap in the perspective on 'mercenaries' on past and future battlefields, dealing in large part with the implications for sovereignty on the one hand, and international law on the other . . . [T]his succinct but comprehensive analysis has important implications in a time of austerity and a future of economization that will inevitably reach modern militaries around the world." -- Gustav M. Meibauer * <i>St. Antony's International Review</i> * "[Dunigan's] examples, analyses, and conclusions will be valuable for military leaders who work with security contractors, to citizens concerned about security contractor use, and to policy makers who decide whether to use them." -- Major Herman Reinhold * <i>Military Review</i> * "Victory for Hire provides an invaluable look into both the pernicious effects and the operational advantages that private security forces provide governments. A must read for those interested in security policy and the study of interstate war." -- Allan C. Stam, Professor of Political Science "Dunigan provides an in-depth analysis of a growing an unsettling trend, various states' use of private security forces. She fills a void in recent writings with her examination of the impact that private security contractors have on military effectiveness. With the ever-increasing tendency to outsource various missions to contractors, the question becomes: what impact will these personnel have on military operations? What makes this book unique are the author's recommendations for alleviating negative impacts." -- <I>Parameters</I>

Molly Dunigan is an Associate Political Scientist in the International Security Policy Group at the RAND Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was a lead author on the 2010 RAND Corporation monograph Hired Guns: Views About Armed Contractors in Operation Iraqi Freedom.