The Global Army That Supports Wars - A Closer Look

In the realm of international conflicts, wars are fought not only by the armed forces native to a particular country, but also by a hidden global army that operates behind the scenes. This army consists of various individuals, organizations, and countries that support wars through different means, whether it be supplying troops, providing resources, or orchestrating strategic moves. In this article, we delve deeper into this hidden world, shedding light on the unseen forces that shape the outcomes of wars around the globe.

Understanding the Role of Private Military Contractors

One aspect of this global army is the presence of private military contractors (PMCs). These are private companies that specialize in providing military and security services to governments, corporations, and non-governmental organizations. PMCs often have highly trained personnel with experience in various fields of warfare.

Empire’s Labor: The Global Army That Supports U.S. Wars

by Adam Moore (Kindle Edition)

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4459 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	250 pages

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Through their active involvement, PMCs have played a significant role in recent conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other war-torn regions. Their involvement brings up concerns about accountability, transparency, and potential ethical issues. The use of private military contractors blurs the line between traditional state-sponsored military operations and the influence of private interests in warfare.

The Power of Arms Dealers in Fueling Wars

Arms dealers, another key component of the global army, are businesses that manufacture, trade, and distribute weapons and military equipment to governments, rebel groups, and various factions involved in conflicts. They operate in a billion-dollar industry that thrives on supplying the tools of war.

While arms dealers claim to follow strict regulations and ensure their products are responsibly sold, reports have surfaced indicating the involvement of certain dealers in fueling conflicts for financial gain. These allegations pose significant challenges to peacekeeping efforts and have led to increased calls for stricter regulations on the global arms trade.

Diplomatic Support and International Alliances

Behind every war, there are countries and alliances providing diplomatic support to one side or the other. These nations often have vested interests in the outcome of a conflict, be it securing access to resources, gaining influence over a region, or maintaining geopolitical stability.

International alliances, such as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), play a crucial role in supporting wars. They provide military aid, logistical support, and diplomatic backing, creating a united front against conflicting parties. However, these alliances can also lead to complex webs of geopolitical dynamics, escalating the scale and severity of conflicts.

The Role of Intelligence Agencies

Intelligence agencies from various countries form another vital part of the global army that supports wars. These agencies gather and analyze information on potential threats, offer guidance to their governments, and engage in covert operations to gain a strategic advantage.

The often-secretive nature of intelligence agencies means their actions are frequently undisclosed to the public. However, their involvement has been a significant factor throughout history, shaping the outcomes of wars by providing essential intelligence, coordinating operations, and infiltrating enemy networks.

The Impact of Economic Interests

Behind many conflicts lie economic interests that drive certain actors to support wars. Whether it is control over valuable resources, access to lucrative markets, or securing economic dominance, these interests often have a significant impact on the global army that supports wars.

Transnational corporations, multinational banking institutions, and even individual investors can indirectly contribute to conflicts by financing or benefiting from them. Understanding the underlying economic factors can provide insight into the intricate web of interests intertwined with global conflicts.

The global army that supports wars operates far beyond the traditional armed forces of nations. Through private military contractors, arms dealers, diplomatic support, intelligence agencies, and economic interests, conflicts are sustained, escalated, and influenced. Recognizing the influence and dynamics of this unseen army is crucial to understanding the complexities of wars in our world today.

By shedding light on these hidden aspects, we can engage in meaningful discussions about the ethics, accountability, and potential consequences of the extensive network that supports wars around the globe.

Empire’s Labor: The Global Army That Supports U.S. Wars

by Adam Moore (Kindle Edition)

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4459 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	250 pages

FREE

In a dramatic unveiling of the little-known world of contracted military logistics, Adam Moore examines the lives of the global army of laborers who support US overseas wars. Empire's Labor brings us the experience of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who perform jobs such as truck drivers and administrative assistants at bases located in warzones in the Middle East and Africa. He highlights the changes the US military has undergone since the Vietnam War, when the ratio of contractors to uniformed personnel was roughly 1:6. In Afghanistan it has been as high as 4:1. This growth in logistics contracting represents a fundamental change in how the US fights wars, with the military now dependent on a huge pool of contractors recruited from around the world. It also, Moore demonstrates, has social, economic, and political implications that extend well beyond the battlefields.

Focusing on workers from the Philippines and Bosnia, two major sources of "third country national" (TCN) military labor, Moore explains the rise of large-scale logistics outsourcing since the end of the Cold War; describes the networks, infrastructures, and practices that span the spaces through which people, information, and goods circulate; and reveals the experiences of foreign workers, from the hidden dynamics of labor activism on bases, to the economic and social impacts these jobs have on their families and the communities they hail from. Through his extensive fieldwork and interviews, Moore gives voice to the agency and aspirations of the many thousands of foreigners who labor for the US military.

Thanks to generous funding from UCLA and its participation in TOME (Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem), the ebook editions of this book are available as Open Access volumes from Cornell Open (cornellopen.org) and other repositories.