The Private Military Industry

Abstract

In order to answer the research questions of this thesis and thus explain to what extent, how, and why KBR and their subcontractors operating under USG contracts in Iraq continue to be involved in human trafficking and forced labor with impunity, this chapter highlights the rise and the dynamics of the private military industry in general as well as the special and unprecedented role private military contractors (PMCs) played in US-occupied Iraq. Therefore, this chapter will firstly elaborate on major factors contributing to the development and rise of the private military industry during the last decades. Secondly, the different business sectors of the industry will be briefly described, followed by a depiction of the implications and challenges resulting from the increased use of PMCs in military operations. Lastly, this chapter will elucidate the role of PMCs in US-occupied Iraq.