First word that comes to mind when finishing this book is “Horrifying”.
It’s not the mysterious mercenaries in black cloth and full military gear roaming the globe shooting people with no accountability. It’s the government that lets them.
Refusing the idea of allowing for private armies to operate freely under no strict guiding laws seems like a no brainier to me. Yet Blackwater exists and have a booming business.
This book tells the story of how Blackwater, how it was formed, who are the main people behind it, what’s their background, highlights of their work in Iraq and Afghanistan, and stories from all around the world about mercenaries involved with Blackwater.
The book tends to read like reporting rather than telling a story. This could sometimes make it a little boring if you’re not really interested in the topic, especially when it comes to legal details. However, the amount of details and their importance trumps any slow down in some parts of the book.
This book is a must read for all those who heard about Eisenhower’s famous phrase “the military industrial complex” as Blackwater is the leader of the industry of military.