...and my 8,000th post!

Just Finished Reading: Just Warriors, Inc – The Ethics of Privatised Force by Deane-Peter Baker (FP: 2011)

They’ve probably been around for as long as humans have been engaging in organised warfare – those who fight for gold rather than land, or state or family. It’s where the name ‘Freelance’ comes from, where knights hired themselves out to princes fighting in faraway places for money and with the opportunity for glory or just the fun of the fight. Today they’re known as mercenaries or, in a less pejorative and more politically correct sense, private contractors or variations thereof. In more recent years still we know them as organisations such as Executive Outcomes and Blackwater as well as other less well-known company’s whose business is security, personal protection and, very occasionally, actual war fighting. This is a state of affairs the author argues (and I agree with) which is not only here to stay but one set to grow in the future. But is that a good thing? Surely privatised violence is inherently a bad thing that can only erode a state’s legitimacy and lead to all kinds of regrettable outcomes? After all mercenaries have no honour, no loyalty and no reason to be trusted with the lives of others. Right?

I did a unit of Military Ethics (called War & Peace Studies) as part of my first BA degree and really enjoyed it so this was, despite my philosophical muscles being a little rusty, right up my street. It took a while to get back up to speed on terms and Just War Theory but once there the book hummed along nicely. I quickly learnt exactly where the author was coming from because this was no even handed work of philosophy. Clearly he was pro-Combat Contractor, that was obvious from early on – but this did not distract from the good arguments put forward in their defence. Section by section the author logically demonstrated that there was little practical or philosophical difference between State soldiers and their private counterparts. Both exhibited courage, both had honour, and showed the understood military virtues – indeed generally private soldiers used to be state soldiers or police prior to them going private. The idea that what was once acceptable was no longer the case because of a change of direct employer was quickly dismissed. Indeed the only negative thing the author could point to was the fact that private soldiers could not be expected to lay down their lives if the mission or the circumstances demanded it. Potentially you could pay the expected grieving families an additional bounty for acts of sacrifice by private soldiers but you could not reasonably have such sacrifice written into their contracts. State soldiers however would understand that they might be called on to lay down their lives ‘for the greater good’ and then go on and do so and we would call them heroes because of their sacrificial actions. But apart from that? The author sees no significant downside and several (at least slight) upsides to employing mercenaries at least on some missions and in some situations.

Outsourcing war is coming I believe. I don’t think it will be completely privatised but I can see admin functions going to contract, logistics, satellite services (GPS, surveillance), guarding of base installations and even some ‘Special Forces’ units in their entirety. Commanders will be able to buy specialisms off the shelf as part of their deployment ‘in theatre’ with probably more flexibility than with state provided units at their disposal. There are financial, tactical and ethical advantages that can’t and won’t be ignored for long. Mercenaries have picked up a bad reputation over the centuries. This book goes part way towards addressing that. Interesting.

Cartoon Time (click to enlarge).

Kid! You're supposed to use a SHELL to hear the sea......

Is Democracy Dying?

There is much talk on the streets and in the newsrooms that Democracy itself is in trouble – and not just in Trump’s America. People talk of a 1930’s vibe when democracies across the world trembled, some fell, and it looked briefly like the great democratic experiment was coming to an end. Is that’s what is happening today? Was the 2008 banking crisis our 1929 Wall Street Crash? Are we heading for another Stalin, Mussolini or Hitler to arise if he hasn’t done so already? Are things anywhere near that bad?

It has been said, more than half jokingly, that although History doesn’t repeat itself sometimes it does rhyme. So it’s not hard to see a number of similarities between what was happening across the world in the run up to World War Two and today’s headlines. I think it’s beyond argument that it’s something we should all be concerned about. Few democracies die because of a political or military coup. When they fail, as German and Italian democracy failed, it was through a mixture of fear, opportunism and neglect. The apparent similarities, especially in the US, are striking. Could a popularist demagogue so undermine American democracy that he could become the country’s first Fascist dictator? Could it happen here (or actually there)? Yes, it could. I don’t believe that there’s anything unique about America to stop something like that ever happening? Is it happening now or could it happen soon? Well, I really don’t think so.

Democracies that fail are usually in such a weakened state, after war, revolution or economic collapse, that dictatorship is often seen as the solution to problems that cannot be addressed in any other way. Democratic systems throughout Europe, the US and across the world are nowhere near that state today and for many it is almost inconceivable that they will get there. Despite the present quiet compliance of the US Republican party other organs of the democratic spirit are working exactly as they should despite, or even because they are, being under almost daily attack. Democracy is most certainly being challenged in the US but I for one do not believe it is under threat. Indeed it is clear that the behaviour of the incumbent in the Whitehouse is galvanising a democratic (in both senses of the word) opposition that may very well tip the balance of power in November. The young in particular, on both sides of the pond, are waking up to the fact that their vote not only matters but that if they abrogate their responsibility to be politically active citizens then others who do not have their interests in mind will make decisions for them that they could regret for a very long time indeed – the Brexit vote for example. As Obama said in his speech just recently, if you think that your vote has no meaning or is a waste of your time then the last two years should have disabused you of that. That’s a message that was heard on both Atlantic coasts. After the doldrums of the 90’s when the voting numbers fell on almost every election we are now looking at increasing numbers of people – and especially people under 30 – who will vote in local elections never mind national one’s. The Scottish Independence referendum was a revelation to many with the numbers who turned out as well as the quality of the debate at the grass roots level.

The rise of Nationalist parties, Popular Fronts, Independence Movements and much else besides has increasingly politicised a generation of previously cynical non-voters. Rather than the 1930’s the present political situation looks more like the 1960’s and 1970’s (Nixon being much talked about presently!) with rising protests and increasing political activism. This is not to say that we should not worry. We have every right to be afraid for our democratic norms. But democracy is far from dead. It is, indeed, far from wounded. Maybe we all needed this situation we are going through in order to wake us up from our complacency. Democracy, just like a fabulous houseplant, needs to be nurtured and cared for. Neglected for too long, taken for granted, it will sicken. What we are seeing are the signs of neglect. Some leaves have turned yellow at the edges. The soil is dry and needs watering. Its death, although foretold, has been greatly exaggerated. Democracy is stronger than that. Just don’t forget to vote every time you can….       

Cartoon Time.

Dutchman wins bookshop in west Wales win raffle draw

From The BBC

8th September 2018

As far as raffle prizes go, they do not come much bigger, or as surreal, as the one offered by Paul Morris. The 57-year-old book store owner gave customers the chance to win his shop Bookends in west Wales along with its contents if they spent more than £20. Mr Morris, who is taking early retirement, said he wanted to give it to someone who may not usually have the chance to run their own business. The winning ticket was picked by sci-fi fan and Dutchman Ceisjan Van Heerden. He will be giving up his job in customer service to relocate to Cardigan in Ceredigion, on the west Wales coast. "I was so shocked when I heard I had won," said Mr Van Heerden. "It's surreal. I had a coffee and a sit down to take it all in."

Father-of-two Mr Morris set up Bookends in 2014 after decades working in the publishing industry. "I'd always thought Cardigan needed a book store and one night I was on eBay when I saw 18,000 books for sale - and it went from there." Two lorry trips later - and six days of shelf stacking - the shop was up and running and has hosted in-store appearances by poets and authors. However, with Mr Morris' osteoarthritis worsening over the years he reluctantly decided to call it a day - but wanted to sell it with a difference. For three months, people who spent more than £20 were entered into a raffle. "I didn't want to sell the shop and then see a chain take it over - I wanted it to stay a bookshop but give someone different a go," he said. "I figured a raffle would be good, because no-one loses. Even if they did not get the shop, they still have some great books to read."

On 1 September, number 33 was picked out of the hat to the tune of The Winner Takes It All by Abba in a packed bookshop. Its new owner Mr Van Heerden, known to friends as CJ, learned of his good fortune through a text message. He said he plans to run the shop with his friend Svaen Bjorn, from Iceland. The pair have been friends for the past nine years after meeting on the internet - but have never actually met face-to-face. "It might sound strange, but we can make it work and it is just an amazing opportunity," said Mr Van Heerden, ahead of the formal hand-over on 5 November.

[Oh, for the want of a raffle ticket!]

Cafe Society.......

"We sleep soundly in our beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf."

Winston Churchill (attributed).