Private US military companies could help Kiev on the front lines in Ukraine, reports CNN. Such as the notorious company Blackwater, which now operates under an inconspicuous name.
Sending Western troops to Ukraine? The topic is explosive with regard to Russia, but also in each country’s own country. The Biden administration may now be working on an elegant solution: Members of the official US armed forces are not to be sent, but the government is considering lifting the ban on “military contractors” – the nice word for mercenaries. This is reported by CNN. Officials also told the broadcaster, however, that President Joe Biden has not yet given final approval for this. “We have not yet made a decision and it is premature to discuss it. The president is absolutely certain that he will not send US troops to Ukraine.”
Mercenary companies with a notorious past
So far, the Biden administration has made it a priority for Americans and especially US troops to stay away from the front. Numerous volunteers from all over the world are fighting on the Ukrainian side, and their funding is not officially discussed. According to the official interpretation, they are following their conscience. The American security companies – “private military companies” – could take this commitment to a whole new level. Especially after the second Iraq war, they actively participated in the occupation of the country and relieved the US military. But the reputation of these companies was also ruined in the process.
This includes Blackwater, probably the best-known company operating in this field. These companies enriched themselves unashamedly during the gold rush of the occupation. They are also responsible for attacks and war crimes. The “Iraq War Documents Leak” by Wikileaks and Julian Assange also brought the crimes of the mercenaries to light. Blackwater later chose the innocent name Academi. While the “Contractors” were initially praised as a panacea for a robust foreign policy, they then disappeared again into the gray area in which mercenaries usually operate.
Maintenance of US military equipment in Ukraine
CNN says that the mercenaries will be responsible for the maintenance and training of the military equipment supplied by America. This can take place far away from the front. These security companies have large networks and would be able to cover the task they have taken on in a long-term and systematic manner. They would not be dependent on the enthusiasm of volunteers, which is waning in the third year of the war. The “contractors” would also work with US companies and under their command. This makes them interesting for specialists who would not trust their lives to local commanders.
Kyiv needs more
The problem is that once the ban is broken, it seems unlikely that maintenance and training will be the only option. Ukraine’s needs are too great. However, it is unlikely that they will be deployed as a closed combat unit on the front, apart from commando missions. The losses in the hot zones are too great. In Iraq and elsewhere, these companies have fought against far inferior insurgents. In Ukraine, they would be up against the Russian army, which is superior in terms of raw firepower.
But Ukraine urgently needs instructors for those mobilized. And unlike in the first few years, the military training of those who are not entirely voluntarily called up must take place on their own territory. In Germany, the recruits could simply refuse to go to the front after their training.
Pilots for the F-16
“Military contractors” could solve one of Ukraine’s biggest problems: the F-16. Kiev and its western supporting states have high hopes for the deployment of the fighter jet. It is intended to challenge the Russians’ air supremacy at the front, end the use of glide bombs and inflict losses on Putin’s air force. Significant numbers of the jets have been committed, but who will maintain the sophisticated machines? And more importantly, who will fly them?
The training of Ukrainian personnel is time-consuming and it is not possible to train a large number of people at the same time. This means that there is a risk that the fighter jet will arrive at the front only in dribs and drabs. Security companies, on the other hand, can track down a large number of ex-technicians and former pilots and recruit significant numbers from among them. These companies not only appeal to patriotism, they also convince people with money. Each employee can also be confident that the fee will be paid.
Of course, the systematic use of US military personnel – albeit of a private nature – will, from Russia’s perspective, strengthen the suspicion of a proxy war. The “US contractors” can unleash a dangerous dynamic of their own. For the Russians, they are legitimate targets with a high priority. If they succeed in killing large numbers of the contract military, the White House can hardly pretend that this is none of the USA’s business.
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Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
