By Jake Allen
Master of War, Blackwater USA’s Erik Prince and the Business of War by Suzanne Simons is a must read for anyone looking for a down-the-middle analysis of both the history of Blackwater and the explosion of the private military sector in the 21st century. Simons is no industry apologist. Nor does she put forth the typical and by now predictable fare we are used to reading about Prince, Blackwater or the industry at large. Her style is objective and balanced and thus very refreshing and thought provoking.
Though the title leads one to believe that the scope of the book is only that of Mr. Prince readers will be pleasantly surprised to find that Simons tackles many of the larger questions such as why and how the private security industry was able to blossom in the post Iraq invasion. It’s so easy these days for critics of the industry to blame the participants instead of focusing their spotlights on why their existence is even necessary.
I found the stories from Prince’s upbringing in Michigan fascinating. Simons narrative style takes the reader on a compelling personal journey from Prince’s privileged upbringing in Michigan where he learned lessons of life and business from his father whose death forced an early exit from the Navy and allowed him to apply his substantial means towards his vision for the future of military training.
By Suzanne Simons
Two well known but apt phrases come to mind when thinking about the Blackwater story. The first is, ‘It’s not what you know but who you know.’ Simons illustrates how Prince’s access to government officials at the highest levels are simply unprecedented and allowed the fledgling firm with its unique concept to win opportunities that eluded many of the older more established defense contractors.
The other phrase that comes to mind is, ‘Life is all about timing.’ Blackwater was founded by Prince and Gary Jackson barely three years before the attacks on 9-11 but that seminal event in world history forced the U.S. government to reach out for services that in many cases only Prince was willing to provide. Perhaps no other company in the world would come to benefit, on a percent growth basis, to the degree Blackwater did. Simons details both the early days before the war in Iraq and the explosive growth that the company experienced during the war.
Speaking of timing this book comes out at a time when Blackwater, now Xe, is experiencing a new wave of allegations, some of which are directed specifically and personally at Prince. The looming trial of 4 Blackwater contractors for their part in the Nisour Square shooting will come to blanket the front pages of newspapers around the world and mixed in with the facts and the testimony at the trial will be huge doses of conjecture from all sides in the media. I encourage you to read this book, especially now, to put into context the company and its founder so that you are able to digest all that you read.
Well, enough from me, Ms. Simons was generous enough to spend some time on the phone talking about her book and what led her to write it. Apologies for the audio quality in some places, it smooths out after the first couple of minutes.
[podcast]http://www.privatemilitaryherald.com/podcast/SuzanneSimons.mp3[/podcast]
