A selection of news articles published since 1999. Although there has been an extraordinary emphasis on Blackwater Worldwide over the last three years, do not be fooled. The firm is not representative of the private military industry at large as media spin likes to show. For today's news, please go to the HOME page and click on the options offered. For topical reports, visit our DIGG community. To conduct you own search, visit the NEWS AGENCIES page.

• Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/

In Africa, Iraq, hired guns walk uneasy legal path. By Peter Apps, 21 Jul 2005: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/print.asp?page=2005%5C07%5C23%5Cstory_23-7-2005_pg4_14 (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L15291476.htm)

If piracy meets terrorism, the world will shake. By Jason Szep, 24 May 2005: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2005/05/24/2003256430

Fears of terrorism by sea in Southeast Asia. By Jason Szep, 23 May 2005: http://www.whisprwave.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249 (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP315058.htm)

• The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/

Questions for Tim Collins. 12 June 2005: http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Questions-for-Tim-Collins/2005/06/12/1118514914282.html

• The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Colonel Jim Johnson, co-founder of KMS: Obituary. 13 August 2008: click here

MoD shunned chance to hire more helicopters from 3S. By Thomas Harding, 18 June 2007: click here

Security firms look for a move into aid work. By Colin Freeman, 19 November 2006: click here

Security firm collects £112m for work in Iraq. By Ben Quinn, 17 November 2006: click here

Africa falls prey to the 'dogs of war' as Pretoria drives out mercenaries. By Colin Freeman and Stephen Bevan, 5 November 2006: click here

South African ban could hit British forces' recruitment. By David Blair, 31 August 2006: click here

Top brass warn against union for the Armed Forces. By Sean Rayment, 4 June 2006: click here

'The Army is a moral force. It's a force for good in the world. That's why people join'. Rachel Sylvester interviews Maj Gen Andrew Ritchie, the retiring commandant of Sandhurst. 3 June 2006: click here

US army officers learn harsh lesson in history. By Alec Russell in Fort Leavenworth, 3 June 2006: click here

Aged mercenary on trial in Paris. By Colin Randall, 21 February 2006:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/21/wdenard21.xml

New Iraq 'trophy videos' raise fears on civilian deaths. By Sean Rayment, 4 December 2005:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/04/nirq104.xml

Crisis as SAS men quit for lucrative Iraq jobs. By Thomas Harding, 14 February 2005: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/14/nsas14.xml

$150,000 incentive to stay in US elite forces. By Alec Russell in Washington, 7 February 2005: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/07/welite07.xml

Soldiers to be allowed a year off to go to Iraq to earn £500 a day as guards.
By Sean Rayment, 23 May 2004: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/05/23/nirq123.xml

Mercenaries killed in Comoros coup attempt. By Adrian Blomfield, 20 December 2001:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/12/20/wcoup20.xml

• The Times and Sunday Times (UK). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/

Snatched without a shot. At 11.50am on 29 May five Britons were seized in a supposedly secure government building in Baghdad. They were working in Baghdad for GardaWorld, the Canadian security company that recently took over Kroll Security International. By Jon Swain, 3 June 2007: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1875657.ece

Providing safe passage in hostile lands. Streamlined Armed Forces enable private firms to excel at security in Iraq, reports our correspondent. By David Robertson, 16 November 2006: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,5-2455789.html

'Law has become a military instrument'. By David Kennedy, Hudson Professor of Law, Harvard Law School. Transcript of a speech to the Institute for Policy Research in London on October 24, 2006: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,28009-2421392.html

Drayson's plan for military. The Ministry of Defence wants to create a research environment similar to that found in the pharmaceutical and software industries. By David Robertson, 18 October 2006: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9067-2409103.html

British hire anti-Taliban mercenaries. By Christina Lamb, 8 October 2006: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2393659.html

Scratcher's downfall. The good life came to an end for Mark Thatcher after he blundered among the plotters in the 'Wonga Coup'. What was he up to? An unrepentant 'Scratcher' gives Adam Roberts his acerbic answers to an African riddle. 11 June 2006: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-2219980.html

Dog of war builds £62m business on Iraq. Tim Spicer makes fortune from Pentagon deal. By Tracey Boles, 5 February 2006: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2025697.html

War: Rules of Engagement by Tim Collins. Reviewed by Hugh McManners, 29 May 2005: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2102-1626689,00.html

• Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/

Securing a niche among Quebec's business elite. Stéphan Crétier, once a guard at The Bay, now heads one the world's largest security firms. By Sean Gordon, 18 June 2007: http://www.thestar.com/News/article/226457

Five Britons abducted in Iraq. Iraqi-U.S. forces conduct raids after civilians captured by men in police uniforms. By AP, 30 May 2007: http://www.thestar.com/article/219373

Garda shares drop after Iraq abduction. By Laura Borak, 29 May 2007: http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/218955

Pirates disrupt Somalia aid flow. By AP, 22 May 2007: http://www.thestar.com/article/216237

• Washington Times. http://washingtontimes.com/

Analysis: Mercenary as future peacekeeper? By Christian Bourge, 25 August 2003: http://www.sandline.com/hotlinks/Mercenary_as_future_peacekeeper.html (http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20030825-021923-2441r.htm)

• The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/

U.S. Army Awards Iraq Security Work To British Firm Aegis Defence Services. By Alec Klein, 14 September 2007: click here

Aegis Defence Services and ArmorGroup International are Finalists for U.S. Job in Iraq. By Alec Klein, 28 July 2007: click here

ArmorGroup International Bids for Iraq Security Contract. By Alec Klein and Steve Fainaru, 12 May 2007: click here

The Builder Who Bombed in Iraq. Battered Over Failed Projects, Parsons's CEO Fires Back at Government Critics. By Griff Witte, 22 December 2006: click here

Census Counts 100,000 Contractors in Iraq. Civilian Number, Duties Are Issues. By Renae Merle, 5 December 2006: click here

U.S. Building Massive Embassy in Baghdad. By Charles J. Hanley, 14 April 2006:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/14/AR2006041400921.html

KBR Files Initial Public Offering. The Associated Press, 14 April 2006:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/14/AR2006041401124.html

U.S. Plan to Build Iraq Clinics Falters. Contractor Will Try to Finish 20 of 142 Sites. By Ellen Knickmeyer,
3 April 2006: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/02/AR2006040201209.html

Invoices Detail Fairfax Firm's Billing for Iraq Work. By Griff Witte, 11 May 2005: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/10/AR2005051001680.html

Pentagon Revises Contractor Rules. By Renae Merle. 7 May 2005: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/06/AR2005050601359.html

• The Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/

Blackwater Quits Security the International Peace Operations Association. By August Cole, 11 October 2007: click here