In its tradition of sponsoring war advocates, the Miller Center is bringing Erik Prince to speak:
April 15, 11:00 AM
Television Broadcast: May 3, 2015
ANN HAGEDORN, author of The Invisible Soldiers: How America Outsourced Our Security, and ERIK PRINCE, founder of the famously controversial Blackwater private-security company, discuss and debate whether the U.S. has made a mistake in its growing reliance on private para-military operators. Prince is the author of the new book, Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror. Hagedorn is a former reporter at the Wall Street Journal and instructor at Northwestern University and Columbia University. Her book examines private military and security companies that have profited from the trend, and profiles members of Congress who see dangers in the practice but have been unable to limit it. A book signing will follow their Forum.
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Making this a debate hardly excuses it, and the range of debate can be expected to be quite limited between the two extremes of: “Mercenaries murder best” and “Murdering foreigners is a public service that shouldn’t be outsourced.”
Prince has moved to Abu Dhabi and apparently engaged in gray mailing the U.S. government to hold off criminal charges against him. He’s protested in his home town in Michigan. Surely, Charlottesville can match that.
Note that Prince is coming to town to hype hired mercenaries on tax day. Here are some relevant events:
April 13, Global Day of Action Against Military Spending
April 15, March for the Homeless