No Contractors on the Battlefield: The Dutch Military’s Reluctance to Outsource

Abstract

Generally speaking, the Dutch Armed Forces do not resort to the services of private military companies (PMCs). But one particular American private military company partially provides the training of Dutch Special Forces. Units of the Special Forces follow specific courses at the Blackwater USA’s training center in North Carolina. This center is developed and run by ex-members of the Special Forces of the army, the navy, and the police force and offers a wide variety of shooting ranges and other specialist training facilities. (Korps Commando Troepen 2005). This example demonstrates that the use of private military companies is not only relevant to the major military powers. It is also important to smaller nations like the Netherlands. These nations may have to adapt their policies and maybe even the structure of their armed forces to adjust to the new trend. However, despite international developments, the Dutch government seems reluctant to subcontract military related tasks. The present reluctance is in marked contrast to Dutch history that is rich in privatized warfare. For example, during the war of independence against Spain, the 80 Years War, Dutch merchants were known to sell ammunition to their sworn enemies, the Spaniards.