Eeben Barlow: Inside the world of private military contractors - Part 2 | Talk to Al Jazeera
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- čas přidán 4. 01. 2020
- For years, private armies have provided services to governments around the world. They are often secretive and operate in the shadows.
Blackwater - now known as Academi - is one of the most well-known private armies. It has provided troops and other services to the US government in different conflicts, including the Iraq war.
But it is not always clear how these private armies are formed, where they operate, or even what their missions consist of.
Eeben Barlow is chairman of 'Specialised Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection International' - a private army that - according to Barlow - has operated throughout Africa and beyond. He was also behind another similar company that shut down in 1998 - called Executive Outcomes.
And while many argue private armies are mercenaries doing the jobs governments do not want to do - Barlow insists his operations are legitimate and follow international law.
So who makes sure these armies are indeed following international law? How do they operate? And is there accountability?
Eeben Barlow provides an insight into the world of private military contractors as he talks to Al Jazeera about his company's role in fighting Boko Haram in Nigeria, the LRA in Uganda and other conflicts across Africa.
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Eeben speaks like a GENERAL of GENERALs. Full of military wisdom.
He reminds me of General Lettow-Vorbeck from World War 1, using nonlinear and non-European (Western) tactics for success against his combatants.
One of the rare instances where the interviewer doesn't impose a narrative on the guest and actually does their job.
A great interview. The interviewer was skilled and non-biased in his questions, and as a result he got answers without having to fight for them.
Facts
@@zebull399This is why I like Al Jazeera. I don't always agree with their opinions, but I do agree with their interviewing methods. I find myself trusting their interviews more than ones conducted by news agencies from my own continent. I also love their break downs of countries and events, giving background.
@@ostrowulf I agree bro
Good thing he’s still alive to properly deliver his testimony.
As a South African absolute Respect to Mr.Barlow, if governments truely wanted peace, he would be that person to secure it!
Totally agree.
Respect Sir
I think indigenous South Africans ie black SAns would question that. Peace is not absence of war but true freedom which he didn't seem to vouch for during apartheid.
@@user-rc9qi6yp6k You have missed the boat completely! Good vs evil, there is no skin colour involved. Who better than Eben Barlow to prove this fact, having worked and trained with some of the best fighting men in Africa who are black Africans. He was in 32 Battalion during the apartheid era, a unit which was by far predominantly black. What are black African governments doing for their own people? Making them suffer, corruption, unnecessary victims of war. As Eben always says, why is Africa the richest continent but also the poorest?
Think about that before you point fingers at skin colours, esp on a vid about a man that has a passion to help the people of this continent. Be very careful that you don't fall victim to the pathetic lying media's perspective.
He speaks with a certain love of Africa.
Funny how the PMCs that attempted to clone Executive Outcomes or STTEP never understood that EO was far more than a mere "Business Model". Eeben Barlow and his staff have the credentials of many years of successful experience behind them.
Extraordinary man, he has my absolute respect.
Eeban Barlow is by far the most underrated and least utilized private security consultants in the world. His book Composite Warfare: The Conduct of Successful Ground Force Operations in Africa should be required reading for all military academies. Its almost shameful.
Fantastic Interview....this guy is an African Hero if compared to many of our despotic leaders who are hailed as heroes.
u gotto be kidding
@@cedric3897 Try living in a country where you are hungry every day. Where you see your relatives killed in front of you for supporting a political candidate other than your President. Take a couple of months vacation to the Congo big guy.
@@cedric3897 please explain why you say Grace has to be kidding?
@@cedric3897 Come join me in North West Uganda, I give you 2 days and your opinion will be changed from day to night.
This guy should be treasured in Africa. Unfortunately most governments in Africa are not serious enough to engage such a resource for the right reasons.
What an awesome interview. Ask intelligent questions, allow intelligent answers and not interrupt and give your personal opinion. What a pleasure to listen to.
The politeness, poignant comments and naming names is refreshing
This man is needed in Mozambique right now
Sim mano
Netflix must jump on this man and produce a series on this man life..he has done wonders with his peers... Fact that my family was part of his company its amazing
Mr. Barlow, you have my respect for not letting yourself to be used by some ruthless politicians. African leaders must realize the hurt they bring to themselves and their people when they allow the West and the UN the continued opportunity to to "keep Africa where she is" for selfish gains! This interview has created great awareness for the future generations!
«If arrogance and overconfidence become the foundation upon which you operate you are going to get hurt.»
The US Pentagon and the draft dodging hawks in Washington DC will never learn.
Absolutely outstanding interview! Much respect to Mr. Barlow for his candid and professional answers. Bravo to Al Jazeera as well.
Would love to spend a few days with this Legend.
Ya me too
This interviewer is one of the best I’ve ever listened to he has no attitude and no agenda, he asked the questions I really wanted the answers to and he did not try to paint his guest in a negative way or a positive way he was really just getting the information in an efficient way I did enjoy this video thank you for uploading and I subscribed and will pay attention to this channel more often now.
1)"As long as Africa is in a state of conflict, a lot of people are happy because they are making money out of it...'
2)"How can you claim to be a peacekeeper if you can't keep peace?'
3) "It doesn't take rocket science to figure out that any country that discovers oil and gas is suddenly going to find themselves under severe threat from many quarters..."
Simple words pregnant with meaning. A pity African leaders seek solutions to African issues elsewhere when we've got such great minds around! Respect sir, !
Barlow is the man.
100
Excellent show. Thankyou. Great interviewer and total respect for Eeben Barlow.
what an interesting interview. What a knowledgeable man and I wouldn't want to mess with him
A man of truth and honour
I enjoyed this. Good seeing you Eben
Fantastic interview.
I really enjoyed his thoughts and comments.
Awesome interviewer. Very professional.
Interesting interview!
Mr Barlow has a firm grasp on the situation from the North to the South from the East to the West of Africa.
I like his no nonsense soldiers view of the varied problems that exist all over the continent.
This is a man who would have the respect of any men that he led.
quite enlightening!
First time I've seen this. Very informing from EB. Just a recent development is the exiting of the inept SAMIM from Mozambique. The RDF are reported as boosting their numbers to replace the vacuum. However without a functional airwing beyond a taxi service and an Intel capability beyond historical reactions, they are set to achieve the square root of nil.
Excellent interview
Excellent interview!
Eye opening and fascinating
An excellent interview with Mr. Barlow who knows Africa. Personally working in " Aviation Contract work " in South America, Indonesia, Nigeria, Sao Tome, etc for 20 years I no longer do this "profession".
Incidentally, the United Nations Charter condems "Private Organised Groups operating without approved credentials" inside a countries legistlation!
how was the mission in nigeria?
@nickolasnallcott What did you type? One one hand, you admitted to being a contract pilot for twenty years then you finish your statement incorrectly implying contract work is non-legal? Huh?
One of the few good AJ pieces out there.
The ONLY boss I'd ever trust.
proud to be an old Parabatt: 1 Bin, B coy 74/75 : still good at 68
God bless you for your information wish more blessing for you to live longer
Great Interview
Very interesting story and accounts which when considered do explain things that happened but never explained in the media, like the cancellation by Nigeria
I actually kind of worried for his safety because he spoke too much truths
What a man..... As they say, "The truth will out"........
He is right United Nation is useless on ending the armed conflict.
African need strong politicians who ain't driven by foreign interest s
Botswana are the only strong and stable political country in Africa.... Sad but true.
intriguing
Oom Eeben jys n yster.Groete van Bloem
Top man its not often that you get a great miltary leader and diplomat combined ..hats off to mr barlow.he Remind s me Jan smuts .
Great interview,,,Eben so rational and a true warrior and bravo to the aljazeera interviewer for being such a classy intelligent courteous interview unless screaming American and liberal lunatics who scream and don't let anyone talk,,,,,bravo to classy aljezeera and General eben
Rudi and Flynn are liberals?😱
Props to Al Jazeera
Ramaphosa should award him a metal.
but when you best friend is a oil tycoon it is easy to sell the oil and diamonds for the money but This man is a hero
Yeah that was definitely a lie. Like you are telling me that the guy can run one of the all time greatest mercenary outfits but can't turn resources into cash its just funny.
I pray for the day that black and white African will stand together to protect our land and separate from un
Well said. Unfortunately the "otherside" will not allow it. Not enough money to be made with peace breaking out all over the continent!!!!
Smart man
@11:30 its called the 3 block war, one block war fighting, one block peace enforcement (keeping divisions and peace agreements) in place and the third is provincial reconstruction. Apparently the UN forces are incapable of this because all they ever do is the peace enforcement. You can't do that every where in the world and where the war fighting breaks out you need to put it down and sometimes act more punitively against one party based on identified conduct than another party and not simply treat all parties alike. Culpability between waring parties is not always equal.
Boss...
There are Africans who understand the broader picture of the problems our continent is struggling with. It's irrelevant wether they're white or black. The most important is the insights they can bring and if African leaders are willing to tap into that wealth of knowledge.
I would have loved to ask the question who Mr. Barlow consulted to get all the information about cultural aspects playing such a key role in conflicts in Africa, which for ex. the Wagner Group is not caring about. Let's say when he had to operate in Sierra Leone: can he turn to the South African intelligence community, does he work together with universities, authors, ex diplomats, scholars... ? I'm also very curious about the ideas E.O. put on paper about the situation in Ruanda, before the genocide. Could it have been prevented ? If he really is like he sounds and answered the questions, he sounds rather "ethical" within his own trade. Although I don't expect someone who really has ordered executions in his past to frivolously aswer "yes ! Actually I did on this and this occassion" on the question whether he did.
So war also has it's privacy?? If war is private, why is there a need for intervention?
Good question
Look up Rwanda.
Employ any day over the current US special forces etc
Lol, Big Boss finally got his dream and now it seems like Outer Heaven isn’t the paradise he intended it to be…
'ELOQUENT DISCUSSION.
Why is the conflicts not happening in UAE,Saudi Arabia that has oil like in Africa etc.They share same skin colour.
UAE and Saudis are America's puppets, when you comply with the neo-colonial's demands then you are good to go.
In Saudarabia is gouvern by Jewish and Britain they will never disturbing it
Because of the Jews.
Share same skin color. How stupid are you fool. As if skin color has anything to do with. As if black and white is the only way to group people.
Besides who is white and who is black. Like when does arm stop and hand start.
Your comment is so stupid it gives me a headache.
Great respect to Mr Barlow and the interviewer.
Go ask your mother
The problem is that Africa's borders were drawn by Colonial powers in such a way to enclose at least two or more ethnic groups of people in each country. It was done on purpose so that even after "independence" the colonial powers can play one group off against the other as experienced by Mr. Barlow. Ironically only the apartheid government wanted this problem rectified. Give each group their own self-determination within its own borders. And this is probably why the UN, who in essence constitute the old Colonial powers that drew up the map of Africa, were really so against the policy of apartheid... in favor of integration. They after all created the integration by drawing the maps way back when. Before then the peoples of Africa lived separate, free and able to determine their own destinies.
Well said... devide, corrupt & weaken to take over later. Later is now, the start of ww3.
Apartheid had us black South Africans interest at heart? R u mad?
The Swazis had Swaziland, the Tswanas had Bophutatswana and the Xhosa’s had the Transkei. The Sothos had Lesotho, all these nations had their own independent countries. Tell me again the white people did not have your interest at heart.
@@wilburburger6155 lol, u really think we stupid hey.
@@wilburburger6155 when are you leaving Africa. Can’t wait to see the back of people like you.
A good business man it could be entrepreneur or something else killing people creates bad karma doesn't matter which side you're. ❤
I want to believe this whole I'm African, sacrifice and service to Africa, peace and whatnot but if that's the case why did he not do anything about apartheid???
PMCs peace through violence. So peace is the end result, but violence the tool. Every one else are diplomats. In apartheid I assume he was employed by the Apartheid government to keep the peace, through violence.
@@krokodilpil8335 so acknowledging the then SA government puts his 'I'm african' mantra into question.
Apartheid had nothing to do with him his mind was elsewhere he's not a politician ,do more research on his company then you will understand,it was extremely diverse it had black,white and Indian South Africans as long as they served in the South African army
And even during apartheid black people and Indians could join the sa army many black people fought in the bush war
@@user-rc9qi6yp6k I mean in the military he'd get done for treason. If you look at what he did with Executive Outcomes which was 70% black, he entered Angola on the side of the Apartied governments enemy and he called the end of Apartied independence and democracy, he sounds pretty positive, in that hour he didn't say anything dodgy and actually said positive things.
All things said Eeban my bru, you have blood on your hands - you could have chosen a career in waterpainting instead.
The horror? Your eyes show the burden of your choice. You are Colonel Walter E. Kurtz You understand the game.
Soldiering isn't for everyone. That said.
Eeben is one of the few that can justifiably claim that his "mercenary" path led to peace in several countries, most enlisted soldiers can't make this claim
@@wolfza2630 I'm not a fan of Ross Kemp but on one of his episodes about the most dangerous gangs on the planet he interviews a bloke somewhere in South America, Ms 13, Zeta or something. The bloke says something very enlightening about the fact that every gang has their colours, patch or uniforms to identify them ie even the police and army are a gang. They represent their leaders, big buisness or politicians, who use them (force) to extract what they want from the populace or environment. I knew the Irish Ranger who had his head rifle butted by the Westside Boys, I also knew Arthur Walker, and I would point you in the direction of the statistics on civilian casualties over military personnel in conflicts over the last 150 years. No war ever saved lives, the military industrial complex doesn't allow it, period.
Your'e watching to many movies bud.
@@JJfromJ?
@@anthonybaiocchi3028 !
21:31 LIAR ! Smile, slight delay and reaction say it all
You just don't want to hear the truth... Because he is white you have an immediate reaction. Maybe you should listen
@@manfredvandermerwe7041 Brother you're always in my prayers, yeah I know what it's like living in a country where you're a minority, but of course not to this extent. I pray that God gives you peace, but always remember Manfred, not all africans are concerned about black, white, yellow and all that rubbish, especially people from countries without a significant other race that descended from a different part of the world (not Africa) in the last 10000 years (which is basically every other African country except South Africa & Mauritius and maybe Namibia and Sychelles), plus its 2020, and not 1980 or 2000, not everything is about race brother, everybody knows Barlow is a legend
@@manfredvandermerwe7041 Everybody knows Barlow is a legend and his achievements are quite respectable, but at 21:31 he lied hahahaha lol, the other guy asks the question, he paused, laughed and then responded; notice that this reaction was quite different to how he answered all other questions from the interviewer
@@manfredvandermerwe7041 I agree with most things he said and there's always a benefit of doubt, so 21:31 maybe he did that because ...🤷🏻 well, I guess we'll never know
@@tupilwesinyangwe5098 One of the only 'modern' inventions to come out of africa was the stone hewn axe - and this perfectly illustrates the contribution of the majority you write about - perhaps in another thousand years another invention will materialise - most probably not.