Force for Hire: The Early Days of Blackwater and Its Long-Term Effect on U.S. Strategy

FORCE FOR HIRE — Blackwater. The name has not been used officially for years, but it still defines how many people think about private military contracting.

For critics, Blackwater represents some of the most controversial chapters of the Iraq War. The company became widely associated with the 2007 Nisour Square shooting, where Blackwater Worldwide employees were accused of killing unarmed Iraqi civilians. That incident became the most infamous example, but it was not the only controversy tied to the company during its years operating in Iraq.

The political weight of the name became so great that Blackwater Worldwide rebranded as Xe in 2009 and later as Academi LLC. Over time, the company moved from its founders, former Navy SEAL Erik Prince and Al Clark, into new ownership before eventually being folded into the Constellis Group alongside Triple Canopy.

But for some who served or worked in Iraq during the height of the war, Blackwater carries a different meaning. Its contractors provided security for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. They protected senior officials, diplomats, and other high-value personnel operating in one of the most dangerous environments in the world. The deaths of four Blackwater contractors in Fallujah also became one of the events that helped trigger the first major battle for the city.

Today, Blackwater is no longer an active brand, but its legacy still dominates the public conversation around private military contractors. The company’s rise, failures, controversies, and operational role in Iraq helped shape how governments, contractors, and the public view the private security industry.

In this episode of Force for Hire, we speak with Deborah Avant, a professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, about Blackwater’s history and long-term impact.

We also welcome back Sean McFate, a former self-described mercenary and professor of strategy at the National Defense University and Georgetown University, to discuss the private military contractor that generated more headlines than any other.