Private armies now threaten democracy. When billionaires can buy their own military force, warfare itself becomes a deadly business venture.
As private armies increasingly blur the lines between state power and mercenary force, the prospect of billionaires and politicians commanding their own military forces is no longer just dystopian fiction.
John Lechner’s five-year investigation into Russia’s notorious Wagner Group reveals a disturbing template for what privatized warfare could mean for America and the world.
In this week’s WhoWhatWhy podcast, Lechner, author of Death Is Our Business, takes us from Wagner’s shadowy beginnings to its evolution into a force that would ultimately challenge Vladimir Putin himself. But the implications stretch far beyond Russia.
At a time when figures like President Donald Trump have expressed admiration for authoritarian methods and private military solutions, Wagner’s story becomes a cautionary tale about the intersection of wealth, power, and privatized violence.
Lechner explains how this new model of warfare operates beyond traditional military oversight and international law. As Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and other nations follow Russia’s lead in developing private military capabilities, the consequences for global stability become increasingly fraught.
What happens when warfare becomes a private enterprise? How do democracies respond when billionaires can potentially build their own armies? These questions are no longer theoretical, and the answers may determine the future of global conflict — and of the domestic security of the United States and the safety of its citizens.
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