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War Dog: Fighting Other People's Wars; The Modern Mercenary in Combat
Mercenaries have been with us since the dawn of civilization, yet in the modern world they are little understood. While many of today's freelance fighters provide support for larger military establishments, others wage war where the great powers refuse to tread. In War Dog, Al Venter examines the latter world of mercenary fighters effecting decisions by themselves. In the process he unveils a remarkable array of close-quarters combat action.Having personally visited every locale he describes throughout Africa and the Middle East, Venter is the rare correspondent who had to carry an AK-47 in his research along with his notebook and camera. To him, covering mercenary actions meant accompanying the men into the thick of combat. During Sierra Leone's civil war, he flew in the front bubble of the government's lone Hind gunship-piloted by the heroic chopper ace "Nellis"-as it flew daily missions to blast apart rebel positions. In this book the author not only describes the battles of the legendary South African mercenary company Executive Outcomes, he knew the founders personally and joined them on a number of actions. After stemming the tide of Jonas Savimbi's UNITA army in Angola (an outfit many of the SA operators had previously trained), Executive Outcomes headed north to hold back vicious rebels in West Africa.
This book is not only about triumph against adversity but also losses, as Venter relates the death and subsequent cannibalistic fate of his American friend, Bob MacKenzie, in Sierra Leone. Here we see the plight of thousands of civilians fleeing from homicidal jungle warriors, as well as the professionalism of the mercenaries who fought back with one hand and attempted totrain government troops with the other, in hopes that they would someday be able to stand on their own.
The American public, as well as its military, largely sidestepped the horrific conflicts that embroiled Africa during the past two decades. But as Venter informs us, there were indeed small numbers of professional fighters on the ground, defending civilians and attempting to conjure order from chaos. In the process their heroism went unrecorded and their combat skill became known only to each other.
In this book we gain an intimate glimpse of this modern breed of warrior in combat. Not laden with medals, ribbons, civic parades, or even guaranteed income, they have nevertheless fought some of the toughest battles in the post- Cold War era. They simply are, and perhaps always will be, "War Dogs."
AL J. VENTER has been an international war correspondent for nearly thirty years, primarily for the Jane's Information Group. He has also produced documentary television films on subjects from the wars in Africa and Afghanistan to sharkhunting off the Cape of Good Hope. Among his previous works are The Iraqi War Why Saddam Hussein Was Toppled and Iran's Nuclear Tehran's Quest for the Atomic Bomb. A native of South Africa, he is currently resident in the United Kingdom.
REVIEWS
"A disturbing insight into the ever growing world of unconventional private armies. Like it or not, Venter tells it to us the way it is."John Le Carre
"In this work Al Venter has delved into the real-life exploits of the War Dogs... to illuminate how the privateers have continued to conduct battle in the wake of the Colonial Age. The true stories in this work are more impressive thanfiction, and in terms of Africa, this book should be on the must read list for the U.S. State Department and British Foreign Office." Frederick Forsyth
.,."a gripping and hugely informative read. ...highly recommended. ...impressive and enlightening."The Herald, 07/2008
.,."a remarkable read with thriller moments that take you deep into the action"Raider, 11/2008
This book is not only about triumph against adversity but also losses, as Venter relates the death and subsequent cannibalistic fate of his American friend, Bob MacKenzie, in Sierra Leone. Here we see the plight of thousands of civilians fleeing from homicidal jungle warriors, as well as the professionalism of the mercenaries who fought back with one hand and attempted totrain government troops with the other, in hopes that they would someday be able to stand on their own.
The American public, as well as its military, largely sidestepped the horrific conflicts that embroiled Africa during the past two decades. But as Venter informs us, there were indeed small numbers of professional fighters on the ground, defending civilians and attempting to conjure order from chaos. In the process their heroism went unrecorded and their combat skill became known only to each other.
In this book we gain an intimate glimpse of this modern breed of warrior in combat. Not laden with medals, ribbons, civic parades, or even guaranteed income, they have nevertheless fought some of the toughest battles in the post- Cold War era. They simply are, and perhaps always will be, "War Dogs."
AL J. VENTER has been an international war correspondent for nearly thirty years, primarily for the Jane's Information Group. He has also produced documentary television films on subjects from the wars in Africa and Afghanistan to sharkhunting off the Cape of Good Hope. Among his previous works are The Iraqi War Why Saddam Hussein Was Toppled and Iran's Nuclear Tehran's Quest for the Atomic Bomb. A native of South Africa, he is currently resident in the United Kingdom.
REVIEWS
"A disturbing insight into the ever growing world of unconventional private armies. Like it or not, Venter tells it to us the way it is."John Le Carre
"In this work Al Venter has delved into the real-life exploits of the War Dogs... to illuminate how the privateers have continued to conduct battle in the wake of the Colonial Age. The true stories in this work are more impressive thanfiction, and in terms of Africa, this book should be on the must read list for the U.S. State Department and British Foreign Office." Frederick Forsyth
.,."a gripping and hugely informative read. ...highly recommended. ...impressive and enlightening."The Herald, 07/2008
.,."a remarkable read with thriller moments that take you deep into the action"Raider, 11/2008
609 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
30 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Al J. Venter
57 books32 followersAlbertus Johannes Venter is a South African journalist and historian who is arguably the world's foremost expert on the modern military history of Africa. He has been a war correspondent/military affairs reporter for many publications, notably serving as African and Middle East correspondent for Jane's International Defence Review. He has also worked as a documentary filmmaker, and has authored more than forty books.
He has reported on a number of Africa’s bloodiest wars, starting with the Nigerian Civil War in 1965, where he spent time covering the conflict with colleague Frederick Forsyth, who was working in Biafra for the BBC at the time.
In the 1980’s, Al J Venter also reported in Uganda while under the reign of Idi Amin. The most notable consequence of this assignment was an hour-long documentary titled Africa’s Killing Fields, ultimately broadcast nationwide in the United States by Public Broadcasting Service.
In-between, he cumulatively spent several years reporting on events in the Middle East, fluctuating between Israel and a beleaguered Lebanon torn by factional Islamic/Christian violence. He was with the Israeli invasion force when they entered Beirut in 1982. From there he covered hostilities in Rhodesia, the Sudan, Angola, the South African Border War, the Congo as well as Portuguese Guinea, which resulted in a book on that colonial struggle published by the Munger Africana Library of the California Institute of Technology.
In 1985 he made a one-hour documentary that commemorated the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
He also spent time in Somalia with the US Army helicopter air wing in the early 1990s, three military assignments with the mercenary group Executive Outcomes (Angola and Sierra Leone) and a Joint-STAR mission with the United States Air Force over Kosovo.
More recently, Al Venter was active in Sierra Leone with South African mercenary pilot Neall Ellis flying combat in a Russian helicopter gunship (that leaked when it rained.) That experience formed the basis of the book on mercenaries published recently and titled War Dog: Fighting Other People's Wars.
He has been twice wounded in combat, once by a Soviet anti-tank mine in Angola, an event that left him partially deaf.
Al Venter originally qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers at the Baltic Exchange in London.
(from wikipedia)
He has reported on a number of Africa’s bloodiest wars, starting with the Nigerian Civil War in 1965, where he spent time covering the conflict with colleague Frederick Forsyth, who was working in Biafra for the BBC at the time.
In the 1980’s, Al J Venter also reported in Uganda while under the reign of Idi Amin. The most notable consequence of this assignment was an hour-long documentary titled Africa’s Killing Fields, ultimately broadcast nationwide in the United States by Public Broadcasting Service.
In-between, he cumulatively spent several years reporting on events in the Middle East, fluctuating between Israel and a beleaguered Lebanon torn by factional Islamic/Christian violence. He was with the Israeli invasion force when they entered Beirut in 1982. From there he covered hostilities in Rhodesia, the Sudan, Angola, the South African Border War, the Congo as well as Portuguese Guinea, which resulted in a book on that colonial struggle published by the Munger Africana Library of the California Institute of Technology.
In 1985 he made a one-hour documentary that commemorated the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
He also spent time in Somalia with the US Army helicopter air wing in the early 1990s, three military assignments with the mercenary group Executive Outcomes (Angola and Sierra Leone) and a Joint-STAR mission with the United States Air Force over Kosovo.
More recently, Al Venter was active in Sierra Leone with South African mercenary pilot Neall Ellis flying combat in a Russian helicopter gunship (that leaked when it rained.) That experience formed the basis of the book on mercenaries published recently and titled War Dog: Fighting Other People's Wars.
He has been twice wounded in combat, once by a Soviet anti-tank mine in Angola, an event that left him partially deaf.
Al Venter originally qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers at the Baltic Exchange in London.
(from wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 23, 2012
Having spent many months on various assignments in war zones in Africa, this book is one of, if not the best and most detailed compilation of details of various highly effective and highly ineffective mercenary groups fighting in Africa up until the current day. African bush wars are invariably notable for their extreme brutality, including the use of particularly viscous child soldiers, amputations and cannibalism, and the often pathetic disorganization of the standing armies of various countries. It demonstrates how a skilled and well-equipped mercenary force can settle violent disputes when called upon to do so, being usually heavily outnumbered during the process.
Contrary to popular misinformed western opinions, the overwhelming number of mercs fighting in various hotspots are black, not white.
It is highly recommended for anyone who is seriously interested in Africa in it's normal context, rather than the usual descriptions of the touchy-feely animal-watching destinations experienced by naive tourists. It is a fascinating read. Some background knowledge of African conflicts is desirable, but not necessary.
Contrary to popular misinformed western opinions, the overwhelming number of mercs fighting in various hotspots are black, not white.
It is highly recommended for anyone who is seriously interested in Africa in it's normal context, rather than the usual descriptions of the touchy-feely animal-watching destinations experienced by naive tourists. It is a fascinating read. Some background knowledge of African conflicts is desirable, but not necessary.
July 26, 2012
Mr. Venter, a long time correspondent on African conflicts and Jane's employee, has written a very nice introduction to the various mercenary operations of Africa in the last half century. The book begins with a meandering overview of many of the conflicts covered elsewhere in the book - Biafra, Angola, Sierra Leone, and others. The book then delves into the 2000 Sierra Leone conflict, in particular covering the exploits of Ex-SADF chopper pilot and co-author with Venter of "Chopper Boys" Neal "Nellis" Ellis and his compatriots as they do their best to combat the RUF rebels on behalf of the government with a single Hind chopper. This part of the book goes on for sometime before he jumps back in time to cover the exploits of "Mad" Mike Hoare in the Congo and some of the characters of the Biafran Civil War. It then goes on to discuss some of the adventures of men such as Dana Drenkowski in Rhodesia and Chad; exploits which I had never heard of before and a nice diversion. the It also covers some of Nellis' ill-fated adventures in the Bosnia conflict in the early 1990's before coming back to Nellis again in Sierra Leone. Finally, the book covers in a decent amount of detail the much regaled and maligned operations of Executive Outcomes in Angola and Sierra Leone before finishing up with a cursory (and largely unnecessary) look at PMC's in Iraq.
As others have said, this book can be a bit hard to read at times. The first Sierra Leone account goes on a bit long for my liking, but for anyone interested in that conflict or the ins and outs of mercenary air units, it is a fine account. The other accounts of the 1960's Congo, Biafra, and Executive Outcomes do much to whet the readers thirst about these conflicts if the reader has even a passing interest in them, but is not by any means comprehensive. This, I believe, is due to Venter's vocation as a journalist and not a historian and as a result he is better able to discuss and recount those conflicts in which he had some personal involvement in - ie: Sierra Leone (where he was even obliged to carry an AK-47 in the event that they were shot down!), Biafra, and Executive Outcomes two best known missions. The others where he relies on secondary or tertiary information are less robust, but still interesting. If nothing else, Venter provides what amounts to an entertaining and excellent annotated bibliography for those looking for more information, and I have bought no less than a half a dozen books that I did not eve know existed until cracking the pages of this. The books also does an excellent job of providing insight on some of the most interesting characters in the mercenary world such as American Bob MacKenzie and South African Cobus Classens. Finally, it provides a wealth of good color photos, though they do not always correspond with the topics discussed.
For such a cheap price for a book on a topic as esoteric as this, you'll have a hard time beating this book as a primer if you have a bit of patience with the writing style.
As others have said, this book can be a bit hard to read at times. The first Sierra Leone account goes on a bit long for my liking, but for anyone interested in that conflict or the ins and outs of mercenary air units, it is a fine account. The other accounts of the 1960's Congo, Biafra, and Executive Outcomes do much to whet the readers thirst about these conflicts if the reader has even a passing interest in them, but is not by any means comprehensive. This, I believe, is due to Venter's vocation as a journalist and not a historian and as a result he is better able to discuss and recount those conflicts in which he had some personal involvement in - ie: Sierra Leone (where he was even obliged to carry an AK-47 in the event that they were shot down!), Biafra, and Executive Outcomes two best known missions. The others where he relies on secondary or tertiary information are less robust, but still interesting. If nothing else, Venter provides what amounts to an entertaining and excellent annotated bibliography for those looking for more information, and I have bought no less than a half a dozen books that I did not eve know existed until cracking the pages of this. The books also does an excellent job of providing insight on some of the most interesting characters in the mercenary world such as American Bob MacKenzie and South African Cobus Classens. Finally, it provides a wealth of good color photos, though they do not always correspond with the topics discussed.
For such a cheap price for a book on a topic as esoteric as this, you'll have a hard time beating this book as a primer if you have a bit of patience with the writing style.
November 7, 2008
Once you get past the author's pro-mercenary slant this is an enjoyable read. Mostly concentrates on several merc pilots fighting in Africa from the 60's to the turn of the century. Fast paced, like an adventure novel, except it's all true. Good insight into the on-the-ground developments of the modern Private Military Corporations.
March 16, 2009
An interesting topic, but a lackluster treatment. While parts of the book - particularly those dealing with the rise of Executive Outcomes - are interesting, most of this reads like a latter day Boy's Own adventure. The author is very pro-mercenary - whit is fine - but spends far too much time recounting war stories from a handful of men. The book is also served poorly by the writers style (slapdash and a little too conversational) and slipshod editing.
October 24, 2015
Thank God that is finished. I refused to give up on it just in case it got better. It didn't.
The title is a complete misnomer. Yes it covers mercenaries. For the most part it covers Sierra Loene with background about a few other conflicts.
I so expected something better. This sadly was tedious, repetitive and dull.
It's done.
The title is a complete misnomer. Yes it covers mercenaries. For the most part it covers Sierra Loene with background about a few other conflicts.
I so expected something better. This sadly was tedious, repetitive and dull.
It's done.
July 21, 2012
An awesome book about modern day Africa, conflicts in Sierra Leone and many others. A book about mercenaries who fight wars there, about warlords and boy soldiers. If you are still thinking that some Kony is the worst criminal ever and that boy soldiers exist only in one African country then this book is definitely for you.
April 3, 2009
WOW. Good stuff.
Read
July 25, 2011While this book contains some invaluable information and great anecdotes, it is often disjointed and repetitive. Could have been far better edited.
September 9, 2012
Love this book so far.
April 22, 2024
Extremely Educativ2
I fell into this following Neil Ellis' trail, boy Im glad I did. Quite an eye opener into the world of the PMCs.
I fell into this following Neil Ellis' trail, boy Im glad I did. Quite an eye opener into the world of the PMCs.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews