Author Archives: David Isenberg

THE WEIGHT OF PAPER

states. What changed after 1648, and more decisively in the nineteenth century, was not the practice of private force. It was the normative claim that the state should hold a monopoly on it — a claim never fully realized, but one that became the organizing fiction of the international system. Continue reading →

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China recruits former Western military pilots to train military aviators

Dozens of former US, British, German, Australian and Spanish military pilots have been recruited by entities linked to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to train its aviators. Western intelligence reports indicate that the Chinese government has been recruiting these elite pilots since at least 2019 to absorb the tactics and operating procedures of Western air forces, identify weaknesses in fifth-generation fighter aircraft and prepare its military aviation for a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea. Continue reading →

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1,200 killed in Haiti by drone strikes; are AI weapons next?

Hundreds have been reported injured, including babies who lost their legs in the aftermath of a Kamikaze drone attack in September 2025 Continue reading →

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Takeaways from AP story on child soldiers trained by Colombian mercenaries in Sudan

Takeaways from AP story on child soldiers trained by Colombian mercenaries in Sudan Thu, Jul 30, 2026 0 Comments Listen to the article now Audio by Carbonatix Enlarge KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP)… You must be logged in to view this content. … Continue reading →

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How Colombian Mercenaries Spread Around the Globe

thousands of well-trained Colombian soldiers are fighting and dying around the world as soldiers-for-hire Continue reading →

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Alaudinov Says Foreign Mercenaries Fighting for Ukraine Should Not Return Home Alive

Foreign mercenaries fighting alongside the Ukrainian army should not return home alive, according to Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov, deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces and commander of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Akhmat special forces. Continue reading →

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He Was a Blackwater Mercenary. Here’s Why He’s Worried about the Board of Peace.

More Perfect Union He Was a Blackwater Mercenary. Here’s Why He’s Worried about the Board of Peace. Jared Kushner has a scheme to profit off world peace — and Gaza is… You must be logged in to view this content. … Continue reading →

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Peru has acknowledged the deaths of its citizens in the war against Ukraine

The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially reported on the deaths of its citizens who were recruited by Russia into its army to fight in the war against Ukraine. In total, 11 are known to have been killed, 114 are missing, and three Peruvians are being held captive in Ukraine. Continue reading →

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Ensuring Accountability and Remedy for Victims of Mercenarism: Colombia at an Inflection Point

August 10, 2026 Ensuring Accountability and Remedy for Victims of Mercenarism: Colombia at an Inflection Point Written by Sorcha MacLeod and Olivia Herman   In March 2026, the Colombian Parliament and… You must be logged in to view this content. … Continue reading →

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Colombian cartels seek Ukraine drone skills to target the army at home

Colombian drug cartels are trying to send members to Ukraine under the guise of military volunteers to acquire valuable drone-operating skills, the Financial Times reported on Aug. 6. Continue reading →

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