THE MERCENARY, wrote Niccolò Machiavelli, was “useless and dangerous”. He was “unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies”. A private soldier would turn and flee when trouble arrived.

The mercenary, wrote Niccolò Machiavelli, was “useless and dangerous”. He was “unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies”. A private soldier would turn and flee when trouble arrived.

And all parts of the industry have expanded in recent decades, as governments have trimmed their armed forces and private demand has grown. THE MERCENARY, wrote Niccolò Machiavelli, was “useless and ...

Analysts claim the withdrawal of U.S. and European troops from countries in Africa’s Sahel, and their replacement by Russian mercenaries, has led to a spike in jihadist-driven terrorism. The Sahel is ...

Usually, when a game featuring Kevin Durant stretches into a second overtime, there is a strong likelihood that the two-time Finals MVP ends up scoring over 30 points to propel his team to victory.

From the outset, the war between Nigeria and secessionist Biafra loomed as an unequal contest. It was not surprising that, as in the earlier Congo conflicts, foreign mercenaries were drawn to Biafra ...

Katarina Schmeiszer is a co-op at the metro desk of the Globe and a third-year at Northeastern, studying journalism and political science with a minor in environmental studies. She is currently the ...