As the big conflicts of the past decade come to an end...private armies are beginning to chase new business...Industrial firms, which are increasingly setting up shop in unstable places, are expected to be a growing chunk of the customer base...[B]ig firms keep spawning smaller, local outfits. Large companies entering a new area typically employ locals as subcontractors...Small, informal groups are a particular cause of concern. They might work for the highest bidder, whether an oil firm or a frustrated despot...Africa’s rich may employ mercenaries to carve out regions of control, leaving those left outside to fend for themselves. A more immediate issue is how to regulate the fragmented industry...[S]elf-regulation is unlikely to be sufficient...Corporate responsibility...might help. Customers need to ensure that those hired to protect their sites are qualified and accountable...[refers to Blue Mountain, Academi, Blackwater, Xe, Shandong Huawei]