SOFs and PMSCs: Factors of Stability and Change

The legitimacy of special operations forces (SOFs) and private military and security companies (PMSCs) often resides in a legal gray area, especially for those operating under the patronage of states that deviate from neoliberal standards and are sometimes labeled as criminal groups or terrorist organizations. This study aimed to develop a framework for categorizing the organizational and operational models of such SOFs and PMSCs. The three primary categories used were: mercantilistic, ideological, and ideological-mercantilistic. A comparative analysis of Iran’s Quds Force, Russia’s Wagner Group, and FR Yugoslavia’s JSO was conducted to better understand the impact of these and similar actors on contemporary socio-political changes.