Yep, I couldn't even finish this flag-waving trash. I'm curious to see how others on HN read it. In various corners of the internet I'm getting familiar vibes of post-911 rally-round-the-flag sentiments. Except that as you say, it's not as explicit. Rather than PMCs simply there to enable a thin veil of plausible deniability for the government, the strategy is one more layer removed from outright national interest and more values based. Having said all that, this article is a sharp turn back to bald-faced American exceptionalism.