Theoretically, they could be mercenaries, hiring themselves out to some corrupt dictatorship, guerillas, drug lords, state-sponsored terrorists, or similar grou

Theoretically, they could be mercenaries, hiring themselves out to some corrupt dictatorship, guerillas, drug lords, state-sponsored terrorists, or similar groups. They would collect a bunch of money and launch a missile at their enemies. Turning that into a sustainable business model has ... hazards, of course. The Economist had an interesting book review on a book positing a return to medievalism -- where the state does not have a monopoly of force -- and it's interesting: a little far-fetched and unlikely, but just this side of plausible. http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21638096-how-private-armies-will-remake-modern-warfare-return-hired-gun http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21638096-how-pr... One notable bit was the incident where "a famous actress turned humanitarian [...] with various human-rights groups, wanted to hire Blackwater to set up safe havens in Sudan to protect civilians fleeing the janjaweed militia" but decided against it.