Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Industry Talk: Max Weber, Privateers and Today’s Civilian Contractors
So I keep coming back to this debate, because this is very important to the policy makers out there. Most importantly, it is a vital conversation to have with one another about who we are and what our place should be in the war and in this country.
The fear is that the state does not have control over the civilian contractor community, and more specifically, armed security contractors. Or that a state could not survive if they unleash the hounds of industry against their enemies, because then they would not have control over that industry, and especially after the war is over. That the industry as a whole would somehow turn around and attack the client, in the name of some other enemy or cause.
Well, I have read the debates, and even participated in the debates, and my conclusions are that the state would be stupid ‘not’ to use industry to fight it’s wars. Privateering during the revolutionary war is a prime example of how this country used industry to fight it’s enemies.
Thousands of enterprising ship owners, hunting down British naval vessels, and taking the loot. It was certainly a profitable endeavor back then, and arguably, that infusion of money into the local economies and the small successes of sea battle, helped to increase the morale of the revolutionaries back then. Success breeds success, and the naval fight was vital to our fight back then. Sure the land battles were important, but the sea battles are something that is always forgotten during discussions about that war, because it was an aspect of the war that was fueled by industry.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Industry Talk: Private Contractors Sought As Guards in Afghanistan
Hmmm. Walter must be reading FedBiz Opps too? LOL. I suspect that the TWISS program is the model for this gig in Afghanistan and hopefully some more jobs will be popping up soon. The real irony about the war and the state of the economy, is that if the allies wanted an instant army, they could snap their fingers and thousands of contractors would sign on. The only problem I see, is how the allies manage and regulate this massive resource of on-call professionals. We are a tool, use us correctly!
The security contracting industry, if regulated properly and well managed, will certainly be a force multiplier for the client. Arguably, it has, but with a few hiccups. It just needs some quality control, quality control, and more quality control, and this industry would be awesome. Did I say quality control enough? The companies cannot be expected to police themselves, and the client(that means you Uncle Sam and the rest of the world), needs to get off their ass and actually apply some quality control.
Use your sword to fight your enemies, not crush rock or cement with it. Industry can be incredibly useful in this asymetric/all volunteer/fourth generation war, and to not use us properly is just plain lazy and dumb. There are even some of us in this industry that would love to sit down with any of the decision makers out there and provide some solutions. Insh’allah! –Head Jundi
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Private Contractors Sought As Guards in Afghanistan
By Walter Pincus
Monday, December 8, 2008; A17
The U.S. Army is looking to private contractors to provide armed security guards to protect Forward Operating Bases in seven provinces in southern Afghanistan. In a recent study, Anthony H. Cordesman, an intelligence expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, described five of those provinces — Helmand, Kandahar, Nimruz, Zabol and Uruzgan — as among the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan.
The proposed contracts would be for a minimum of one year, beginning Jan. 1, but with options to continue for four years. The move to hire contractors to provide armed guards comes as the United States is deploying more American troops to Afghanistan and looking to double the size of the Afghan National Army from 80,000 to 162,000 over the next five years.
Iraq: My Husband Was a Blackwater Hero, By Marybeth Laguna
And to provide some balance to the perception of what the media tries to present, here is the widow of a deceased Blackwater employee and her heartfelt plea for understanding. Art was killed while trying to protect employees of the US government in Iraq. His helicopter was shot down, and he is no less the hero because he was a ‘civilian pilot working for Blackwater’. Not to mention Art’s service in the military as a pilot during the war. Why is Art less of a patriot or not worthy of our respect, just because he worked for Blackwater and was killed in the line of duty? Rest in peace Art, and my heart goes out to Marybeth. –Head Jundi
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My Husband Was a Blackwater Hero
By Marybeth Laguna
Sunday, November 30, 2008; B03
My husband, Art Laguna, was a hero. He was a man of honor — he kept his word and he valued truth and honesty, and he expected no less from anyone else. His life was spent in service to his country and his family.
Here at home, Art served as a sheriff’s reserve deputy. He was a volunteer helicopter pilot and flew medical evacuation missions with the California National Guard out of Sacramento ‘s Mather Field. He was the father of four and grandfather of six.
Art was proud of his three-decade career with the U.S. Army and the National Guard. He served in Iraq three times and he deployed once to Bosnia. In 1998, he was awarded a medal of valor from the California Department of Corrections for piloting a National Guard helicopter that helped save a California man who’d been stranded by floodwaters on the roof of his car. And last June, the military awarded him the Legion of Merit for exceptional conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. I accepted this most recent honor on his behalf.
Legal News: Five Blackwater Guards Surrender to Feds, in Utah
Good move and this will help their case. The photo below, is the photo that the news has just posted. The irony is that the photo shows each one in their former military uniform, and rightly so. It is a reminder to the public that these guys not only served their country as civilian contractors, but also served as Soldiers and Marines. Does that mean they are less patriotic, or that their sacrifice is any less significant, now that they are security contractors? I don’t think so, and the way the press demonizes this industry is despicable. How many civilian contractors have died in support or defense of the client? So 230,000 plus civilian contractors supporting and defending an all volunteer military and diplomatic corps in this war, and this is the thanks we get?
I want justice served, just like anyone else out there. But to make out these men to be public enemy number one, is crap. These men were tasked with protecting people in a war zone, a war zone in which the enemy wears no uniform and obeys no laws. This is a war, where vehicles are used as weapons, and suicide bombers could be a woman or child, and survival sometimes requires extreme measures to defend against such things. I will not second guess what these men had to do to survive this incident, because I wasn’t there. To me, these men are innocent until proven guilty, and that their service to country in this war, both in the military and as a civilian contractors, is significant. Perhaps we should bring back the draft, just to show the other half of this country how significant that service really is? Thanks to Jeff for sending me this by the way, and Semper Fi. –Head Jundi
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5 Blackwater guards surrender to feds
Charged with killing 17 civilians, they seek trial in pro-gun state, not D.C.
The Associated Press
Dec. 8, 2008
WASHINGTON – Five Blackwater Worldwide security guards surrendered Monday in an investigation into a deadly 2007 shooting in a busy Baghdad intersection.
The five guards are charged with manslaughter and using a machine gun in a crime of violence. Though they are charged in a sealed indictment in Washington, they surrendered at a federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. The Justice Department is preparing to make the charges public later Monday.
Seventeen Iraqis were killed in the September 2007 shooting. Witnesses said the heavily armed U.S. contractors opened fire unprovoked, killing innocent motorists and children at a crowded intersection. Blackwater, the largest security contractor in Iraq, says its guards were ambushed by insurgents while responding to a car bombing.