Feral Jundi

Monday, August 30, 2010

Industry Talk: PSC’s And Their Customers Make Contingency Plans In Afghanistan

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 2:06 AM

     Here are some of the commentaries being made by some of our coalition members and companies tasked with vital protection duties over in Afghanistan. There are four stories posted, with some commentary in one from Andy Bearpark of BAPSC and an interview that Doug Brooks of the IPOA did awhile back. Maybe we can collect some more commentary from some industry leaders, CEO’s, or even some customers? Until then, I will continue to fill the information void as best as I can. –Matt

Edit: 09/01/2010 – It looks like Blue Hackle’s license has just been revoked. Check it out here.

UK private security fears in Afghanistan

Garda scrabbles to stay in Afghanistan

Canadian Forces to review nine private security contracts on Afghan ban

Karzai’s Call to Expel Contractors Poses Big Logistical Hurdles

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UK private security fears in Afghanistan

By Peter Jackson

17 August 2010

Private security guards are widely used to guard compounds and convoys

As UK private security contractors are given four months to stand down in Afghanistan, security experts have warned the consequences could be dire.

President Hamid Karzai’s decision to scrap the extensive private security industry operating in his country will come as no real surprise.

He vowed to curb its operations when he was sworn in as president last year, and has made no secret of the fact that he considers it a major source of instability.

But ask the British elements of the industry what effect the move may have, and warnings are quickly sounded.

They say commercial reconstruction projects would be at risk of delay – and workers of attack – as the exodus leaves them dangerously exposed.

Afghan police are simply not up to scratch when it comes to guarding foreign staff, they argue, and that could leave embassies and Nato supply convoys and bases vulnerable.

(more…)

Louisiana: Hurricane Katrina Anniversary–Why Security Contractors Were Called Upon

Filed under: Funny Stuff,Law Enforcement,Louisiana,Video — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 1:10 AM

Quotes: Michael Thibault On Karzai’s PSC Decree And It’s Threat To The US Mission

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk,Quotes — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 12:52 AM

    At least someone with some sense is stating the obvious.  Of  course this decree is a threat to the mission and strategy in Afghanistan, and it is also a threat to President Obama’s plan and future election. He, along with his party in the US depend upon a strategy in Afghanistan that will help them politically in the near future.  The economy and war will be front and center for election season, and progress must be shown in Afghanistan for there to be any political capital to be won. That could be why you don’t hear too much about this issue in the media.

    Another thing that is interesting politically, is right now PSC’s or PMC’s are a hot potato issue.  Republicans don’t want to come to the aid of this industry either, just because the Democrats would bash them for it. I do not see support from any independent groups either, and probably for the same reason. Which is all pretty typical for this industry, but in reality, we have been vital for both Republicans and Democrats over the years.

    The way I see it right now, politically we are very important to whomever is in office. Our deaths in war do not mean the same as when troops die. Our usage allows politicians the ability to increase a security presence very quickly both at home or overseas, and without a draft or congressional mandate. All we require is financing, and you have an instant army for whatever you need done.

     We are the ones that will be protecting the diplomatic mission in Iraq and filling any of the security gaps that cannot be filled by the congressionally mandated troop presence there now. We are also important in Afghanistan, because yet again, we fill a security need that would otherwise be filled by troops that are already tasked with important combat missions. There are close to a quarter million contractors of all types in this war, with 1700 thousand plus contractors that have been killed, and yet we are all marginalized as if we don’t matter? The fact is, we do matter. But hey, that will be our own little secret I guess. lol –Matt

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Michael J. Thibault

Michael J. Thibault

Majority Co-Chair, Appointed by Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker of the House Pelosi

*****

Michael Thibault, the co-chair of the congressionally appointed Wartime Contracting Commission, which was brought together for the sole purpose of looking at how the U.S. can better manage its contracted workforce, sees a disconnect between what the Afghan government wants and what the U.S. government needs.

“If President Karzai sticks with this timeline, the U.S. mission and objectives will suffer,” Thibault says. “The U.S. military would have to take over those roles, and the mission we have laid out never allowed for this.”

Link to Quote here.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Afghanistan: Two Private Security Contractors Killed By Coalition Forces In Wardak, Highway 2

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk — Tags: , , , , , , , — Matt @ 1:52 AM

    Rest in peace to the fallen. I haven’t a clue what company this was or if they were Afghan or expat? Either way, this type of stuff is a tragedy.  But what is even more of a tragedy is how little information there is on this.  Because I guarantee that if this was the other way around and that contractors were the ones that killed some Coalition Forces, the media and world would be all over it.

    So if anyone has information to add that could fill in these crucial details, I will make the edit. It would also be nice for a change if ISAF would actually reach out to bloggers like myself or even Tim, and include us in their strategic communications. I know they read the blog, and they certainly have an active Facebook page, so what gives? –Matt

Edit: 08/29/2010 – According to Paladin 6 from the Knights of Afghanistan blog, the chatter in Afghanistan is pointing towards Watan Risk as being the company, and it was two local national security contractors that were killed. See comment below.

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2 contractors killed in Afghanistan

August 28, 2010

Two private security contractors in Afghanistan were killed by coalition forces who mistook them for insurgents, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said Saturday.

The incident happened Friday on a highway in the central province of Wardak, ISAF said.

A coalition patrol on the highway had just been fired at by insurgents in a location known as a hot spot for attacks, ISAF said. A vehicle then approached the coalition patrol at a high rate of speed with a man shooting out of the vehicle’s windows.

“Perceiving the vehicle to be a threat, the gunner fired at the vehicle and killed two of the occupants,” ISAF said.

Coalition forces learned afterwards that the two people killed were private security contractors, ISAF said. Their employer wasn’t immediately known.

(more…)

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Legal News: Judge Denies Defendants AGNA/Wackenhut’s Motions To Dismiss False Claims Act Whistleblower Lawsuit For Kabul Fiasco

Filed under: Afghanistan,Jundism,Legal News — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 10:29 PM

According to Debra S. Katz, counsel for Mr. Gordon, “this is an important victory for conscientious employees, like Mr. Gordon, who blow the whistle on fraudulent practices by defense contractors and wind up then paying the ultimate price.  The court’s decision today makes clear that such employees can bring federal claims under the False Claims Act to obtain redress.”

*****

     Excellent news for Mr. Gordon and for his attorney Debra Katz. This legal battle has been raging for awhile, and I wanted to make sure this got attention again. The Kabul Fiasco definitely needed to be addressed and dealt with from a legal standpoint.  It is a message to other companies that doing things right is the only way, or you will pay a price.

     It is also a message to those contractors out there that are put in the unfortunate position that Mr. Gordon was in. That there is hope, and your efforts will pay off. –Matt

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Federal Judge Denies Defendants ArmorGroup’s and Wackenhut’s Motions to Dismiss False Claims Act Whistleblower Lawsuit Involving Fraudulent Practices at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul

August 27, 2010

Judge James Cacheris of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has denied Defendants ArmorGroup North America (“AGNA”), ArmorGroup International, Wackenhut Services, Inc., and Cornelius Medley’s motions to dismiss whistleblower James Gordon’s lawsuit brought under the False Claims Act.

On September 9, 2009, Mr. Gordon, former Director of Operations of AGNA, filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit under the False Claims Act in United States District Court for the District of Columbia, charging that ArmorGroup management retaliated against him for whistleblowing, internally and to the United States Department of State (“DoS”), about illegalities committed by ArmorGroup in the performance of AGNA’s contracts with the United States to provide security services at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan and at the U.S. Naval base in Bahrain.

The Complaint charges that during Mr. Gordon’s seven-month tenure as Director of Operations, he investigated, attempted to stop, and reported to DoS a myriad of serious violations committed by ArmorGroup, including:

• Severely understaffing the guard force necessary to protect the U.S. Embassy;

• Allowing AGNA managers and employees to frequent brothels notorious for housing trafficked women in violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act;

• Endangering the safety of the guard force during transport to and from the Embassy by attempting to substitute company-owned subpar, refurbished vehicles from Iraq rather than purchasing armored escort vehicles as promised to DoS;

• Knowingly using funds to procure cheap counterfeit goods from a company in Lebanon owned by the wife of AGNA’s Logistics Manager; and

• Engaging in practices to maximize profit from the contract with reckless disregard for the safety and security of the guard force, the U.S. Embassy, and its personnel.

(more…)

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