Saturday, February 12, 2011
Industry Talk: War, Fickle Clients, A Corrupt Government… And PSCs In Afghanistan Press Forward
It looks like this government is doing all they can to make life very difficult for these companies to operate. It is so bad, it looks like the very air that companies breath will be regulated and taxed, and if not, the companies will be fined for even thinking about breathing. Ridiculous.
The other thing here that is important to note is that even under all of this pressure by such a corrupt government, or the constant media and congressional pressure, or fickle clients, or the toils of an active war zone, that these durable companies are still operating and overcoming adversity. Imagine an Apple or Toyota operating in such an environment?
Private security companies like these not only have to protect a client’s life and reputation, but must also work hard to protect their own operations and people. Talk about pressure and adverse operating conditions? Either way, this industry will overcome all and any obstacles, just like it always has, and continue to provide vital security services in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Just as long as governments like Karzai’s do such a terrible job of governing or providing adequate security for locals and foreigners, the services of my industry will still be in high demand. –Matt
Security firms face possible fines in Afghanistan
Afghan government accuses 16 security firms of violations
Security firms face possible fines in Afghanistan
Feb 10, 2011
Private security firms operating in Afghanistan will in future face fines for breaking their operating rules, President Hamid Karzai’s office said Thursday, the latest tightening of measures against them.
In August, Karzai ordered that all private security firms — many of which are foreign-owned and provide guards for embassies, NGOs and businesses in violence-hit Afghanistan — be banned.
But he later rowed back on this under pressure from his Western allies, who said the firms were necessary to provide adequate security in the country, whose own police and military are still being built up.
“The interior minister presented a plan regarding fining private security companies that unlawfully recruit foreign staff, unlawfully import armoured vehicles from outside the country, or distribute illegal weapons,” a statement from Karzai’s office said, after a meeting of the National Security Council.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Weapons: A JDAM For Mortars–The ATK GPS Guidance System
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Strategy: Egyptians Share Secrets Of Uprising
This is fascinating stuff. Like most folks, I have been following the protests and political upheaval with some interest. But what I am really interested in is the strategies and tactics behind such things. Because really, the best way to win a war or achieve an objective, is to not fight at all. Removing a leader and it’s regime via internal uprising or coup (bloodless preferred) , is far better than expending all the resources, treasure and blood that is involved with conducting an all out war to remove such a beast.
What I thought was most impressive is that it sounded like what won the day was really good strategy on the part of the activists, and not Twitter or Facebook or whatever gadgets that the media likes to point to as the source. These protesters played a better game than the riot forces and the Mubarak regime did, and they did it by borrowing brilliance or what I call ‘mimicry strategy’. They saw how the folks in Tunisia did this, and copied it. They also used whatever communications tool they could to network the masses and get them to where they needed to be. So they did word of mouth tactics, they used the internet, they used flyers, they used the cell phone and text messaging, they used everything they could to get the word out.
Further more, on the technology side of things, there are more cellphones in Egypt than internet users. And the government eventually shut down the internet, leaving protest organizers to go back to more traditional ways of organizing. But as you can see with their strategy, they wanted to create just one successful protest that would get people off their asses and out into the streets. Once they got the people out, the protest would fuel itself because people would be motivated by other people and their actions. Momentum is what they were seeking, and that is what they achieved.
Also, I really dug the ‘Site 21’ strategy mentioned. I think Col. John Boyd would be impressed with this strategy, as would any military strategist. The protest was well planned and executed, and it used decoy marches to fool the police. With that planning, they were also able to create a focal point or schwerpunkt at this Site 21, and depend on the masses to collect there and overwhelm any police forces that could respond. This massive show of people would be the fuel for future protests. This would further build on the inception of the Tunisian success in Egypt idea in everyone’s brain. Success breeds success.
Also it should be noted that ‘know yourself, know your enemy’ was extremely important to the success of these strategists. They had protested and failed before, so they had that to learn from. They had years to study the Egyptian riot police and how they operated. They also learned what it took to motivate the people through a source of constant give and take feedback gold on such places as Facebook, Twitter, and activist forums. And lets not forget the simple act of just talking on a phone or sending text as well? The cellphone to me was probably the most important technological tool used, just because it was the one tool that everyone in the country had access too.
Now for the down side. Who knows what the outcome of all of this will be? Will the Muslim Brotherhood take over in Egypt? Are we seeing the seeds of a Islamic Revolution throughout the region, much like what happened in Iran back in 1979? Will the military in Egypt join with the people and their desired leader, or join with Mubarak and hurt the people to break the uprising? Or will the military just dissolve? Not to mention how all of this will impact the price of oil, US regional strategies and national interests, or even Egypt’s neighbor Israel?
I don’t know, but I do know that other political uprisings will emerge because now there is a template. Mimicry strategy, along with adding that one little edge specific to their region is the kind of stuff we will continue to see. Most importantly, there is momentum building and oppressed peoples will be more enthused to do something. –Matt
Go to Site 21!!!! This is our Tunisia!!!!
Egyptians Share Secrets of Uprising
FEBRUARY 10, 2011
By CHARLES LEVINSON And MARGARET COKER
CAIRO—The Egyptian opposition’s takeover of the area around the parliament this week began with a trick.
First, they called for a march on the state television building a few blocks north of their encampment in Tahrir Square. Then, while the army deployed to that sensitive communications hub, they moved into the lightly defended area around the parliament to the south.
The feint gave a taste of how a dozen young activists managed to outwit Egypt’s feared security forces to launch a historic uprising now in its 17th day—and hint at how the organizers hope to keep pressure on a regime that has dug in its heels.
On Jan. 25, the first day of protests, the organizers had a trick up their sleeves in the impoverished slum of Bulaq al-Dakrour, on Cairo’s western edge.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Letter Of Marque: War Of 1812 Privateers Website
Now this is a cool resource for those of you out there that are researching the LoM and it’s possible uses for modern times. The War of 1812 provides many examples of how this concept was used by all sides, and how involved private industry really was during that war. The legal references mentioned in the Prize Court section are very good as well.
What is interesting here is the culmination of hundreds of years of admiralty courts and privateering present in the conduct of all sides. The legal mechanisms, the regulations, the codes of conduct for privateers, the tactics–all of it evolved over time and presented itself in this war. I often wonder how modern technology and legal processes could have contributed to this type of naval warfare? Or better yet, what would privateering and the LoM look like if it never went out of style? Check it out and let me know what you think. –Matt
The War of 1812 saw the apogee of privateering; with the activities of American privateers greatly adding to the offensive capability of the United States.The information available on the privateers and letters of marque is far greater than generally realized, with much material held in the uk at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
This site aims to make this information, particularly on American POWs, more widely available.
This sites aim is to provide research sources for the study of privateering during the War of 1812.
Much of the data was gathered as part of a project for the, late, Institute of Maritime Studies , University of St. Andrews with most of the material coming from the National Archives at Kew, London.
May 2010…update:
Two works are currently in progress:
The indexing of Lloyd’s List for the period 1812-1814; as yet 1812 completed that has generated 26,000 entries.
Indexing of the Registers of letters of marque against France 1793-1815:
The period 1803-1815, Adm 7/649, is now available.
this will give every British armed merchant ship which operated during this period and the name of the master.
Further as a new Letter of marque had to be issued with each change of master, it will give an indication of a master’s career over this period to which voyage information can be found through Lloyd’s List.
Link to website here.