This just says it all. I mean everyone has seen the pictures and heard all the crap with Armor Group at the Embassy, but to me, this was the most relevant bit of information about the whole deal. It is also the funniest quote ever. Jake put it up on PMH too. Enjoy. –Matt
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DoS Department Spokesman
Daily Press BriefingWashington, DC
September 1, 2009
AFGHANISTAN
QUESTION: But if you could just describe that and what is DS’s role.
MR. KELLY: Sure. I mean, DS’s role, I think, is mainly to over -the oversight of the guard program. But that’s a good question, and we’ll get you the info on it.
QUESTION: And what is the oversight of this particularcontractor? Does DS have an oversight of that contractor? Becausein the whole Blackwater situation there was a lot of complaintsthat DS didn’t have enough oversight over the contractors. So who specifically –
MR. KELLY: Well, I do have a specific answer to that question.
QUESTION: Okay.
MR. KELLY: The contracting officer is assigned here inWashington, D.C., and that person has overall responsibility for oversight of the contract and participates in weekly meetings between the program office and AGNA, or the Armour Group. And this person is also the one who has interactions on a more frequent basis –
QUESTION: From here?
MR. KELLY: From here in Washington.
QUESTION: So there’s no adult supervision of this contractor on the ground?
MR. KELLY: I’m getting to that.
QUESTION: Okay.
MR. KELLY: In Kabul, there are two assistant Regional Security Officers designated as the contracting officer’s representative and assistant contracting officer representative, respectively. There is also always a duty RSO who deals with the routine guard force matters such as access requests and on-compound events. So that’s – I guess that goes some way to answer your question. Right? It does appear that they do have the guard force responsibility.
QUESTION: Meaning the Armour Guard force?
MR. KELLY: Well, I mean, it’s an embassy guard force, and Armour has the contract for it. Can we –
QUESTION: To guard the perimeter of the embassy? Is that what they do?
MR. KELLY: Well, let’s find out exactly.
QUESTION: Okay.