Feral Jundi

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Year In Review: 2010 Google Analytics Report For Feral Jundi

Filed under: Year In Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 10:27 AM

     “Nation states no longer have a monopoly on military force, intelligence, diplomacy or anything else,” Mr. Clarridge said. “What’s going on in Somalia, where you have skilled contractors training a counter-piracy force, is an example of where the future of the military is going. No government or group of governments can get their act together to do it, but someone has to do it, and they are doing it.”- Duane Clarridge, From The Article “Private Firm Trains Somalis To Scuttle Pirates“, December 28, 2010

     Interesting year and it is nice to see all the little changes have made a huge difference.  Namely using Facebook as a means to promote the blog and using Google Reader for filtering stories. I also really liked using Google Alerts because that was bringing all sorts of good stuff into my inbox.

     I added a Scribd profile to the website and that was a really nice place to put documents in. Expect to see more interesting documents and publications to be converted into this format, and I might even get into writing some papers to put out there via Scribd.

     As you can see with the statistics below there has been a huge increase in visitors and page views this last year.  So I am very happy with this and the trend line for the blog just continues to go up and up.  Thanks to all of you out there for visiting, and I am glad you enjoy the site.

     One statistic I thought was cool was the amount of time folks spent on the blog.  Because there is so much information here a person could easily spend some time just browsing.  From the history stuff, to jobs, to information about taxes–all of it is drawing the reader in and the blog is definitely accomplishing the goal of educating the masses.  The average time on the site per visit, for the year, was about 3 minutes.  That is 3 minutes of time that the reader could have easily spent elsewhere, and usually the averages in the past were about a minute in a half. Content is king.

     The Top Ten Titles give you an excellent idea of what topics were popular for the blog.  Viktor Bout, Haiti and all the jobs for that disaster, Jax Desmond, and all my classic Funny Stuff Posters. ‘Potential’ actually draws in some hate mail from the jihadist dorks from time to time, and that makes me happy. lol

     The country and state visitor locations are no surprise to me. The key word stuff matches up with the popular titles as well.

     I guess what Google Analytics is missing is what my favorite posts or subjects were this year.  I enjoyed reading about the Saracen International stuff and the Insurance backed Private Navy.  Those are two stories I am following and it will be interesting to see how it goes for them.  The private navy story also grabbed my interest due to the potential there of using a Letter of Marque in modern times. Stay tuned there.

     The history posts are always fun for me. When I find some interesting little tidbit that deals with contractors in the past, I love getting that stuff out there. All the Koevoet material was a favorite of mine (non-contractor related). The John Coffee Hays and his Texas Rangers post was fun, as was the Soldier of Fortunes of the Mexican Revolutionary War. The young George Washington and his involvement with mercenaries during the French and Indian wars was cool too.

     Gary Faulkner popped up as the crazy bastard of the year that motivated the hell out of me.  I just pictured this guy going to Pakistan year after year, wandering the wilderness looking for Osama Bin Laden and wanting to kill him. Gary gets an ‘A’ for effort.

     Then there was Simon Mann returning to work for Obiang. This is the leader that originally imprisoned Simon and his gang for a coup attempt.  I am still trying to figure that one out.

     My best Building Snowmobiles posts were the Drone Archer and the Cyber Privateer ones. One post I continue think about from time to time is the Open Source Counter-Terrorism topic, and it is fun to think up new ways of promoting this empowerment concept. Also this was the first year I had a reader who came up with a Building Snowmobiles concept that involved economic/political theory and COIN, that he wanted to share with me. After looking at it I agreed that it was intriguing and put it up. So the innovation process here is influencing the readership out there to produce new ideas. That is awesome.

     The big ticket stories were the State Department’s army of contractors, the massive contracts that companies have received, the contractors thrown in jails around the world (wrongly or not) and the excellent support network on Facebook that helped apply the pressure on governments to do the right thing . Notice how the UAE is one of my top readers this year, and especially after the Moody case? lol

     Of course we cannot forget about Crazy Karzai and his attack on contractors in Afghanistan.  It was such a stupid episode, and really highlighted how much of a corrupt idiot he is. Luckily Karzai and company realized how unrealistic it was to ban all PSCs by December of last year.

     Let’s not forget the heroes and the dead this year.  We read about how Louis Maxwell defended his UN compound, and was later shot by Afghan police because they wanted his gun. Shane Schmidt passed away this year, and this guy defined a key jundism– ‘have the courage to do what is right’.

     Finally, the big story that needs to be mentioned from last year was the Code of Conduct signed by all the companies. I have noticed less negative attention on all the work done by contractors and companies this last year. That could be a sign that there are more pressing issues, like the economy or whatever. Or maybe we are starting to get squared away, and the governments using us are getting squared away?  Maybe.

     We will always be scrutinized out there by the media and others, and that comes with the territory. But honestly, I have seen an overall increase in the use of security contractors world wide, and I have seen an increase in the willingness to use security contractors for all types of jobs. It is a dangerous and complex world out there, and this industry will continue to be called upon to do what is required. –Matt

January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010–

307,256 people visited this site, with 436,213 page views.

 

January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009–

129,409 people visited this site, with 187,698 page views.

 

January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008–

21,427 people visited this site, with 37,841 page views.

 

Top Ten Most Popular Titles

1. Feral Jundi

2. Funny Stuff: Potential

3. Jobs Category

4. Funny Stuff: Panzerhaubitze 2000 155mm Schaldampfer!

5. Mexico: Exclusive-Los Zetas Responds To Jax Desmond, And Puts A Hit Out On Company

6. Jobs: Personal Security Detail And Medical Personnel, Haiti

7. Weapons: The VSS Vintorez Russian Sniper Rifle

8. Jobs: Static Security And Mobile Security Positions, Haiti

9. Funny Stuff: Strength

10. Gear Review: Electronic Hearing Protection-MSA Versus Peltor

 

Top Ten Most Popular Keywords

1. Feral Jundi

2. Funny Stuff

3. Jax Desmond

4. Security Jobs In Haiti

5. Viktor Bout

6. Haiti Security Jobs

7. Jax Desmond Worldwide

8. Paravant

9. Electronic Hearing Protection Reviews

10. What Does Feral Jundi Mean?

 

Top Ten Visitors By Country

1. United States

2. United Kingdom

3. Canada

4. Germany

5. Australia

6. India

7. South Africa

8. France

9. Finland

10. United Arab Emirates

 

Top Ten Visitors By State In The US

1. California

2. Texas

3. Florida

4. Virginia

5. New York

6. North Carolina

7. Georgia

8. Illinois

9. Washington

10. Arizona

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Maritime Security: The JLT ‘Private Navy’ Is Close To Kick-Off

Filed under: Africa,Letter Of Marque,Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 8:54 AM

      Woollerson would also like to see it involved in trying to remove the causes of Somali piracy through land-based initiatives.

     “I see the CEP as a self-destructing company. Maybe in many years’ time we will no longer be needed and could donate the tonnage to a Somali coastguard,” he said.

     This is a very interesting quote, and actually the entire article below is filled with some great stuff. Bravo to the author for getting the scoop and putting it out there for all to read. Here are my older posts with comments that first talked about this venture.

     Now for my take on the whole thing.  In order for this Convoy Escort Programme (CEP) to be a ‘self-destructing company’, it must take part in destroying their ‘Raison d’être’ –the pirates.  Escorting ships does not alone create this kind of market mechanism. Especially if they only plan on capturing 27% of the merchant traffic going through the GoA, and allowing the pirates to feast on the other 73% of the merchant traffic. If anything the consequence, intended or unintended, will be a higher concentration of armed pirates attacking undefended vessels.

    The other angle on this is that merchants and insurance companies will see how this works, and they too will fire up a similar business model.  That other 73% of the merchant market might shrink pretty fast with a higher concentration of pirates coming down on them, and an increase of insurance backed protective services available to them at a decent price.

    But this is where the quote up top really grabs me, and that is the land based initiatives of this CEP team.  Could there be something going on here, like JLT taking a hint from what is going on with Saracen International and their proposed private militia? I bet JLT wouldn’t mind attracting some of that funding coming from this middle eastern mystery donor either.

    Finally, there is the quote about a reputable flag state sponsoring these CEP vessels, and the concept of a government and military granting them ‘legitimacy’. That sounds like all the makings for a Letter of Marque or some kind of similar license to do what they are going to do. We will soon find out in the coming months exactly what kind of arrangement we have here. –Matt

‘Private Navy’ Is Close To Kick-Off

December 10, 2010

An insurance broker’s plan to create a “private navy” to combat Somali piracy is close to being launched.

Shipowners could be asked to back the project as early as late January or February with private military-escort vessels sailing alongside merchant ships by mid-2011.

A reputable flag state prepared to register the 18 patrol boats has been lined up, shipowner support is being canvassed and preparations made to secure funding for the vessels and crew.

Sean Woollerson of the Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) insurance-broking group says there are still issues to overcome but the key task of securing government and military support to give the project “legitimacy” is almost there.

The venture, now branded as the Convoy Escort Programme (CEP), estimates it needs only £15m ($23.5m) to buy secondhand vessels suitable for use as patrol boats and the rest of the infrastructure.

Greek salvage entrepreneur George Tsavliris is already seeking support from fellow shipowners and Bimco has indicated a willingness to help facilitate the project.

(more…)

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Maritime Security: US Navy Using ‘Q-Ships’ And Somalis Guilty Of Piracy In Historic Trial

Filed under: Legal News,Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , , , , , — Matt @ 8:36 AM

     Three men jumped from a command boat into an open skiff and raced toward the target. They opened fire with AK-47 rifles as they neared the starboard side, hitting a mast and several life lines.

     No one was hurt, and the April 1 incident normally might have drawn little notice. Somali sea bandits have attacked several hundred freighters, tankers and other merchant ships this year. They have successfully hijacked 40 vessels and their crews and held them for ransom.

     But the target this time was the U.S. guided missile frigate Nicholas, disguised to resemble a cargo ship. Navy gunners fired back, and by dawn, commandos had captured five Somalis.

     The last known U.S. trial of a pirate captured overseas was in 1819. During the Civil War, crew members from the Savannah, a Confederate raider, were charged with piracy and tried in New York. But the jury deadlocked, and the rebels later were deemed prisoners of war. 

    There is actually two historic events here.  The first would be the trial itself, but the second would be the first use of ‘Q-ships‘ by the US Navy since World War 2. This last part is incredibly under reported, and hopefully some clarification can be made by the US Navy about this if it is true.

    Or maybe there was a mistake by the reporter below, or this is what the defense claimed in the trial?  Who knows, but it certainly is interesting if true.  It almost makes me wonder if the USS Ashland was set up to be a decoy as well, because Somali pirates fired on that vessel thinking it was a merchant vessel. –Matt

US jury finds Somalis guilty of piracy

November 25, 2010

WASHINGTON — Five Somalis were found guilty of piracy for attacking a US vessel in the Indian Ocean, the first US convictions on such charges in nearly two centuries, the Department of Justice said Wednesday.

A jury in the port city of Norfolk, Virginia found the men guilty of the April attack on the navy frigate USS Nicholas — which they mistook for a merchant vessel — from a small skiff in April.

The ruling marks “what is believed to be the first piracy trial conviction in the United States since 1820,” the US Department of Justice said in a statement.

According to trial testimony, the men sailed from Somalia searching for a merchant ship to raid. “They used a larger ship full of supplies, along with two smaller vessels loaded with assault weapons and a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) that served as attack boats,” the statement read.

On April 1, three of the suspects boarded one of the smaller vessels “and set out to pirate what they believed to be a merchant ship.”

The men opened fire on a ship which turned out to be the Norfolk-based USS Nicholas.

(more…)

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Company Spotlight: Drum Cussac

Filed under: Company Spotlight,Industry Talk,Maritime Security,Somalia,United Kingdom — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 10:56 AM

     Drum Cussac deserves a little attention here, and I would like to thank Marcel at the Feral Jundi Facebook Page for sending me some recent information about them. I have posted a job deal from Drum Cussac in the past, and interestingly enough, it was for some FCO work. I say this because in the article below, it is yet again the FCO wanting to work with Drum Cussac for a contract training the TFG coast guard in Somalia to battle pirates.  I guess the FCO likes working with Drum Cussac, and that is why I wanted to do a company spotlight on them.

     Oh, and the dorks at the Telegraph should really think before getting all pissed off about their government hiring ‘mercenaries’ and using tax payer’s money for contracting their services. What the article forgets to emphasize (yet still mentions) is that the money the FCO would use for contracting Drum Cussac’s services, would be the $25 million dollars in so-called ‘aid money’ given to them by the US.  So I am not sure how this would be construed as taking from the British tax payer? Hell, if anything, US money for anti-piracy operations should go towards contracting the services of US companies.

     But back to Drum Cussac.  I found a few interesting things about the company worth noting, but there are also some areas that I am foggy about. For example, there is no history section on the company’s website that discusses where the name ‘Drum Cussac’ came from?  There really isn’t any information about the leadership of the company on the website either, but I did find out who the CEO of Drum Cussac is via other means. He is former Scots Guards officer Jeremy Stampa Orwin.

    As for the business that Drum has done, as of 2008 they had over 130 super-yachts as clients, with each boat worth more than £50 million. Not bad, and it sounds like recently they have done a lot to corner the super yacht market with their partnership with Yacht Lifeline. I am sure business has increased since that time, and their other shipping protection work, as well as the oil and gas stuff has made them a pretty penny. They also mentioned ‘500 transits’ in high risk waters over the last five years, so that is something.

    I was really interested when they started promoting ‘armed security’ in a press release, and the Telegraph story took an interest as well. For a British company, promoting maritime armed security is a rarity it seems. lol But it is a sign of the times that armed security is what is probably being demanded now a days. Especially as each ransom paid continues to add to the lethality and size of the piracy problem.  Perhaps shipping companies are starting to get the idea that something needs to be done, other than fueling the problem with more money.

    The other area of interest was their Political Evacuation Insurance they offer.  I am wondering if this insurance would cover a situation like what happened to Ross Perot’s company in Iran? I would be very curious to know how far a company like this would go to save a client?

    Finally, I have posted a link to probably one of the best Maritime Security forums out there, located at Close Protection World’s family of forums.  They have tons of information about the SSO certification for maritime security work, and they discuss Drum Cussac from time to time. Especially this current news story about them.

     From what I gather, Drum offers a pretty good SSO course for a reasonable price.  I have yet to hear any complaints and they sound comparable to other companies offering the same. No word on wether or not you could get on some database after getting this training, but I am sure they would offer some kind of networking potential or even recruitment offers via email every once in awhile.

     Although it sounds like this current gig offering £1,500-a-day would only be reserved for their high-end guys. But you never know, and they do cover a lot of boats out there, so the work has to be there.  Definitely check out all the stuff below and if anyone has anything else to add about the company, please feel free to chime in. –Matt

Armed Security Teams

October 2010

Drum Cussac, the market leader in anti-piracy and maritime security consultancy, can now supply a full range of armed services for the protection of vessels in transit through high risk waters and for static operations or survey work in areas of high threat.

Our armed option has been designed to provide fully legitimate, properly licensed and trained teams to deploy onboard vessels. Our teams are experienced UK Nationals and are equipped with new and modern weapon systems. We are able to operate from a number of ports in the Indian sub-continent, Africa, Gulf States and the Mediterranean.

(more…)

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Maritime Security: More Information About Yemen’s ‘Rent-A-Navy’

Filed under: Letter Of Marque,Maritime Security,Yemen — Tags: , , , , , , , — Matt @ 10:05 AM

     Tariq said Yemen’s navy and coast guard agree to the escorts only if they already have patrols planned in the areas where shippers are asking for the guards. The navy and coast guard turn down “more than half” of the escort requests that his company forwards from shippers because the duties of Yemen’s national defense require them elsewhere, he said.

     Government officials in Yemen ”will not risk jeopardizing their relationship with supporting countries just for this,” Tariq insisted, in a reference to any qualms the United States and other donor countries might have. 

     Well, this is not really a new story, but still pretty interesting to read about. I also have to critique the loose use of the word ‘privateer’ in the title below. There is nothing private about this venture and this is the government of Yemen selling the services of their navy to shipping companies. This is certainly not privateering by any definition.

     Also, the Tanzanian Navy was contracted out to protect a Maersk ship, so the statement below about Yemen being the only country to do this is wrong. Here is the story I posted awhile back about the matter.

     But that does bring up an interesting thought. If Yemen is so strapped for cash and they are willing to rent out their navy, then maybe they might actually contemplate granting Letters of Marque to private industry? It is a shame they have to turn down all of those requests by the shipping industry.

     Yemen could stand to make some money off implementing a LoM system. They could take 10 percent (or whatever amount) of the fee paid to private companies by shipping or insurance companies, to do this kind of escort service. In turn, Yemen could grant a LoM to these companies and give them the legal backing to protect these vessels.

     Or better yet, if Yemen set up a good ol’ fashion ‘Prize Court’, then companies could take captured vessels and hardware back to these courts and gain legal ownership of those goods.(with Yemen taking their cut of course)

     Although like I have mentioned before, these thugs really don’t carry a lot of valuable things on them when they do these attacks. But you never know?  With all of these multi-million dollar ransoms being paid out, it wouldn’t surprise me to see some of these pirates buzzing around in Cigarette Boats or Yachts and wearing gold chains around their necks.

     These companies could even bring back captured pirates and have the legal system in Yemen deal with these guys–especially if there was incentive for Yemen to hold these pirates.  The international community continues to look for countries that would be willing to prosecute and imprison pirates, and Yemen would work. It definitely sounds like we have an interest in doing business in Yemen for the war effort, and this could be one part of that.-Matt

The Privateers of Yemen

Starved for revenue and riddled with corruption, the Yemeni navy and coast guard have adopted a novel fundraising strategy: guns for hire.

By Ellen Knickmeyer

November 17, 2010

Yemen’s leaders are pushing the United States to increase its military aid roughly 40-fold for their country to fight al Qaeda — but Yemen isn’t just relying on aid to generate cash from the international security threats burgeoning on its lands and seas.

For more than a year, Yemen’s financially pragmatic civilian and military officials have been contracting with at least one maritime-security broker to hire out commissioned Yemeni warships and active-duty and armed Yemeni coast guard and navy sailors as private escorts for merchant ships and oil tankers crossing the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden. The cost for Yemen’s escort service: up to $55,000 per ship, per trip.

Guaranteeing “the ultimate protection for your vessel and crew,” the website of Gulf of Aden Group Transits, Yemen’s London-based broker, offers shippers “a dedicated escort by a heavily armored 37.5 meter Yemen Navy Austal patrol boat” and ”six serving Yemen military or coast guard personnel to embark and protect your vessel.”

The fee apparently also guarantees shippers a degree of immunity regarding any ensuing battles at sea: “Any action taken by the teams or vessels provided … is fully authorized by the Yemeni Government,” says the website of Lotus Maritime Security, the Yemeni company that claims to serve as a liaison between the London-based broker, the Yemeni government and military, and shippers.

(more…)

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