Feral Jundi

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Industry Talk: Afghanistan Begins Disbanding Private Security Firms

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 6:14 PM

Afghanistan has banned eight private security firms, including the company formerly known as Blackwater, a spokesman for President Hamid Karzai told reporters Sunday.

Among the companies whose operations are being dissolved are Xe (formerly known as Blackwater), NCL, FHI, White Eagles and other small companies, spokesman Waheed Omer said. Both international and domestic companies were affected.

Weapons and ammunition belonging to these companies has been seized, he said.

Xe has several operations in Afghanistan, some of which will not be immediately affected by the decision. While Xe’s transportation and highway security operations have stopped, it will continue to offer security for embassies.

“Until we have Afghan security forces up and running, private security companies will continue to operate and serve in training and protection of foreign embassies,” Omer said. 

*****

     I do not know who the other companies were, but the quote up top listed a few.  With Xe, I am thinking the company that was disbanded was Paravant, but I could be wrong on that. If anyone has further details about the disbanding of companies, feel free to comment below. If you are a small business owner or employee that will lose their job or business because of this, I definitely want to hear from you. –Matt

Afghanistan begins disbanding private security firms

8 private security firms banned in Afghanistan

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Afghanistan begins disbanding private security firms

By Sayed Salahuddin

Oct 3, 2010

Afghanistan has begun disbanding private security companies operating in the country, shutting down eight firms and seizing over 400 weapons, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

The move is part of President Hamid Karzai’s ambitious plan to take over all Afghan security responsibilities from foreign troops by 2014.

Since Karzai’s decree in August, a plan has been drawn up for the process which is expected to be complete by the end of the year, Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary said. The United Nations and NATO-led International Security Assistance force had given it their support, he added.

“The interior ministry is implementing this plan with seriousness and decisiveness,” he told a regular briefing.

The first targets are illegal armed groups operating as private security firms, companies with temporary permits and those who provide security escorts for foreign forces and have been engaged in criminal acts and security breaches.

The government has already closed down an Afghan security firm with 75 employees, and several smaller groups which provided security escorts for convoys, Bashary said.

(more…)

Monday, September 27, 2010

Jundism: ‘Have The Courage To Do What Is Right’– Security Contractor Shane Schmidt Rest In Peace

Filed under: Industry Talk,Iraq,Jundism — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 12:56 AM

     I wanted to post this story as an example to us all.  ‘Have the courage to do what is right’ is a Jundism concept that I have hit on before here on the blog, and Shane Schmidt is a prime example of what this means.

     For circumstances like this when a co-worker or leader has crossed the line, it is your responsibility and moral obligation to do what is right and turn that bastard in. If you don’t, who will?  And if you don’t, then these heathens will take you, your company, and your customer down with them and everyone in the company and industry suffers.

     Do not listen to those in your company who are weak minded and lack that moral standard to do what is right. Listen to your heart and listen to your soul and do what you have to do. That is all.

     Bravo to Shane Schmidt (and Charles Sheppard) and Semper Fi. –Matt

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Shane Schmidt

Shane Schmidt, shown in Iraq, and others with Triple Canopy said a colleague fired unprovoked into an occupied taxi and pickup truck. (Courtesy Of Shane Schmidt)

Sued U.S. defense contractor in Iraq

By Emma BrownFriday, September 24, 2010

Shane Schmidt, a private security guard in Iraq who raised questions about lax government oversight of U.S. defense contractors when he accused his boss of randomly shooting at, and perhaps killing, civilians in Baghdad, died Sept. 19 at a hospital in Marshfield, Wis. He was 33.

Mr. Schmidt, a Haymarket resident who was visiting family in Wisconsin, was crossing a road near Marshfield just after midnight when he was struck by a vehicle. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died, according to a news release from the local sheriff’s department. The incident was under investigation.

Mr. Schmidt was a Marine Corps sniper who served two tours in Afghanistan before taking a job in 2004 with Triple Canopy, a Herndon-based company and one of the largest defense contractors working with the U.S. military in Iraq.

For $500 a day, he provided protection for American bases and visiting military personnel and contractors.

On July 8, 2006, the former Marine was one of four Triple Canopy employees traveling in an armored sport-utility vehicle to the Baghdad airport.

(more…)

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Executive Protection: The Explosive Growth Of The Close Protection Industry In China

Filed under: China,Executive Protection,Industry Talk — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 1:13 AM

When Zhe, a national-level kung fu coach and former government security agent, started his company eight years ago, aiming to serve a high-end, wealthy clientele, he recalls there were few if any competitors in the game. By the end of last year, according to the Ministry of Public Security, the private security business had grown into a $1.2 billion industry with about 2,767 companies employing more than two million security guards. 

*****

    Wow, I had no idea it was this big?  And what is really interesting about this, is how this will translate into China’s presence throughout the world?  If the rich in China are reaching out to the close protection industry, then I would imagine that some of this relationship would spill overseas into some of the places overseas.  Especially in the war zones or in countries that China’s executives and businessmen might have some concerns in.

    I have to think that out of those 2,767 companies providing over two million security guards, that there are a few who have interests in overseas work.  I wouldn’t be surprised that a few of them might even consider themselves a PMC and are seeking to enter into this area of contracting in order to support China’s policy goals throughout the world. That’s if they have been watching how the US uses companies.

    Finally, it looks like they are going through a period of regulation concerns over how their industry is monitored and kept in check.  Nothing new there, and this is a problem world wide.  Some countries do better than others. Still, there will always be issues and especially when governments are involved with the process. lol –Matt

As China’s wealthy grow in numbers, so do their protectors

Bodyguard services are big hit

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As China’s wealthy grow in numbers, so do their protectors

By Keith B. RichburgSunday, September 19, 2010

BEIJING – Perhaps the most visible sign of the explosion of private wealth in China tries hard not to be visible at all – the private bodyguard.

They work as drivers or nannies, or blend into a businessman’s coterie looking like a secretary, a briefcase carrier or a toady. Unlike bodyguards in the United States, they are generally not tall and imposing; in fact, many are women, on the theory that females in the retinue attract less attention.

And also unlike in the United States, they are never armed, since private citizens in China are largely prohibited from owning firearms. Rather, Chinese bodyguards are martial arts experts, trained to disarm or subdue an attacker with a few quick thrusts, jabs and hand chops.

“In China, we don’t need people who know guns,” said Michael Zhe, president of Beijing VSS Security Consulting Ltd, which started in 2002 and counts itself as the country’s oldest private security firm. “Bodyguards can use one or two blows to stop an attacker.”

(more…)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Media News: Mission Essential Personnel Calls Out ABC News Over Report On Linguists

Filed under: Industry Talk,Media News — Tags: , , , , , , , — Matt @ 11:17 PM

Marc Peltier, MEP’s chief operating officer, said in an interview with ABC News that he had “no reports from the field” of translators who could not communicate in Dari or Pashto, and said the company has received “100 percent outstanding” ratings from the Army and shared a copy of what he said was an internal company survey that showed 82 percent of its customers were satisfied with the performance of its translators. An attorney accompanying Peltier to the interview said the company would answer Funk’s allegations in court, and not in the media.

*****

     I am not going to comment too much about the case between Mr. Funk and MEP, because I really don’t know enough about it. What I will comment on though is how ABC News decided to attack this company in such an obvious way. I would be cheering on this news broadcast if in fact their stuff was true or unbiased, but there are too many details that we are not privy too. I just cannot see how this mainstream media outlet thought that this was appropriate? It is more bashing of companies for the sake of ratings I guess?

     The show was completely one sided and the viewer is made to think that the translator in the film they showed from Afghanistan was one of MEP’s translators. This was not the case after reading MEP’s statement, and I was shocked. Who is ABC News for misleading the viewer, and especially when there were so many variables with this case?

     Also, I despise the idea of poor translators going out into the field like anyone else. I have witnessed exactly what poor translation services can produce. But really, if the government has identified poor service by MEP and they were not at all satisfied with the translators performance, then they should have reflected that in the customer surveys and reviews. Or better yet, they should have fired MEP and went with a better company. It makes no sense to keep paying for poor services, if in fact you are getting poor service. It’s called exercising your power as the consumer and the government does a terrible job of this. –Matt

Edit: 09/14/2010- Check out David Isenberg’s excellent post about the subject here.  He didn’t have much good to say about ABC’s track record on reporting and he pointed out many holes in this case.

Edit: 09/23/2010- The American Spectator did a story on this recently.

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Mission Essential Personnel Response To ABC’s 9/8/2010 Broadcast

9/8/2010

Mission Essential Personnel today released the following statement in response to the ABC News story “Whistleblower Claims Many U.S. Interpreters Can’t Speak Afghan Languages.”

MEP is an American success story and a responsible partner to the U.S. Government and to service members around the world. Our linguists play a critical role in sharing the United States’ message of goodwill and deciphering the hidden messages of those who seek to harm Americans. MEP’s linguists risk their lives each day to accompany brave troops into the field, and many have made the ultimate sacrifice to advance the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, while saving many lives. While there are always challenges on a changing battlefield, MEP, in partnership with the U.S. military, has helped bring a greater level of peace and stability to Afghanistan.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Mexico: Drug Cartels Cripple Pemex Operations In Basin

Filed under: Industry Talk,Mexico — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 9:45 PM

     This sucks for Mexico and Pemex, but until they do the things necessary to properly secure these pipelines, then they will continue to lose their so called ‘backbone of the nation’. If Pemex cannot trust local Mexican security companies, then hire globally. There are plenty of companies around the world who are providing security to oil companies operating in places like Iraq. Mexico is at war with these cartels and it would make sense to deploy military or contract security with experience in war zones to secure this vital national asset.

     Either lose that money to thieves, or spend that money to defend your property and livelihood. That is my thought on the matter.

     One other point that comes to mind about this troubling issue. If the drug cartels could do this to Pemex and Mexico, then why couldn’t they do this to oil platforms/drilling rigs? Especially the US owned rigs, because eventually the cartels are going to want to send a message to the US. Our money is helping to fuel Mexico’s war against the cartels, and we are naive to think that our actions will not invite any retaliation. Imagine a dozen BP style disasters? All I know is that if oil companies have not posted security on each rig, then we are giving an open invitation to terrorists and criminals to do all sorts of terrible things. –Matt

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Mexican drug cartels cripple Pemex operations in basin

September 06, 2010

By Tracy Wilkinson

The meandering network of pipes, wells and tankers belonging to the gigantic state oil company Pemex have long been an easy target of crooks and drug traffickers who siphon off natural gas, gasoline and even crude, robbing the Mexican treasury of hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Now the cartels have taken sabotage to a new level: They’ve hobbled key operations in parts of the Burgos Basin, home to Mexico’s biggest natural gas fields.

(more…)

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