U.S. Wants Contractor to Monitor Mercs in A'stan

[sabra]

Source: WIRED News

The U.S. military is looking to hire someone to police the growing army of hired guns in Afghanistan.

According to a solicitation released earlier this week by the coalition headquarters at Bagram Airfield, the military is looking for a contractor to run something called the "Armed Contractor Oversight Directorate." The work statement says the new office will be responsible for tracking private security companies (PSCs) -- and keeping tabs on how often they resort to force.

Among other tasks, the new office must "identify all PSC incidents to include the use of graduated force procedures and weapons discharges"; "track the status of all ongoing investigations involving PSC weapons discharges"; and "maintain regular contact with Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Ministry of Interior or their representative to identify issues concerning Department of Defense (DOD) contracted PSC’s actions, incidents and procedures."

This sounds an awful lot like the Reconstruction Operations Center set up in Iraq to coordinate and track the movement of private security operators in Iraq. The center, which also provides a daily intel brief for contractors, is operated by Aegis, the security firm run by "unorthodox soldier" Tim Spicer. Aegis won renewal of the contract earlier this year.

Read more: http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/12/more-oversight.ht...

[gratuitous]

1. Just stop paying the mercenaries

Wait, that's not such a good idea. Not hire them in the first place? A little late for that. Well, another four weeks and it's someone else's problem. Somebody shove Dr. Rice in front of a microphone to repeat for the umpteenth time that "No one could have foreseen . . ." It's like watching Susan Lucci get nominated for a daytime Emmy, but some people still think it's funny.

[politicaholic]

2. Wow, what a great way to divert blame when the whole situation blows up again...

Mercenaries cause more problems than they solve because if you speak to any one of them they truly believe that they know more about the situation, are better at their jobs, and are more efficient than the military forces. That attitude gets soldiers, intelligence operatives, and most of all citizens killed.

[stillcool]

3. Hire a private security company...

to watch private security companies. Wonder how much that contract will be worth.

[saigon68]

6. The natives sometimes get Payback-- Rose Petal Parade anyone?

[dipsydoodle]

4. Two nations divided by a common language

Form the title I thought you meant these :

[Javaman]

5. wolves guarding the hen house. nt