Afghan Report Revives Concerns About Scrutiny of Private Security Firms

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan government is putting new scrutiny on private security companies, raising concerns among Western officials that President Hamid Karzai may be accelerating efforts to push them out of the country.

A special committee appointed by Mr. Karzai to investigate the companies has found that 18 have committed “major offenses,” although that number may have later been lowered, according to an Afghan official who has read the committee’s report.

While the offenses cited were less than explosive — there were no charges, for instance, of murder or the inadvertent killing of innocents — some Western officials worry that Mr. Karzai may use them to try to speed the departure of the companies faster than his government is able to replace them with a promised Afghan force.

“If push comes to shove, it could be a very big deal if they went through with the proposal to rid the country of all private security companies,” one Western diplomat said. “But we’re not sure where we are yet in terms of which companies will be allowed to stay and which will be asked to leave.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/24/world/asia/24afghan.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

[Robb]

1. Assuming we can all agree Karzai cares only about Karzai

...I suspect he has his own designs on, ah, an a la carte military solution after ISAF troops leave.

[DCKit]

3. Totally agree.

However, it would be a personal favor to the people of the U.S. if he kicked 'em all to the curb. Think of the $$$$ we'd save.

However, they'd just crop us somewhere else, like any other plague. At least, with Afghanistan, there's a comfortable distance between them and us. It'd be horrible if they (when they) end up in Mexico, Central or South America.

[Hubert Flottz]

2. K&R

The corporate SS is winning hearts and minds just like Baldwin Felts of old.