PMC / Mercenaries in Iraq (catch all)

[Stan]

I almost find it amusing in that I worked the same issue in Goma in 94 with Stan and we were trying to improve security in the camps for international organizations and NGO workers, The solution was to get a Zairian-Israeli security firm to take on the job and that happened over time and some metamorphisis.

State was against given anyone the authority to shoot as needed because they were not in the camps. My DCM declared the folks I was recruiting to be "thugs."

Now it seems it is shoot anyone who even seems a threat to an FSO.

Tom

Hey Tom,
Indeed, they were our thugs and considering the local situation, mst likely the best to handle said.

Distasteful I recall from the embassy right about the point John JA JA directed us into a war zone with an Izuzu Trooper, so he and his better half (the blonde bomb shell from K-town) could report first hand...the war was over What a Delta Hotel he was.

I'd bet your retirement (no, not mine just yet), that John would fully employ BW or even our Israeli/Civil Guard if we had to do it all over again.

They had already paid a family off with $20K to preclude embarrassment when a drunk officer ran a push cart flat. There are no limits

[Tom Odom]

They had already paid a family off with $20K to preclude embarrassment when a drunk officer ran a push cart flat. There are no limits

That must have been before I arrived. Certainly sounds correct though...

Indeed, they were our thugs and considering the local situation, mst likely the best to handle said.

That was what Gerald said, "Tom, they are thugs,' in that fake Brit accent of disdain. To which I replied, "Of course they are and that is why I want to hire them."

But always remember, John and his mate wanted us -- you and me --as their escorts when they braved crossing the border into Rwanda for 300 yards...

That must mean they thought of us --you and me --as thugs...

So true

Best

Tom

[Stan]

That must have been before I arrived. Certainly sounds correct though...

That was what Gerald said, "Tom, they are thugs,' in that fake Brit accent of disdain. To which I replied, "Of course they are and that is why I want to hire them."

But always remember, John and his mate wanted us -- you and me --as their escorts when they braved crossing the border into Rwanda for 300 yards...

That must mean they thought of us --you and me --as thugs...

So true

Best

Tom

From by-God oʊkləˈhoʊmə together with his nanny (err wife) from the UK, I could barely take the 15 minute rides in the bubble

Yep, J...JJ approved the 20K and swiftly sent the (ahem) Communications assistant on R&R just 5 weeks prior to your arrival

[JeffWolf]

Hello all,

This is directed primarily at the request for a Hammes citation. (I intended to post this last week, but have been having connectivity issues.)

This has, I think, relevant Hammes thoughts (and it's online, so no need to acquire hard copies or find page numbers):

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...ws/hammes.html

I also might look at Deborah Avant, "The Market for Force: The Consequences of Privatizing Security,"

http://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Warr...2720986&sr=1-2

or Peter Singer, "Corporate Warriors,"

http://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Warr...2720986&sr=1-2

Regards
Jeff

PS - Tom, I got your book from the library, and for what it's worth, am enjoying it quite a bit.