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Karzai wants PMC's out

Infidels out! Corrupt semi-official security companies in!

...Wait 6 months...

Karzai out! Abu-Hamster in!

The revolving door of Middle Eastern Politics that have left 327 British families and 1,027 American families without a father/mother/brother/sister/son/daughter etc etc...
 
Its the usual crap. I remember arriving at a place in Bosnia which had a minefield problem right at the end of the war there. I was doing an assessment of needs for the EC. Meeting with local bigwigs went like this:

BW: Pliz ve vont money for minefield cleanink.

Me: How many minefield related casualties have there been here.

BW: Er

Me: Is the minefield affecting peoples access to food, water, arable land or other socio economic necessities

BW: Ve just need money you haf to help us.

Me: I need to prioritise the clearance needs of this area and you can help by giving me the information I am asking for.

BW: Ve dont need priorities ve just need money. Ve are not third world, ve are Bosnian you gif us money ve clear landmines. Ve can do it for our selfes.

Me: Unfortunately it doesn't work like that, can you please answer my questions.

BW: Ve dont need your help ve need chust the money. Dis minefield put all our life in danger. You put our life in danger by not give money. Ve can do everysink ourserf, you give money now.

Me: Put a fence around the minefield to reduce the danger of people straying into it. I have another five villages to assess today.

Karzai is the same. Just give him the money and smile. I trust that Dave will not do that.
 
Most of the posters on here have sussed it out. He wants the lucrative Logs Convoy Escort contracts. Bearing in mind that some of those convoys are transporting millions of pounds worth of goods (Fuel, consumer goods, fags, food & water etc) I think you can probably work out another 'additional' angle that Arthur Daley would be proud of. Then again, this is Afghanistan we're talking about.

These contacts themselves are BIG bucks
 
I can actually see a positive angle to this. Frankly if Karzai wanted to cash in on the domestic militia/security market it would be easy enough for him to do so and absorbing those organisations into the ANP/ACAP/ANCOP is probably not the best way to do it as should these uniformed ex PMCs (a misnomer in this context but let's stick with for ease) carry on with their former duties, the cut of profits is going to be so diluted by the time it gets to Kabul as to be peanuts and should we talking about centralised contracts issued by the MoI, it would be very easy for district police forces to create an unworkable environment . It may just be that uncle Hamid genuinely sees the benefits of absorbing large amounts of militias with local knowledge (and relationships with local Talebs) into the official GiROA fold - Chief of Police EZMARI anyone?
Unfortunately - whatever the motivations it won't work as district CoPs will be very reluctant to absorb men with clear alleigences to other commanders (in some cases very powerful ones) into their Tashkiels, especially given that the all important wage bill might then actually represent the amount of bodies that the MoI is paying for at present.
 
It is not just the corruption angle for convoys it is also security for personnel when they either a.) melt away or b.) attack those they are suppose to protect due to threats, greed or actually being TB.
 
Yep, he's signed the order today. All legal PMCs will receive payment for their weapons and equipment, all illegal PMCs will have their weapons and equipment seized (Why does this sound familiar??) Of couse, this will save Karzai's brothers, cousins etc the outlay on wpns and 4X4s

Deep joy. Doesn't having Afghans escorting Logs Convoys raise security issues ??

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse.....r
 
So what are the thoughts on this for the industry- double dip on day rates? OR a large wadge of mixed denominations to licensing authority from groups outside the exemption or embassies/NGOs who want mobility?

Using local NGOs, staff & security with expat oversight has been de rigeur in a lot of Africa for a while, however in such a high threat environment it logically raises big questions on viability going forward. Without assurance for logistic convoys, does this herald the start of a 21st century siege of Kabul?
 
Yep, he's signed the order today. All legal PMCs will receive payment for their weapons and equipment, all illegal PMCs will have their weapons and equipment seized (Why does this sound familiar??) Of couse, this will save Karzai's brothers, cousins etc the outlay on wpns and 4X4s

Deep joy. Doesn't having Afghans escorting Logs Convoys raise security issues ??

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse.....r

And where is karzai going to get the money to buy all the equipment? For the smallest company this is probably going to be around the $400 000 mark. He doesn't have the money or the intention of paying. The guy is a thief.
 
This no doubt has something to do with Karzai's dodgey brother who has a fat little finger within the security company's pie, amongst other things.

I don't think western contractors will take too kindly to being told that their white eyed security staff are soon to be replaced by local nationals.
 
Just reading this confirms my thoughts. Afghans : a pack of cnuts. Khazi: King of cnuts. Corruption: Rife.

Point of anyone being there apart from goatfaced criminals ?...zero.

Oh, I forgot about the oil and mineral resources. Worth untold lives, them.



Edited to add that my spelling of Lord Beachtowel's name was not accidental, but an attempt at accuracy.
 
The ANSF cannot do the tasks they currently have, so taking on PSC for Log convoys isnt really likely. As everyone has stated, its cash to DUBAI being discussed here.
 
AFAIK the Brit and US embassies are currently guarded by G4S (ArmorGroup ?). SHOULD this threat by Karzai materialise then I honestly cant see the FCO in London allowing ANSF/ANP to act as CP/PSD for the dips that work over there.

So what could be the upshot of this ?? For the UK/US govt's to pull out would be a huge loss of face on the international diplomacy scene so I cant see that happening.
Commercial teams brought in ? G4S have them already but again, not sure if the FCO would allow it.. A couple of years ago, the AG fixer was ambushed and shot dead for several thousand dollars .. a diplomat would be worth a lot more than that in ransom.
RMP CP teams ?? They look after the Ambassador but is there enough to look after all the high level clients ? I dont think so.. and there is a lot of movement during the day.

Answers ? I dont have them.. Would the US/UK pull out and take all thier money with them ? That would leave a huge hole in the countries purse.. but IMHO I believe that this may be posturing and Afghan diplomacy at work here.. Only time will tell.
 
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