The Party Games of ArmorGroup
If you happen to be an employee of ArmorGroup, the private security company contracted to guard the U.S. embassay in Kabul, you like to play party games at Camp Sullivan, half-naked around a bonfire where fellow employees stand around urinate on themselves and each other for fun. What's more, you like to take vodka shots out of the other guards' buttcracks, and engage in sexually perverse hazing activities, humiliating and subjecting new recruits to these bizarre games, whether they want to be included, or not.
ArmorGroup's party games are now being closely examined by the State Department, Congress and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Secretary Clinton received a letter detailing the misconduct and abuses of Afghan nationals by the security personnel of ArmorGroup from Danielle Brian, Executive Director of Project on Government Oversight.
Early warning signs began in Texas where the security guards trained for pre-deployment. Hard partying and hazing were already happening, resulting in one ArmorGroup employee's termination for pulling a gun on another employee while they were both drunk. The deviant behavior continued in Afghanistan, including sneaking prostitutes into camp, harrassing Afghan nationals, heavy drinking, nudity, lewd behavior, and gross negligence of duty.
ArmorGuard obtained the $189 million dollar contract from the State Department after the previous contractors were also found to be inadequate in providing security for the thousand or so diplomats, civilians and nationals at the embassy. Apparently, there is a long standing history of the State Department tolerating ArmorGroup's deficiencies and infractions of their contract due to slim pickings in security companies who are capable and willing to defend the embassies in Kabul and Baghdad. While 8 of the guards have been fired, no move is being made to cancel the contract.
The antics and party games of ArmorGroup in Kabul have not only put the embassy at risk, it is believed their misconduct will further fuel Taliban recruits. The disgusting photographs of the guards are widely circulating on the internet which, include one half naked guard, wearing only a coconut shell, splashing an Afghan national with urine as he pees down his own leg. Nudity, drinking, and the antics displayed publicly by the guards are extremely offensive and often illegal in the strict Muslim society. You can find the full set of photos on pogo.org
I hope that State Department is able to find a suitable replacement for ArmorGuard and while capable security willng to be deployed to Afghanistan may be hard to come by, keeping the current contractors in place is likely to fuel a new jihad. Instead of spending another $189 million dollars on another set of frat boys who make the United States look like the biggest losers on the planet in the eyes of Afghanistan and Taliban underground who are fueled by this kind of behavior- why doesn't Obama just pull everyone out like he promised?
photo of ArmorGroup guards in Kabul courtesy of POGO.org
