Security in Iraq is Mainer's business

Listening to Alan Johnston talk about his new job, you'd think he found the position in the help-wanted section of Soldier of Fortune magazine.

Automatic weapons are his briefcase, a caravan of GMC Suburbans his commuter train and a Baghdad hotel his company apartment.

But Johnston, 45, of Windsor, is no mercenary. He is one of thousands of private security guards who protect the thousands of workers currently trying to turn a profit by rebuilding war-ravaged Iraq.

"I applied for the job through an ad on monster.com," he said. "I got the job on (a) Wednesday and left for Baghdad on Friday. ... When I told my wife, she was like, 'Oh.' "

...

Now Johnston and four colleagues are launching their own security firm in Iraq. Chameleon Security Services will be one of the first firms in the country to provide on-call air support to security convoys attacked by insurgents, he told the Kennebec Journal recently while visiting his wife and two children.

...

Johnston returned to Iraq last week, this time working for himself. He said Chameleon will operate for about five years before it dissolves and its owners split the profits. In the meantime, Chameleon will provide services he said the Army is currently incapable of providing.


http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/local/742881.shtml

I can't even begin to comment on this. I have so many different thoughts.

This article is sick. Rebuilding Iraq with automatic weapons. A gattling gun equipped helo in private hands? Custer Battles indeed.

This is the true nature of late stage corporate corruption.

the US military is dependent on private contractors....cannot even do basic things w/out them. talk about a defeated nation and people....at least the iraqis have a chance to fight!

Contractors delivering hamburgers is one thing. Killing for profit is what this is all about. This is reaching the bizarre level depicted in Apocalypse Now.