Group: US Embassy Security in Kabul Risky

Security Guards Overworked, Sleep-Deprived and Subject To Humiliating Hazing, Including Being Urinated On, Watchdog Says

(CBS/AP)  A private security company hired by the U.S. State Department to protect diplomats and staff at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan provides shoddy security and fosters a "Lord of the Flies environment" in which subordinates are subjected to hazing and inappropriate behavior by supervisors, a government oversight group alleged Tuesday.

In a 10-page letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Project on Government Oversight contended the situation has led to a breakdown in morale and leadership, compromising security at the embassy in Kabul where nearly 1,000 U.S. diplomats, staff and Afghan nationals work.

The group is urging Clinton to begin an investigation of the contract with ArmorGroup North America. It also recommends that she ask the Pentagon to provide "immediate military supervision" of the private security force at the embassy.

The oversight group's findings are based on interviews with ArmorGroup guards, documents, photographs and e-mails.

One e-mail from a guard describes lurid conditions at Camp Sullivan, the guards' quarters a few miles from the embassy. The message depicted scenes of abuse including guards and supervisors "peeing on people, eating potato chips out of [buttock] cracks, vodka shots out of [buttock] cracks (there is video of that one), broken doors after drnken [sic] brawls, threats and intimidation from those leaders participating in this activity."

Multiple guards say these conditions have created a "climate of fear and coercion." Those who refuse to participate are often ridiculed, humiliated or even fired, they contended.

The group's investigation found sleep-deprived guards regularly logging 14-hour days, language barriers that impair critical communications, and a failure by the State Department to hold the contractor accountable.

Nearly two-thirds of the embassy guards are Gurkhas from Nepal and northern India who speak little English, a situation that creates communications breakdowns, the group says. Pantomime is often used to convey orders and instructions.

"One guard described the situation as so dire that if he were to say to many of the Gurkhas, 'There is a terrorist standing behind you,' those Gurkhas would answer 'Thank you sir, and good morning,'" the group's letter said.

The group also alleges that on at least one occasion, company supervisors brought prostitutes into Camp Sullivan.

Wackenhut Services, ArmorGroup's parent company, had no immediate comment on the allegations. The State Department also had no immediate comment.

The State Department has been aware of ArmorGroup's shortcomings, the letter says, but has done too little to correct the problems.

It cites a July 2007 warning from the department to ArmorGroup that detailed more than a dozen performance deficiencies, including too few guards and armored vehicles. Another "cure notice" was sent less than a year later, raising other problems and criticizing the contractor for failing to fix the prior ones.

In July 2008, however, the department extended the contract for another year, according to the notice. More problems surfaced and more warning notices followed. Yet at a congressional hearing on the contract in June, State Department officials said the prior shortcomings had been remedied and security at the embassy is effective.

The contract was renewed again through 2010.

[irreverent1-2009]

They should pack up some of these State Department Officials and fly them over to Afghanistan and make them work out of the embassy for a month and then let them say that deficiencies have been remedied. It's all about outsourcing leading to no accountability.

[fleabag75]

Yep,,, that would do it. Your solution is so plain and simple and the results would be almost guaranteed but they don't do stuff like that. For one, none of the 'superiors' have the guts to do it. No one rocks the boat and then moves higher up. There are pay-offs that create these situations. Any attempt at change will be dealt with severely.

[bajajohn1]

Sounds like a bunch of clueless, classless uneducated redneck yahoo's got the contract. Time for recission and to throw the bums out. Can you imagine that Wackenut is the company that is responsible for receiving contracts to manage correctional facilities in the U.S. No wonder the ex-cons are released in worse shape than when they went in to serve their sentence. Pathetic.

[woeisme1]

ArmorGroup, a Bush hire, will undoubtedly be connected to Obama and Obama will of course be blamed. Why am I not surprised.

[dwilson59]

I know if Blackwater was thier there would be no problems.

[TheMasses2002]

At parties, we eat potatoe chips and take vodka shots from between our toes. The toejam gives it a fuller flavor with more zest!

[nomealaska]

Maybe they should hire mature people for this type of position. People with the adolescent minds of a 11 boy do not need to representing me or my country.

[wyodutch]

Lots of money to be made... providing the government with the tools of the trade.

Oink! Oink! Oink!

[jsf14]

"It cites a July 2007 warning from the department to ArmorGroup that detailed more than a dozen performance deficiencies, including too few guards and armored vehicles. Another "cure notice" was sent less than a year later, raising other problems and criticizing the contractor for failing to fix the prior ones.

"In July 2008, however, the department extended the contract for another year, according to the notice..."
Meanwhile similar contractors provide many services to our military -- from food service to electrical installations. There seems to be a systemic problem here, one that has nothing to do with whether a particular war was a good idea.

[Ms_enza]

Well, good to see that Americans overseas are behaving as ambassadors of the people...

[jsf14]

Sounds like most of the people mentioned aren't AMericans. The company responsible for them, however, is.

[Ms_enza]

It's all falling down... wait until the Hueys are landing on the roof.

[slownewsday_5]

dumbasscrack -

most of us do remember... 99%?? Maybe 50% are too young to remember...

[spiritwalk]

If the Soviets couldn't control Afghanistan why does the US think it can and with hired help?

John Wayne is gone, there are no more imposters to spread the myth of American invincibility. It is time to cut the loses and come home.

[slownewsday_5]

what happened to 1dumasscrack? Sorry - guess my response to him doesn't make sense now...

He mentioned many don't remember the roof-top Huey evacuations - I think a majority of us do.

[speakinup23]

enza - don't you have a cave in Pakistan to enlarge ? What are you doing on the keyboard ?