Alcohol Banned at U.S. Embassy in Kabul

(AP)  The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan has banned alcohol and assigned American personnel to watch over the embassy's security guards following and sexual misconduct at their living quarters.

An independent watchdog group alleged this week guards hired by a private contractor were threatened and intimidated at their offsite living quarters, and photos were released of guards and supervisors in various stages of nudity at parties flowing with booze.

The State Department inspector general is of the contractor, ArmorGroup North America.

Ambassador Karl Eikenberry held a meeting with embassy staff on Thursday to discuss the situation, said embassy spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.

"We've already started to make changes to remedy some of the problems," Hayden said.

Images of alleged hazing (Graphic Content)
Graphic Content: Additional video of Kabul hazing
Letter to Sec. Clinton describing abuses (.pdf)

Alcohol has been prohibited at Camp Sullivan - the offsite location where ArmorGroup guards live - and diplomatic security staff have been assigned to the camp, the embassy said.

The embassy "will continue to take every possible step to ensure the safety and security of American Embassy personnel, while respecting the values of all Afghans, Americans and contract employees and visitors from other countries," an embassy statement said.

The ArmorGroup security personnel guard the gates to the embassy road and perimeter and screen visitors. The Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog group, said the nearly 450 ArmorGroup guards live and work in an oppressive environment in which they are subjected to hazing and other inappropriate behavior by supervisors.

In at least one case, supervisors brought prostitutes into the quarters where the guards live, a serious breach of security and discipline, the group said this week. In other instances, members of the guard force drew Afghans into activities forbidden by Muslims, such as drinking alcoholic beverages, it said.

The situation led to a breakdown in morale and leadership that has compromised security at the embassy, where nearly 1,000 U.S. diplomats, staff and Afghan nationals work, according to the nonprofit group.

The embassy has been targeted in insurgent rocket attacks, and suicide bombs have exploded at or near its gates. Militant attacks have risen across Afghanistan the last three years.

In the latest violence, Britain's defense ministry said a soldier was killed Wednesday in a bomb attack in Helmand province. The death raised the number of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 211.

[lenbono]

They are a disgrace to our nation. Let the Afgan authorities have 'em.

[nextgenman09]

American personnel to watch over the embassy's security guards
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So now we're paying people to watch over unprofessional freaks who we pay to watch over us?

What a joke.

[jenniferpatterson]

It is absolutely astonishing that allegations are being taken seriously from disgruntled employees that no longer work for Armor Group!!! The news media should be ashamed of themselves for running wild with a story that they have not fully investigated or confirmed!!! We all know what photoshop is and it is very difficult to say if these photos are even the originals. These private contractors are indeed in a very high stress environment, what they do on their very limited time off, is their PERSONAL BUSINESS!!! It is amazing how POGO has decided, as judge and jury, that there was actual "hazing" going on! Has anybody considered that perhaps the participants were willing? And perhaps, should I dare say, maybe it was all the individuals (consenting adults) involved idea of a good time? Who are we to judge?

Come on America, use your brains!!!

[nextgenman09]

You must be married to one of these Armor Group loser freaks. Immature, unprofessional bumpkins with guns.

[nextgenman09]

You must be married to one of these Armor Group loser freaks. Immature, unprofessional bumpkins with guns.

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money]

by dickmecrat1 September 3, 2009 10:29 PM EDT
I have been BANNED 10+ times about this Armorbals thing, so I now have this web name that gets me Banned, BUTT what yo cry about a little spit GIN around the crat anyway.
=======================================

You may be getting banned out of sheer compassion...for the rest of us. Your grammar, spelling and punctuation are atrocious and, well, torturous.

[rightbehind]

The people that work there that participated lewd behavior should be banned as well.

[cattiej]

The Amorguards make 2, 3 4, 5 times the $$ money of a U.S. soldier. I want the Army people to realize this aspect when they think about sending our one of our own to fight.

[cattiej]

The people who need to be banned is the Amorgroup guards. They need to be sent back to the U.S. and arrested for treason, then they need to pay the ultimate price for their treason. These people are NOT protecting our troops.

[jackobyte]

shylove2--> they are mercenaries man!
Can u dig it?
they went there to make money kill and maybe be killed.
they sure aint no pilgrims...

[jackobyte]

enjoy your wars why didnt you?

[shylove2]

Perhaps it is the atmosphere of war where lives are constantly in danger and the normal rules of society fall apart. In fact that may be the allure of the false promise of war. It lets one get outside of the staightjackets of social repression particularly regarding sex. War often is much worse than this harmless drunkenness perhaps. Rape and pillage that is much worse than this...