Embassy Guards Fired for Lewd Behavior

Eight Fired, Two Resign as State Department Demands Replacement of Entire Security Management Team

(CBS/ AP)  The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan says it has fired eight security guards following allegations of lewd behavior and sexual misconduct at their living quarters.

In Washington, a State Department official told CBS News State Department Reporter Charles Wolfson Friday that the eight guards seen in the photos were terminated at the department's request.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, also said the department is asking ArmorGroup North America, the private contractor that provides the guards, to remove all personnel seen in the photos and to replace the entire ArmorGroup management team on the ground at the embassy in Kabul.

The embassy said Friday the management team is "being replaced immediately."

Wolfson reports that the department's inspector general now has representatives from Washington on the ground in Kabul.

An embassy statement said the guards who were dismissed left the country Friday. Two other guards resigned and also left. All 10 appeared in photographs that depicted guards and supervisors in various stages of nudity at parties flowing with alcohol.

The scandal surfaced this week when an independent watchdog said that guards were subjected to abuse and hazing by supervisors.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is "genuinely offended" by the reports of misconduct, a State Department spokesman said Thursday.

Those who engaged in such activities will be dismissed from their posts, spokesman P.J. Crowley said.

Allegations of lewd behavior and sexual misconduct among the private security contractors guarding the embassy surfaced including reports of threats, intimidation and guards and supervisors in various stages of nudity at parties flowing with alcohol.

Clinton "is very displeased that this could have happened and that this could have happened without our knowledge," Crowley said.

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

Any employees of ArmorGroup North America who created what a watchdog group described as a "Lord of the Flies" environment at the guard's living quarters "will be removed and taken out of the country and will find a new line of work," he said. The "Lord of the Flies" reference is to a novel about a group of British schoolboys stranded on a desert island who try, but fail, to govern themselves in a chaotic setting.

The State Department launched an investigation following the allegations from the Project on Government Oversight, the Washington-based independent watchdog group.

On Friday, the regional security officer conducted 50 interviews embassy personnel, the department official told Wolfson. Overall, 120 interviews have been conducted to date, according to the official. A previously scheduled inspection by the inspector general is also underway, the official said. It will examine the oversight of all security contracts at the embassy, the official said.

In at least one case, supervisors allegedly brought prostitutes into the quarters where the guards live, a serious breach of security and discipline, the group said.

In other instances, members of the guard force have drawn Afghans into activities forbidden by Muslims, such as drinking alcoholic beverages.

"This violated our values," Crowley said. "This potentially compromised ... the important work of the United States embassy in Kabul."

Nearly two-thirds of the 450 embassy guards are Gurkhas from Nepal and northern India who speak little English, a situation that creates communications breakdowns, the group said. Pantomime is often used to convey orders and instructions.

The State Department has insisted security at the embassy in Kabul, one of the country's most important diplomatic outposts, hasn't been compromised.

ArmorGroup was awarded the $189 million security contract in March 2007 and has been repeatedly warned of performance deficiencies. Wackenhut Services, ArmorGroup's parent company, referred all questions to the State Department. Spokeswoman Susan Pitcher said the company is fully cooperating with the State Department's investigation.

Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan, is actively involved in the inquiry, Crowley said.

Alcohol has been prohibited at Camp Sullivan, the offsite location near the embassy where the ArmorGroup guards live, and diplomatic security staff have been assigned to the camp, according to the embassy. Before the incident, the State Department did not have any personnel assigned to the camp, Wolfson reports.

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On the Net:

Project on Government Oversight: www.pogo.org

U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan: kabul.usembassy.gov

[cattiej]

Today is Sept 5h, this story has disappeared from the newspapers, the TV and the websites...why is that?? is Robert Gates and President Obama dictating to the press not to write or cover this story on the Lewd Behavior of the Embassy Guards. The contract should be taken away from them and send in the U.S. Marines. No wonder the people of Afganastan hate us.

[Sloughfoot]

Mercs-hired guns-x-military probably-from somewhere-going to next war zone-affiliation-self, hazing-bonding ritual, (sos your bud doesn't boogy on you when you're in the ****. Neccessary yes, should be public or filmed-no. Hilary-get a life, get real. World-those who've been there understand, those who don't haven't and won't.

[woeisme1]

by novamba September 4, 2009 5:34 PM EDT
HAHAHA Wackenhut is based in Palm Beach you simpleton, a democratic hotbed...South Florida has no rednecks and is not at all the "south"...nice try though.
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I live in South Florida. There are PLENTY of rednecks here. Maybe not so much in West Palm but leave the city and tell me we don't have rednecks and I call you a dumb redneck!

[nextgenman09]

They were all fired?! I wonder how long it will be before Cheney shows up on FoxNews in an outrage huff defending them?

[longtree-2009]

start up the draft and there would be no need for private security firms. at one time, marines were security for embassies around the world but that was probably during the draft era. if contractors are to be eliminated, start up the draft. probably wise to start learning mandarin as china will eventually take us over and the stars and stripes will be a thing of the past or a token, at best.

[dsnj1-2009]

Men's behavior in this country is really getting disgusting. More women are single because of this, why would they want disgusting spouses with no morals? Rather be single and happy. Men-why don't you teach your sons morals, and not disgusting behavior like this? It is up to you to teach them, this has nothing to do with the Government, and don't blame them. MORALS start at home.

[formrusmcsgt]

Why are mercenaries guarding our embassy in the first place?

[sharonuehlein]

Mercenaries? Call them what you will. I don't know about the foreigners working there - but the Americans are all former Military. They've done a great job of protecting the Embassy.

[AOCGUY]

I suspect they are FORMER military because the military wouldn't stand for such perverted behavior.

[toldyouso29]

According to the complaint, the guards "participating in the shows" were doing so under duress and either participated or faced retaliation. So why fire them? Fire the people who made them do it.

if you just fire the guards who participated, this allows the people who made them do it to still be there to do it again or to keep harassing those who told--sort of like England and those others at Abu Ghraib taking the fall for the Bush admin. torture program. They were singled out to go to jail, but the people who sanctioned or told them to do the stuff walked--as usual.

[cattiej]

So, these "guards" we caught with their pants down...how safe is that for our embassy? I think the whole company should be loaded up in a plane, brought back to the U.S. and met by prison buses, given a ride to prison, where some of the inmates will welcome this type of behavior..Some of the guards in their prison will be Wackenhut guards, I'm sure they will get a kick out of guarding this jerks. These people are guilty of treason against the United States by this type of behavior that could have led to the embassy being blown up. The Embassy Chief, should be arrested too..he had to know about all this behavior. President Obama, wake up and do your job. Pull everyone out of this Embassy..and bring them home and put them on trial for treason.

[sharonuehlein]

What the media is not telling you is that this did not happen at the Embassy - this took place on the guards compound. These men were off duty at the time. For the work they do there, and they do their job well, this was their little bit of free time when this happened. Hillary, you're pissed? Well, is this any worse than what Bill did while he was IN the Oval Office????

[dwath]

Why are we so upset about what these guys were doing? Readers on this site, the Democratic Party platform committee and most of the Democratic party and some Republican Party congressional reps, not to mention the justice system and the news media are pushing to force training in this lifestyle to kindergartners nationwide. Our National government just snuck a law through on a defense bill which is waiting BO's signature to grant this lifestyle sacred, protected status. Do you realize they will be able to file for discrimination now or shortly? This behavior is lauded and CA teachers take their elementary school students to Gay Pride Marches where behavior that makes this tawdry show seem irrelevant and tame inorder to celebrate this lifestyle. So WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

[democracy1]

Not exactly what you would call mature, professional behavior.

[scabbard2]

The presence of a private security company to provide security for embassy grounds and personnel, from Briton no less, is a sure sign of padding the costs of prosecuting the "war" in Afghanistan. I mean the contract for security was let to a company owned by someone in a position to facilitate the continuance of an armed NATO presence in Afghanistan. Money, American taxpayers money, filling the pockets of people in companies that have a single purpose. Mercenary armed "security". They are making enough to fill the coffers of a small country. And "cash cow" America continues to prod along because we are patriotic and would rather be patriotic than admit that our leaders let us into what will probably be an international horseshoe ambush. Note I said let and not "led". Led would imply a degree of complicity to the overt act. We were let into this mess by design and collusion with the few that control the world economy and ebb and flow of money. Things are changing, for sure. Just not for the average working stiff and the working poor. Make a difference, think independently, and seek out others that actually think, instead of listening for the bell. We need education reform, number 1, put the tools of resilience and progress in the hands and minds of our children. STOP THE DUMBFOUNDING OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. WE NEED FUTURE LEADERS, NOT SELFISH FOLLOWERS. I'm ranting, so to the point of the article, I guess ArmourGroup found a few cute men for Afghanistan, but forgot to tell them not to act like girlymen...what a joke. Me, I guess I'm from the old school, Benning's School For Boys, then an orange tab (frostbite five) and finally a thre

[bobnjersey]

[ArmorGroup was awarded the $189 million security contract in March 2007 and has been repeatedly warned of performance deficiencies. Wackenhut Services, ArmorGroup's parent company, referred all questions to the State Department. Spokeswoman Susan Pitcher said the company is fully cooperating with the State Department's investigation. ]

the whole contract should be rescinded ... and they should sue them for what they paid them already ... for non-performance.

[dontknowitall]

What no "DOS EQUIS"?

[vuenbelvue]

ConstantineXI Your probably right. 9.7% The Recession is still grinding away in the background regardless of what the politicos are saying.
If you ever talked to anyone who has worked in security, Wackenhut Services probably shipped these guys there on a cargo plane, no oxygen or air controls, and promised them $7.50 an hour but only on a 30 hour week, (no benefits). They have nothing to do after so they party.

[brentcox4]

This company needs gone. Private contractors for this work needs gone. This Bush legacy needs gone. They are making Obama look like a Bush carryover. They are making all Americans look like low life slobs. It is no wonder people of that part of the world think we are morally corrupt as a nation.

[superdem1]

It absolutely astounds me that Bush can put an army of anti-homosexual, anti-Islamic hillbillies into Iraq and Afghanistan, with a "kill 'em all" mentality, surround even those boys with the high-paid Blackwater "Christian" thug mercenaries, lie to the world about what they do, remove all supervision from a right-wing stacked Department of State, give them the right to torture and kill the locals, root out all the objective press, ignore all the warnings about this stuff for YEARS, and THEN when a secret camera busts this into the open, the right wingers here blame President Obama and Secretary Clinton ! This isn't about being gay, this is about ignorant man-children who have been taught to kill, who are completely out of control in a foreign land, who have been lauded as heroes by their nation back home when in fact they have no idea what they are doing or why, because their right wing leaders also have no clue. Somehow, just being American is some kind of license to superiority, but instead of behaving in a superior way for all the world to see, they act like gang members pushing the limits on perversity. These guys make the line to join the Taliban get longer every day. These are the guards of the American Embassy for gosh sakes ! They are like Vikings on a bender ! And all you right wingers can do is take pot shots at the Democrats, you should be ashamed. But you're not, astounding.

[woeisme1]

by jgg00000008 September 4, 2009 2:10 PM EDT
actually the marines did protect the embassy until 4 Afghanis were killed by accident. It was decided to appear less than "occupiers" it would be wise to use a private cintractor with multi-national guards.
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So you admit that Bush had no business going there other than he wanted to occupy? I thought so. We all know well the republican penchant for occupations.

And Bush knew nearly 2 years ago that there were complaints against this group. The DOD just renewed their contract inspite of the fact they this company was under investigation for allegations made long before Obama came on the scene.

So the question is, is who are these people that Bush could not or chose not to deal with?

As far as Obama goes, the DOD just fired them all. But he needs to get rid of that company altogether. But at least Obama and the DOD did SOMETHING!

[MiddleClassWorker]

That's not "hazing", it looks like any other Saturday night at my house. I was hoping for some crazed Ghurkas running around with those hatchet-like knives they carry.

[Sloughfoot]

Humor-About the only sane response on this page. You must be my neighbor. Do you have a cold one "in the bottle" don't like the canned stuff in your fridge?

[Hosheen]

It looks more like some college frat house party because "Mommy and Daddy can't stop me now!" That's the reason for most college stupidity and these morons should have outgrown that by now.

But Obama and Biden responsible? Did they hire them or even authorize this company? Or perhaps these are more left-overs from the previous administration?