ArmorGroup: Contractor At U.S. Kabul Embassy May Be Ousted

nytimes.com:

The State Department official responsible for overseeing private contracts said Monday that the government was seriously considering terminating its $189 million arrangement with ArmorGroup North America because of recent disclosures of misbehavior by guards at the United States Embassy in Afghanistan.

At a hearing before a federal commission investigating wartime spending, Patrick F. Kennedy, the under secretary of state for management, said ArmorGroup managers had failed to notify the government about parties in which drunken, half-naked guards had urinated on and groped one another.

In response to commission members' demands that the company be held accountable, Mr. Kennedy said, "We are seeing a very, very serious case being made for termination."

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[CarlyCorday]

There are several shocking, bitterly upset posts at a European (I guess) blog, stating that Huffposters left comments that made excuses for what these contractors have done, claiming it is "a hard job they have" and "these men need to be allowed to cut loose." I was embarrassed by what I saw, mortified as an American, and I still am. I don't see ever being able to live it down, if this is how I'm being "represented" at The Huffington Post!

It seems to me this would have been the perfect time for the strict censors at this giant, highly visible blog to kick in. You're always there to block and censor me, and I usually can't even figure out why I was censored. So where were you when THIS happened?

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/09/02-8

[bereasonable0]

How much of each dollar spent in Iraq/Afghanistan ends up in US corp pockets ? It's like a money laundering operation.

[ramal]

The corporations involved in both of these endless wars make the mafia look like children.

[CheneysACoward]

It's really great to see how private industry can take over government job's. Thanks george. The people who were to get water to the South? Failed. Contractors at Walter Reed. Failed. Blackwater....an embarrassment and failed. KBR. Not enough time to comment on them. But cheney got rich.
Next time you hear some clown say, " Private industry can do a better job" ..think, rather than bend over !

[CarlyCorday]

Don't forget how they all got their contracts renewed, extended, etc. KBR, ArmorGroup, Xe (pronounced "she"). Every contractor from "before" was invited back.

Next up for renewal, health care in America.

Hope and Change on the war front: keep America safe by staying the course.

[ramal]

Actually, the State Department went on to clarify. The ArmorGroup North America will have their contract terminated only if embassy guards at Kabul show up completely naked, totally drunk and with Afghan boy and girl prostitutes in tow. It has to be three out of three.

[ignorethewackos]

Ah gee, you think they should? So ridiculous. Get some flippin' backbone and get rid of these losers. Who knows maybe it will send a signal to others.

[BlueDog1]

No guts DC House members and Senate "K" street us watching ..............common Obama lead , follow or get out the way.

[hellostats]

Ousted like Blackwater?

[ThePantaloon]

The Pantaloon has the scandalous photos of the ArmorGroup parties (weak stomachs should not view):

http://www.thepantaloon.com/

[groucho]

How can the people at the top say they are appalled if they've known about it for at least 2 years and done nothing to make sure it is not still going on. Hypocrisy isn't a strong enough word for what these people do.
Couldn't we go back to the Marines?

[vascopyjama]

I guess they will have to change their name and carry on as usual.