The Read International For 8/19/10: What A Way To Celebrate Your Birthday!
A ban on private security companies in Afghanistan could affect development and aid work as many of the firms guard Western projects in the country, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a decree on Tuesday ordering private security companies to disband within four months -- part of an ambitious plan for the government to take responsibility for all security in the country from 2014.
The firms, who compete for billions of dollars in contracts, employ around 40,000 heavily armed guards -- mostly Afghans but including many foreigners. They are also used to guard convoys, embassies and other mainly Western interests.
Karzai has long been critical of the firms, saying they have caused horrific accidents, but the speed with which the decree was issued took some by surprise and U.S. officials in Afghanistan said they were still studying it.
"We are concerned that any quick action to remove private security companies may have unintended consequences, including the possible delay of U.S. reconstruction and development assistance efforts," U.S. embassy spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement.
But this expert says unsurprisingly that Karzai's stance is just for national political posturing:
And we'll see if Christiane Ammanpour will ask Karzai about those contractors, since we don't hear about on US corporate media outside of a few, on Sunday.
Wylcef has gotten death threats in his bid to be the next President of Haiti, though he isn't fazed. There are delays by the way for the announcement of candidates for the position until tomorrow, with a cloud of doubt over whether the Fugees string puller's eligibility.
Julian Assange wins the Sam Adams award for Integrity. As Jamie K said to Double G on this: "Sam Adams is now on the US terror watch list."
Columbia ruled yesterday that US access over its country bases will was unconstitutional, but that its relation with its powerful ally won't change. The State Department wasn't really happy about that.
And Nicolas Kristof and his wife are about to have a big book on global trafficking young females into prostitution called "Half the Sky: How To Change The World."
Your International thread.
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