Private security contractors working for Western PSCs in Kabul added another occupational hazard to their already considerable portfolio this week after Bill Shaw, a manager for Britain’s largest security firm was convicted of bribery by an Afghan court and sentenced to two years in prison. I have no doubt that Mr. Shaw was acting in good faith when he paid a $20,000 fine for the release of two improperly licensed vehicles owned by his employer, G4S; parent company of ArmorGroup. By all accounts, he is an upstanding manager who got caught in a political pissing match between Karzai’s government and the West over who is fuelling corruption in Afghanistan. Continue reading ‘Bombs, Bullets and Political Pissing Matches’
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Bombs, Bullets and Political Pissing Matches
Published April 28, 2010 Bill Shaw , Private Security 3 CommentsTags: Afghanistan, ArmorGroup, corruption, G4S, PSCs
Kabul: The Security Façade
Published October 28, 2009 Afghanistan , Private Security 2 CommentsTags: Afghanistan, Kabul, media, military, private security, security, Taliban, United Nations
The international community is reeling from a dawn attack on a guest house in central Kabul that left at least five foreign United Nations workers dead and nine wounded. It was the deadliest assault on UN personnel in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban. The United States Embassy condemned the attack, saying it left them ‘shocked and saddened.’
It goes without saying that the death of so many well-intentioned internationals is sad – even tragic. But no one should be shocked by what happened this morning. The Taliban said it would target anyone working on the run-off elections for the Afghan Presidency next week. Warning’s aside, it has been clear for some time that Kabul’s security is abysmal. Continue reading ‘Kabul: The Security Façade’



