James48843
09-05-2009, 12:34 PM
POGO Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding U.S. Embassy in Kabul
September 1, 2009
The Honorable Hillary Clinton
Secretary, Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Clinton:
As you know, last month eight rockets were fired into Kabul, two landing near the U.S. Embassy.1 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#1) Not long after, at least seven people were killed and 91 wounded, including children, when a suicide bomber struck close to the Embassy. Following the second attack, a Taliban spokesman declared that the target had been the U.S. Embassy itself. 2 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#2) In response to these and other incidents, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen conceded that the situation in Afghanistan is "serious and it is deteriorating."3 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#3)
In light of this increasingly violent and uncertain environment, effective security of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and the nearly one thousand U.S. diplomats, staff, and Afghan nationals who work there 4 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#4) is paramount. Security for the Embassy is provided under a Department of State contract with ArmorGroup, North America (AGNA), which is now owned by Wackenhut Services, Inc. (Wackenhut).5 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#5) Some 450 guards and their supervisors protect the Embassy and are quartered at Camp Sullivan, a few miles from the Embassy.
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) initiated an investigation after nearly one-tenth of the U.S./ex-pat 6 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#6) guards individually contacted us to express concerns about and provide evidence of a pattern of blatant, longstanding violations of the security contract, and of a pervasive breakdown in the chain of command and guard force discipline and morale. This environment has resulted in chronic turnover by U.S./ex-pat guards. According to the State Department, "nearly 90% of the incumbent US/Expats left within the first six months of contract performance."7 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#7) According to POGO sources, the U.S./ex-pat guard turnover may be as high as 100 percent annually. This untenable turnover prevents the guard force from developing team cohesion, and requires constant training for new replacement recruits. The guards have come to POGO because they say they believe strongly in the mission, but are concerned that many good guards are quitting out of frustration or being fired for refusing to participate in the misconduct, and that those responsible for the misconduct are not being held accountable.
More- http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html
(I guess that is what happens when you contract out to the lowest bidder.)
September 1, 2009
The Honorable Hillary Clinton
Secretary, Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Clinton:
As you know, last month eight rockets were fired into Kabul, two landing near the U.S. Embassy.1 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#1) Not long after, at least seven people were killed and 91 wounded, including children, when a suicide bomber struck close to the Embassy. Following the second attack, a Taliban spokesman declared that the target had been the U.S. Embassy itself. 2 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#2) In response to these and other incidents, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen conceded that the situation in Afghanistan is "serious and it is deteriorating."3 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#3)
In light of this increasingly violent and uncertain environment, effective security of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and the nearly one thousand U.S. diplomats, staff, and Afghan nationals who work there 4 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#4) is paramount. Security for the Embassy is provided under a Department of State contract with ArmorGroup, North America (AGNA), which is now owned by Wackenhut Services, Inc. (Wackenhut).5 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#5) Some 450 guards and their supervisors protect the Embassy and are quartered at Camp Sullivan, a few miles from the Embassy.
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) initiated an investigation after nearly one-tenth of the U.S./ex-pat 6 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#6) guards individually contacted us to express concerns about and provide evidence of a pattern of blatant, longstanding violations of the security contract, and of a pervasive breakdown in the chain of command and guard force discipline and morale. This environment has resulted in chronic turnover by U.S./ex-pat guards. According to the State Department, "nearly 90% of the incumbent US/Expats left within the first six months of contract performance."7 (http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html#7) According to POGO sources, the U.S./ex-pat guard turnover may be as high as 100 percent annually. This untenable turnover prevents the guard force from developing team cohesion, and requires constant training for new replacement recruits. The guards have come to POGO because they say they believe strongly in the mission, but are concerned that many good guards are quitting out of frustration or being fired for refusing to participate in the misconduct, and that those responsible for the misconduct are not being held accountable.
More- http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/letters/contract-oversight/co-gp-20090901.html
(I guess that is what happens when you contract out to the lowest bidder.)