Posted on 04/11/2005 12:01:33 PM PDT by el_doctor2
Edited on 04/11/2005 12:15:05 PM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A U.S. citizen working for a contracting company was kidnapped at a construction site Monday in Baghdad, a U.S. Embassy official said. The embassy would not reveal the name of the American or the name of the company. The contractor's next of kin has been notified.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I can agree. We're getting a few contract types, when we show up in theater. Technical types who probably won't leave the wire.
They'll just be dodging mortars, like us.
We have a friend who will be there, trucking from Kuwait to Baghdad for a year. He's just finished his first three months and will be going back in a week. This creeps me out.
Heard from my girlfriend last night, so I know she's OK, will come back to the US on Friday or Saturday. She says that a sizable part of her security detail are South Africans, and they're always scanning the perimeter...
Thanks Eagle Eye,
I have written down the address for this thread and intend to send it to Corporate tomorrow.
Thanks,
Sailorman
Diffrn't strokes, eh? Good thing we don't rely on the timid to get this stuff done!
Where do the private security guys get their guns? Are corporate arms allowed? Also, who can loan a gun to a contractor?
Thanks for the information AND DEFENDING AMERICA! Think I 'll stay here on this side of the pond.
The bona fide security contractors don't have problems getting arms.
Those that work for .....burton... generally don't get one.
But many a soldier or marine has offered a sidearm outside the wire 'just in case'. Totally unauthorized, but when you're on Tampa or Uranium or Mobile, your make your own rules to take care of yourself.
Most will never need one. Those who need one are probably already in over their heads.
Just said a prayer for this guy. Whoever he is.
It depends on the company that hired them. Most companies have security teams.
Problem is that a lot of companies do not want to pay for secureity. Or some contractors believe that if they just try to blend in they are safe. They never are. Some contractors think that because they are there to rebuild Iraq the people love them. Wrong answer.
Some companies don´t like to pay the costs of American and British security teams so they go with Iraqi teams. Many of the employees do not like this and want American or brit teams but the companies want the cheapist security they can get. You get what you pay for.
I am sure that if this contractor had had security and was captured we would have heard about his dead body guards so I am inclined to believe he did not have any.
They'll just be dodging mortars, like us.
I don't go outside the wire unless I'm on a Chinook or a Black Hawk - and that's just to transit between bases.
Some contracting companies have offices in the Red Zone, but I won't work there. Not at this point, anyway. I hope this guy will survive the kidnapping.
Like you said, we just dodge the mortars and rockets they launch onto our camps. ;-)
Stateside at the moment, but headed back over there in a couple of weeks.
I'm just not right in the head...LOL
Glad to see you're recharging those batteries.
Don't matter about the head - your heart's in the right place.
See you there!
Good things happen, and good things to know.
See you there!
I wonder way South African security personal are favoured there?
I guess the South Africans are battle-tested, but in her compound, they also like to have Gurka guards. Anybody here familiar with the Gurkas knows they are much better to have as friends than as adversaries. A sad note, the other day, one of the Gurkas passed away of a heart attack. And, her convoy passed a team trying to disarm an IED, so she's had a tough week, can't wait to get back to the land of the free.
Prayers for him for his safe return, and for his family for comfort.
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