World - Private Armies - 52 min [6 June 2007]
10:00:00 Those images were shot in 2004, in the city centre of Baghdad, by a non professional.
10:00:14 A guerrilla ambush, as it occurs almost every single day. Waging war inside these bullet-proof SUV, those men are in any way armed forces but private safety guards. They are in the front line.
10:00:30 They even own helicopters. In Iraq, there are 20 thousand or so civilians who operate on behalf of private-owned safety companies. Their operating means and methods are more often than not similar to those of a regular army.
It is the second biggest foreign forces contingent deployed in Iraq, behind the American contingent but ahead the British army.
Operating in all the conflicting areas, those men constantly put their lives on the line.
The companies they work are often listed on the Stock market.
Let's investigate this new war-based business and the men who take on these risks for money.
BOUM
This video, broadcasted on the net and shot by Islamist guerrilla forces acts as a supportive evidence of such a concerning pattern. It features the death of a war temporary worker. Frightening images aimed at sending chills down our spines.
10:01:27 God is great!
TITRE:
10: 01:55 Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Part of the country is driven by war and the city is often the target of terrorist attacks. It is one of the main operating grounds of these private-owned companies throughout the world.
We have an appointment with Armor Group, a British firm.
The bullet proof vest is a must.
We are greeted with some instructions to follow in case of attack.
Contractor in van speaks
10:02:19:14
If the IUD goes off whilst on route, if it does go off and we try to drive through it, if at anytime the vehicle becomes immobilised, listen to my voice command, I'll tell you to get down as low as you can to the ground, I'll then get out of the vehicle and assess the situation. If we can we'll all debus and we'll take over a local vehicle and drive to a safe location. The last serious suicide bomb attack was about three weeks ago. The suicide bomber came up here on the left hand side, you can see just on the left there, all the trees still shredded
10:02:55/ 10:41 Anjuman, the main base of Armor Group, at the exit of Kabul. It is not a barracks; it's a private camp which doesn't belong to the army.
As a rule of thumb, journalists don't enter this area.
Afghan officers make sure there is no bomb under the vehicle. They are civilians but they are armed like any soldier.
Almost 200 foreigners live in those kinds of prefabricated buildings. They are all in charge of undertaking observation
and protective missions
David Boyce monitors the training of the camp workforce.
This Scotsman served in the British army in Northern Ireland and is now working in the private sector. He worked in Iraq before coming here to Afghanistan.
David Boyce
10:03:42:03
Ok we're gunna go left, then at the junction we'll be turning right, then it's just a straight road onto to Jalal-Bad Road.
Narrator
10:03:49:22
This morning, we are heading for a training camp located outside Kabul. The road is dangerous and regularly booby-trapped by the Taliban.
David Boyce in vehicle
10:03:57:08
It's very very hard to get away from a suicide bomber. If they want to kill you they will try and get in and try and kill you, but we're in good armoured vehicles that will be able to stand the blast. The threat now is magnet Ids, they're magnetic, they go up the side of the vehicle, they just stick it on it and you don't see nothing, especially in areas like that. That's why you've got to observe everywhere, everywhere.
Do you enjoy your job?
10:04:33:23
Yes I enjoy it very much. It's ideal job that I could do after leaving the military. And of course everybody dreams about being a bodyguard all their life. You always watch James Bond and 007.
10:04:45 This is a military training camp controlled by Afghan troops. This doesn't hold any problem for David. He holds the same status as a coalition soldier.
David Boyce
10:04:55:07
Yes it's an ISAF patch that gives us ...There you go, no I can't show that...
10:05:12 This car in the ditch could be trapped. David does not stop.
The track leads to a field of fire. David joins a dozen of Armor Group's employees, who arrived from London the day before. All of them are former soldiers.
This morning, David's job consists in reminding them the protective techniques which have to be used in order to guarantee the safety of high profile figures in war-driven areas.
David Boyce
10:05:34:20
This is a formation for movement of a client across open ground. So when a client moves across he has to have all round protection, so if any contact happens, one guy clears the path, the bodyguard grabs the client and extracts weapon, while the two guys put down a covering fire.
You are a mercenary?
David Boyce
10:06:15:00
No, no, no, no I'm a private contractor, employed by a private company.
What is the difference?
David Boyce
10:06:22:02
What is the difference? Well you're doing a job for the government, we work for the foreign commonwealth office. We work for the government to help Afghanistan.
If you open fire, and you kill somebody, you're a mercenary.
David Boyce
10:06:39:03
If the threat deams, then we have to protect the client, that's all it comes down to. If we get fired upon and we cannot get out of the incident then we have to react to that incident by protecting you. And if that means fire, then we have to fire. It is very dangerous, but, that's what you get paid for. There's always a danger.
15-08 10:07:06 David does not want to reveal the amount of money he earns. But the average monthly income of an executive officer like him amounts to nearly 10,000 euros, 3 times the average income in the army/3 times higher than in the army.
David Boyce
10:07:15:12
I've a wife and small boy, aged eight, and I go home every eight weeks for four weeks, so it's a good rotation, but It's very hard.
Do you call them?
David Boyce
10:07:27:12
Every night I call them
Does he know what your job is?
David Boyce
10:07:35:07
Yes he knows what my job is.
What does he say?
David Boyce
10:07:39:04
Oh he asks lots and lots of questions.
Which kind of questions?
David Boyce
10:07:45:01
He asks me what the bad people are like. Do you make sure you stay away from the bad people?
16-0 10:07:57 Return to the base. After having worked on the ground, it is high time to go back to the office. It is like in the army. Hardly anything has changed since David has taken off his uniform.
Are you ready to die to protect them?
David Boyce
10:08:08:21
Yes, of course you're there to protect them, that's your job, first and foremost, to protect our client. That's our job you get paid for that, to extract our client our of danger.
It's a commercial deal?
David Boyce
10:08:33:01
Oh it's a commercial deal, yes but you get paid for that job. If you out here, if you didn't want to do it you don't have to be out here. I'd still be in the army.
10:08:43 That week, David works in the night shift. He is in charge of monitoring the security of the camp. The guards are Afghans. He mistrusts them
David Boyce
10:08:56:08
But you've always got that wariness about you, of when you leave this camp, of when you go elsewhere.
David Boyce
10:09:17:07
This is my house. This is where I live. The TV, the computer, very good set up. This is the glock 17 Austrian weapon, the gun's in here all the time, just in case anything should happen in the camp, we've got to react.
10:09:53 On the ground, the hierarchy is as severe as in the army.
The Afghans are in the midst of a training session. Armor group trains its own officers.
Those who give orders are the Ghurkhas, that is, retired Nepalese who served in the most prestigious British army's regiments. They are by no means lenient with local employees to whom they teach how to shoot.
The man monitoring the mission is for his part 100% British.
Unknown contractor
10:10:33:14
How have they been doing today?
Unknown trainer
10:10:37:18
Not very good, about 15 rounds, 18, something like that.
Are you a good fighter?
Unknown trainer
10:10:45:20
I don't know, I think the local people think so in Iraq, if they see me, they run away
Unknown trainer
10:11:03:13
You're very very weak. I trained you a month ago, you've already forgotten.
10:11:15 Those Nepalese Ghurkhas account for the biggest contingent of the Armor Group in Afghanistan, with 155 men on its payroll
10:11:30 For 200 years, those Nepalese Ghurkhas are painted as fierce fighters.
But here, they earn nearly 15 times less than their British counterparts.
How much is your contract?
10:11:41:23
Unknown Ghurkha
Contract is 700 US dollar. If it was 12 or 15 it would do better for us.
10:11:56 In Afghanistan, their task consists in protecting the British Embassy, night and day. They work round the clock. The afternoon shift is on its way.
Inside the vehicles, a deathly silence. They all have eyes focused on what is going on outside. Just in case.
Their minibus is not bullet-proof and is an easy target.
10:12:26:24
Unknown Ghurkha
Minibus is not good and not safe, because it is only 8-10 kilometre distance from here to there, for this the armour is supplied by the company.
You don't ask for a new car?
Unknown Ghurkha (difficult to translate)
10:12:46:18
Oh because we arrive and we are newly, after we have chance we will discuss this thing with our car.
10: 12: 59 21-22 The British Embassy they have to protect is located behind this barrier.
This man is the chief operator of the Embassy's security. He also works for Armor Group
Chief operator
10:13:12:17
Ok, alright lads.
10: 13: 19 The building is under the exclusive control of private soldiers. Great Britain systematically delegates the protection of its embassies located in risky countries to private companies
10: 13: 31 Those Nepalese Ghurkhas are reliable, well trained, and most importantly still, they cost less money than British police officers coming from London would have cost.
Not to mention that the company makes substantial savings in terms of infrastructures.
So there are no armoured cars?
10:13:45:01
Correct. But they blend in more with the traffic. So there's an advantage and a disadvantage.
10: 14: 00 Terrorist attacks are on the rise in Kabul. The feeling of insecurity generated by such an increase has benefited to private owned military companies, financially speaking.
Arianne Quentier is an official member of the United Nation disarmament commission
She has lived on the spot for three years. According to her, much of the city's safety is under the control of private companies
ITV Arianne: Actually, those private owned companies are everywhere. They provide not only direct physical security, as it was the case during the construction of the road between Kabul and Kandar, during which huge amounts of money were injected to guarantee the protection of those who worked on that road during two full years. They also operate less directly in election times for example.
10:14:49 The money involved stems from donating countries, such as European countries, Japan, and the US. Thoee security related firms account for 20% of the country's reconstruction budgets.
ITV Arianne: Those companies operate for instance, in the police reform, or even in the police training policy. They also operate in the fight against drug trafficking. Generally speaking, those firms are financed by the international community. In agreement with financial backers, they offer training on hot potato issues.
10:15:18 The United Nations is not an exception to the rule since the international body collaborates with these war professionals.
10:15:31 London. The British capital is home to the headquarters of the leading European private owned military related companies.
Since September 11, they have sprung alongside Tony Blair's interference foreign policy.
Armor Groups' headquarter is located in this small anonymous building, in a non-descript suburb of London.
The company is listed on the Stock market and its offices look like those of any other company. But business is carried out with any government or secret service. The firm employs more than 10, 000 people in 38 different countries, across the world.
Member of Armor group
10:16:11:17
Headquarters of course in London, operations in North America, South America, across Africa, the middle east, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan, Russia and South-East Asia. Our client base is the governments of Britain and America principally, along with the oil and gas companies, diamond and gold extraction companies, communications which includes rail-lines, airlines. There is every encouragement for us to co-operate with the foreign office, we do not enter new countries without notifying the foreign office, we explain to them what it is we're doing. We seek comment from them.
10: 16: 56 Armor Group is actually a temporary work agency. Its purpose is to generate temporary staffing in war-ridden areas. It is a job targeted at men. Yet, the person in charge of Human resources is a smart former female teacher.
A far cry from the bullet proof vest style!
Member of Armor Group
10:17:12:04
Caroline here is our head of human resources, she finds our people, briefs the, recruits them, deploys them, and is responsible for their welfare.
Caroline
10:17:22:02
Under the company's recruitment policy, we basically hire people with a military background.
Member of Armor Group
10:17:30:14
This, believe it or not, is our best man.
Caroline
10:17:35:15
I went to the French Foreign Legion Centre 2 months ago. The person in charge of dealing with former legionnaires is a woman. It is a pleasure to work with them because they are quite strict and it is usually easier to work with strict people.
10:18:03 The number of applicants willing to work within Armor Group is outstanding. This man comes from France. We will name him Sanchez.
Caroline
10:18:17:22
How are you doing?
10:18:20 He has just left the foreign Legion after having completed 15 years ‘service. He has already served in Guyana and in various African countries. The first step of the application starts with the Curriculum.
Sanchez
10:18:32:21
The last time I was in the legion was in Chibuti when I was a commander instructor
Caroline
10:18:41:18
The biggest gap is the client and the commercial aspect, when you're in the army you have the objective to achieve and they are going to be operational and in the commercial word of course the primacy is with the commercial, so you have to, it's a compromise.
10:18:57 Caroline is really interested in his profile: a genuine leader of men. He's been offered the post as security manager.
10:19:06:07
Journalist: Do you think that being a legionnaire acts as a bonus?
ITV Legionaire: Generally speaking, I think we have a good reputation here in Great Britain. We are considered as Profesional and responsible soldiers. Here, we are going to do the same as we did in the Legion. The only difference is that we are going to work in the private sector and thereby we are going to earn more money.
10:19:26 However, his military experience is not enough. Before applying for a job within the company, he had to give
all sorts of guarantees such as a clean record.
Sanchez
10:19:37:03
In Armor Group or other companies working with the Government, some missions require to be post graduated. It is the Government itself who obliges private companies to hire post graduated people. This is not a prerequisite if you work abroad.
I10:19:50 He was even obliged to follow a bodyguard training course delivered by the Government
10:19:57:11
Journalist : Did you have to pay the full price of the training course?
Sanchez
10:20:00:00
Of course, I paid it the full price. But it cost me nearly 6000 EUROS. But the majority of people there do not have to pay anything because, as former British soldiers, or as soldiers working in the army within the redeployment scheme, the training course is financed by the British Army.
Journalist
10:20:22:03
How much do you expect to earn as an employee working abroad for a private sector security firm?
Sanchez
10:20:24:03
The best contracts are those under which you get one month off after having worked 2 months in a specific country and earn between 100 000 and 90 000 dollars. I think that companies such as Armor Groups are pretty responsible.
10:20:42 Pershore: A former base of Royal Air Force
It is here where Armor Group's workforce is trained before being sent abroad
This morning is dedicated to an initiation on how to act in war time
Instructors are former British SAS commandos.
Trainer
10:20:59:18
What we're illustrating there is driving away from a hostile encounter in amongst heavy traffic so you've got to pick your way through the traffic, not hit the traffic, and veer away from someone who's chasing you, or some kind of hostility. But it can be in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere in the world where there is hostility. A little bit on the right, we're miles away, that's much better! Faster on the outside, slower on the inside! That's a good formation, that's a good formation. Stand by for a change, stand by, change! Hey how professional is that, that's good stuff men!
10:21:40 The main part of Armor Group's missions is to protect its customers from the risks of being kidnapped. And, this is not something that can be done without any training, even if you are a former soldier.
Trainer
10:21:51:06
Kidnappings can happen at any time.
Caroline
10:22:03:15
We are not looking for aggressive people, but people who know what has to be done to work under such conditions and people who can help our customers, by protecting them. Training and experience are required. Therefore, applicants are between 30 and 35 years old or over.
I think that the average age is 42.
Journalist: You are not looking for a cow boy?
Absolutely not.
Caroline
10:22:35:02
We don't want any cow boys at all. Thank you, no no.
10: 22 :39 But safety is also guaranteed by infrastructures. This bullet proof SUV is considered as a vestige of a dangerous mission undertaken in Afghanistan.
Trainer
10:22:48:02
What we've got here, a suicide attack took place last year in October in Kandahar in Afghanistan, and the impact is as you can see quite devastating. There was four people inside, fortunately everybody survived . They managed to get out of the side doors on the farside. One or two were shaken, two guys were injured, mostly to the shoulder with fragmentation and burns, and their ears had popped. The suicide bomber, his vehicle was totally destroyed and obviously he was vaporised in his own explosives.
10:23:24:01
Journalist
How much does a vehicle such as this one cost?
10:23:26:02
Caroline
150 000 dollar each. It is pretty expensive. In Iraq, these kind of vehicles have probably saved 23 lives
25-47 10: 23: 38 Let's go to the US, the stronghold of safety private owned companies. Here is the military harbour of Norfolk. One of the most powerful firms, Black Water, is located not far away, in North Carolina.
They exceptionally agreed on opening us their doors.
On this site, at the entrance of its camp, the company is proud to announce that the site of Moyok is the world's largest private owned training centre.
The camp lays on 3000 hectares. There are planes, a 2000 km runway where all kind of engines can land on. There are also helicopters, more often than not armed, along with huge warehouses that are under construction. Not to mention more than 40 fire firing ranges. Here, even the door handles are replaced by machine guns.
By just selling safety, Black Water registered a turnover amounting to 400 million euros in 2005.
The firm provided political figures with protection: The Afghan president Karzai in Kabul and even Prime minister Tony Blaire during his visit to Iraq. The company's sign, a bear foot, is implemented across the 5 continents.
Rick Neel, 32, is a former officer of the police's special unit. We are shown around the place, but he keeps a wary eye on us.
Those plane cabins enable his troops to simulate hostage takings.
In terms of security, Black Water offers a wide range of options.
These dogs are trained to find out explosives. It is a huge business here in Iraq since people are killed through the use of booby trapped cars. Using substances like this one.
Unknown contractor
10:25:25:10
This could take off the hole range of this car. Very common, very common. But they put it a lot of times inside of the engine compartment to hide it, and they fill the inside of the car up with other munitions to make a big explosion with the driver.
10:25:51 Surprise! Not far away, we uncover some military forces in uniforms, genuine one's, who are being trained.
35,000 men are trained every single year by Black Water.
Rick is not chatty when it comes to speaking of those men who are been trained today.
Rick
10:26:13:21
These are personnel for the United States military, we're out here doing some training. They're gone through a training package. They're a united community, I'm not going to say who they are or who they're associated with.
10:26:30 One thing is for sure: some elite troops belonging to the American army are being trained by the private-owned company, Blackwater.
And Rick is pretty proud of it.
Rick
10:26:40:17
Why do they need us to teach us that? Right now I think that the biggest thing that uh, over the years, for whatever reason, the military has lost the numbers to provide that because they don't have enough people to do it because they've got so many people deployed or doing other things. Or whether or not they have enough people who have an intimate understanding of how this stuff really works.
10:27:12 Rick is leading us to a peaceful and quiet area, away from the firing.
Rick
10:27:18:06
The memorial that's been erected for all the contractors that have lost their lives over seas.
Where, in Iraq I suppose?
Rick
10:27:28:02
The majority yes. Inscribed here on this rock right here in the entrance is a plaque that says this memorial is dedicated to the courage and honour of our fallen team mates. Their dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten. May God bless them and their families. And around the entire monument you've got a pathway which you can walk around, and there's a rock for each individual, inscribed with their name, their date of birth and the date they were killed. It's a symbol of the loss that we've all had as a part of the Blackwater family and we would obviously rather have them all here with us.
10:28:12 Rick is far from being discouraged. He is also well determined to go to Iraq
Rick
10:28:17:12
If the company needed me, I would go.
But it's not the army?
Rick
10:28:21:20
No it's not the army.
But you can say no?
Rick
10:28:26:18
You could, you could, but if the company needed me, I would go. (For) the people that do this work, it's more than just a job. It's something that they believe in. Is there a pay cheque? Yes, there's a pay cheque, but it's not about that pay cheque it's about being involved in something that is important. Something that's bigger than yourself.
10:28:56 Virginia. Not far away Washington DC. At a few miles from the CIA headquarters is Mc Leen, a small city where high tech companies are gathered.
This building is Black Water's headquarter. A highly protected building.
After 4 months of negotiations, we are finally allowed to enter the general headquarter. We are greeted by Joseph Schmitz, a former US marine .He is the chief of the operations of the Prince group, from which Black Water is a subsidiary.
Right from the beginning, he does not hide his views and the philosophy of his firm, that of the neo conservatives. Their views are close to George Bush political stance and his decision to wage war in Iraq.
Joseph Schmitz
10:29:36:16
What is important here is ‘In support of freedom and democracy everywhere!' It's a Western civilization concept. Something that we feel very strongly about.
10:29:49 Joseph does not hide the fact that his company works hand in hand with the army. (With supportive evidence)
Joseph Schmitz
10:29:54:02
Blackwater professionals were defending the building against the insurgents.
10:30:00 Here is the video of this footage
This man works for a private owned company. The same applies to the men wearing a cap.
They fight hand in hand with the US marines in uniforms.
Joseph Schmitz
10:30:10:12
...Is that this is very typical of how a contractor would work hand in hand with the military.
Joseph Schmitz
10:30:30:00
We had to replenish our professionals with ammunition and our helicopters would bring in replenishment.
10:30:39 Let it be no doubt: The white Helicopter with blue stripes belongs to the private firm.
Joseph Schmitz
10:30:47:19
In that particular situation ...(the contractor?) would have died if he wasn't evacuated. And for whatever reason, I don't even know why, the military helicopters wouldn't even come in. Our helicopters replenishing our own people was able to remove and save the life of a marine.
10:31:06 The closeness with the regular army is by no means a coincidence.
Before running Black Water, Joseph Schmitz held a high profile seat in the Ministry of Defence.
Joseph Schmitz
10:31:20:06
My direct office when I was the Inspector General included about 1300, one thousand three hundred employees. Of which there were perhaps fifty military officers.
10:31:29 The man was under the direct orders of Donald Rumsfeld who even signed a copy in his organisation chart.
Joseph Schmitz
10:31:36:12
Well, why didn't I stay in the military? Do you see this picture right here? I have eight children and two of them are in private colleges this year, two are in private high schools . My tuition bill each year now is more than my entire pay as the inspector general.
10:32:01 As for him, Black Water is the result of the association between business and patriotism.
Joseph Schmitz
10:32:08:23
Our client is the American people. We have a notion of popular sovereignty in America which I think we picked up from the French. I think you share that notion. Our constitution begins ‘we the people' so we do get paid by the government but ultimately we work for the American people.
10:32:30 Nowadays, the American Administration does not have other option than collaborating with private subcontractors.
Military credits are earmarked for high technologies. And the US army payroll has been halved since the end of the Vietnam War.
Tara McKelvey who works for the magazine The American Prospect reckons that is by no means a coincidence if such security companies have flourished.
Tara McKelvey
10:32:51:21
They do serve a purpose, they provide different services for the army that the army is not able to provide. There's a bigger question about whether we want to rely on private contractors instead of the military, and the argument if you go in that direction and say you shouldn't have private contractors well then, we're looking at a draft, we need to have more soldiers to do that kind of work. And that's not a politically popular kind of move.
10:33:15 Not to mention that private troops who have been killed are not taken into account. According to official data, 3200 soldiers have been killed in Iraq. The 500 safety guards who died in Iraq are not taken into account in any official statistics.
Tara McKelvey
10:33:28:18
That's a shame, I mean, with the private contractors, America is able to stay in Iraq much longer, and with less of a political fall out it wouldn't be sustainable if it were only American troops and if there's this population in Iraq which is being killed in Iraq and not being tracked then again it makes it easier for the Bush administration to say we're gunna keep our troops in.
10:33:50 Within Black Water, Joseph Schmitz prefers highlighting the profitability of his operations.
Joseph Schmitz
10:33:57:04
We can in fact provide a better value to the American tax payers as private contractors than if we would have to do it through the normal government channels.
34-54 10:34:06 But Joseph is even more proud of one thing: The policy adopted by Black Water in Louisiana in the wake of Katarina hurricane in 2005. A good promotion which has led to the signing of contracts.
Joseph Schmitz
10:34:17:12
And within about 36 hours, we had close to 150 private security professionals in New Orleans. We got there days before the national guard arrived and I think it's fair to say we were responsible for the looters leaving the French quarter.
35-31 10:34:39 Joseph Schmitz is really self confident indeed. According to him, Black Water could have grind to a halt the riots which occurred in France in November 2005.
Joseph Schmitz
10:34:55:24
If the US government would have permitted it, we would have been ready and willing and able to help the French. We were able to get the necessary licenses from the Louisiana government which by the way is operated under the Napoleonic code I understand so I don't understand why operating under the same system in Louisiana. In France why it's so difficult in France and so easy in Louisiana.
What do you answer when people accuse Blackwater of being a mercenary company?
Joseph Schmitz
10:35:31:24
Well under international law, a mercenary is a private entity or a person who is working for a higher country other than his own. So by definition under international law all of what we're doing in Afghanistan and Iraq because we're working for the US government.
36-45 10:35:54 These armed civilians are not always supervised on the ground.
These scenes were shot in Iraq, from behind a vehicle belonging to the British company, Aegis
A private officer is having fun crashing into cars, well aware of the risks it entails.
This video broadcasted on line raised controversy in the British press.
37-10 This image has made waves because Tim Spicer, chairman of the company involved in the controversial issue is not an ordinary person. He has struck the biggest deal with the American Government on the issue of Iraq: involving 300 million euros over the space of 3 years
He has to plead his cause before two Enquiry Commissions during a few months before having his name cleared
He is a controversial man who avoids cameras as much as possible.
Tim Spicer
10:36:36:12
Reporting body concluded that in all four separate incidents there was, the individuals operated within the rules of engagement or rules for the use of force as they're called in Iraq and once we had completed our enquiry we handed it to the American military authorities. They then conducted their own investigation which took several months, and earlier this year they concluded also that nothing illegal had taken place and all the engagements were within the rules of force.
Arianne Quentier
10:37:36:03
I guess that Afghan people do not genuinely understand what these security companies are all about. They are concerned about the emergence and the blossoming of groups of people who act with impunity in their country. This situation is not positive at all since we are trying today to bring local commanders into line by sending in Afghanistan employees of security companies who act as local commanders.
Journalist
10:37:57:16
Have Governments enacted laws aimed at monitoring those security companies?
Arianne Quentier
10:38:00:24
The issue of regulating security companies is currently being discussed in the Home Secretary. For more than one year we have tried to find an effective way of regulating them. Even Afghan people have contributed to the task by trying to list those operating companies. It is a hard nut to crack and unfortunately hardly anything has been done so far.
10:38:19 Further to fierce criticism, the US has recently enacted a law under which the private sector employees are legally oblige to comply with the same laws as the army's corps.
Joseph Schmitz
10:38:30:23
The president signed on October 17th 2006 a clarification to section 802 A10 of the uniform code of military justice that clarifies that any person that is accompanying an armed force overseas is subject to the uniform code of military justice which means that person could be court marshalled.
10:39:02 39-51 Blackwater registers an annual growth rate of 30%. The likelihood of a potential retreat from IRAQ in 2008 does not give Joseph Schmitch a cause for concern.
Joseph Schmitz
10:39:11:06
There is a scenario where we could as a government, the United States could pull back the military footprint and there would then be more of a need for private contractors to go in and do the roles that private contractors legally can do coz there's still a lot of things that the military is doing in the warzone that doesn't need to be done by the military.
10:39:38 Falloujah, in Iraq. Marsh 31st, 2004. Those images have been broadcasted all around the world. Four men were mutilated, burnt, hung up from the bridge by an hysterical crowd. These men were Blackwater's employees
Among them, Scott Helventson, a former US marine commando. By then, her mother has taken legal action against Black Water;
We are on our way to meet her in Leesburg, Florida, 1hour and a half from Orlando by car.
51-12 Over time, she has turned her house into a museum.
Kathryn Helventson
10:40:29:23
This was you know when he got out of basic training, he wanted to join the military so bad, he graduated out of high school a year early, so it was on his 17th birthday. He was a navy seal. This was in 92, good looking guy wunnit he?
10:40:52 51-45 Kathryn watches again and again the videos of her son and her grand children. At that time, she was happy. Scott was a dedicated father.
Kathryn Helventson
10:41:17:22
It was just at the time when he had to convert all the VHS to DVD and it was going to cost 15 thousand dollars to do that. And that was part of the thing going to Iraq so he could get the money to convert that.
51-53 After the army, he was eager to earn his living by doing extreme sports and cinema. He decided to sell fitness videos like this one, but he went to the wall and ended in being burdened by debts.
10:41:34 52-22 By signing the contract, he thought he could have gone back on tracks by earning 28000 euros in 2 months. However, according to his mother, he was trapped. As for her, nothing has occurred like the company had promised.
Kathryn Helventson
10:41:46:03
He was told he would protect Paul Bremer, he was going to be private security for Paul Bremer, the ambassador. He had just arrived in Baghdad, he had only been there two days. And that night they told Scotty that if he did not go on this security mission to escort this convoy that was going to the 180nd airborn to pick up kitchen equipment that he would be on the streets of Baghdad that night. He would pay back whatever money he had received from Blackwater and he would be on his own to get home. There was, the vehicles had GPS on it, but unfortunately they were set for the United States so the GPS didn't help them a whole lot in Iraq. So Scott says, give us a map, do something, no map, they said we have no idea where we're going. None of those men had ever been to Fallujah. Instead of going around Fallujah as they should have they went straight through the middle of it. I have not seen the entire filming of it, but apparently it was filmed from beginning to end and it was horrendous.
10:43:04 53-24 The death of Scott and three of his co workers have sent shockwaves within the American society. Katherine is sure about one thing: the firm took the opportunity of her son's death, which is, according to Black Water's credo "for democracy and freedom", to promote their company.
Kathryn Helventson
10:43:23:07
The day after it happened they were literally walking the halls of congress, and they went and lobbied congress, and congress literally gave them a standing ovation for the slaughter of my son.
Are you against this kind of company?
Kathryn Helventson
10:43:40:12
Definitely. I think they're horrors. In fact I was quoted once, you've probably read it, and I've been very upfront with my feelings and opinions.
Why are you against it?
Kathryn Helventson
10:43:58:09
Because they don't care about the men they hire, the only thing they care about is the money. They're prostitutes, I refer to them as the whores of war. And I feel that that very aptly describes what they are doing. Everything is about money and they don't care about how many people die.
Joseph Schmitz
10:44:22:06
It's very complicated I'll try to answer it as best I can. They're making claims about Blackwater, but their claims are based on what we were doing for the US government so do you understand the complexity of that?
10:44:43 Kathryn has won various cases against Black Water. The case is in the hands of the Court of Appeal. Katryn has now decided to bring the US administration itself before the Courts. Without demeaning the Star Spangled Banner.
Kathryn Helventson
10:44:55:09
Who's there to take care of people? He was there because he believed in his country. He was there because he believed in a corporation that hired him, and they betrayed him, all of them betrayed him. And until this war is over, this flag will stay up. Then maybe in my heart, he'll be home.
10:45:31 Jean Pierre has taken risks during more than 2 years when he was in Iraq. He put his life on the line every single day, on those roads, under the constant threat of insurrection.
Jean Pierre is French. He was a night club bouncer. These private owned military companies are outlawed in France. He thus opted for collaborating with a British company, named Hart, in 2003
He signed a first temp contract, and a second one. Here are his action shot images
Let's have a look at the diary of a private sector soldier in the midst of the war.
41-13 His job consists in escorting convoys. Here is a tank in flames, after having been attacked by rebel troops. This is common practice in Iraq's desert.
Jean Pierre
10:46:17:23
A day in hell, 50,000 % chances to die. What a perfect life! But we do it, we do it for money.
41-42 10:46:27 He earns 12, 000 euros per month. Inside escort cars like this one, he and his mates are constantly under pressure.
41:44 Sometimes, they try to relax.
41-45 Jean Pierre is trying to let off steam in an effort to conceal his anguish
42-11 This footage has been shot at the entrance of Samara, one of the rebels' strongholds.
Jean Pierre
10:47:00:10
It is dead calm.
10:47:01 Jean Pierre opens the way to protect an oil tank convoy.
Jean Pierre
10:47:06:24
Look at that! They are opening fire. Yes they are shooting right there. I do not know what the target is but he did shoot. He has actually been fired.
10:47:27 Without warning, a storm of shots is coming from nowhere. They have to flee as quickly as possible.
Jean Pierre
10:47:34:21
Be careful! This one was for us. Come on, let's go! Speed up! Go! Come on, come on, come on! Come on, come on, come on! Do not stop! We have to go! We really have to go! Turn right! Who is shooting?
10:48:26 44-40 Fortunately, nobody has been hurt. Some bullets have smashed the back window of this escort car but the bullet proof plate set up by the guards themselves in the boot of the vehicle has not been hit.
Jean Pierre
10:48:43:13
They have all gone, haven't they? They have all left. There wasn't anybody left to catch him.
Who?
Jean Pierre
10:48:49:07
The driver. I had to drive 500m back to catch up the driver. It is a relatively crucial moment in my life, I mean, as far as my job, my behaviour and the ethics of my job are concerned. I couldn't' overlook that particular area of the world and carry on pretending working as a bodyguard. It is a crunch time, you have to face who you are an what you do and set up your own limits.
Being paid by a private company, do you consider yourself as a mercenary?
Jean Pierre
10:49:16:09
I do not consider myself as a mercenary. My job consists in guaranteeing protection under a well defined threat. I was also in charge of guaranteeing protection and escorting dangerous materials under a well defined threat. This has nothing to do with being a mercenary. Anyway, people can name it the way they want, but I do not consider myself as a mercenary.
Jean Pierre
10:49:39:01
Shit! Shit! Shit! M....f....!
10:49:46 A mere breakdown or a flat tyre can have tragic consequences. This one took place in the wrong place, in a suburb of Baghdad, besieged by the rebel troops.
10:49:57 Jean Pierre is nervous.
Jean Pierre
10:49:59:11
He is not the one who...It is not the right time to have a row but he is not the one who decides when to stop the car. When you say carry on you have to carry on, man! This motherfucker stays on the side! Take your Kalash, I beg you! Your Kalash! I can't believe it! They have lost their mind! We are in the midst of Taiji, the most dangerous spot ever. And he chose to stop the car here! Why on hell did you stop the car here?
10:50:38 Over the months, the situation in Iraq has exacerbated.
Jean Pierre
10:50:42:18
At the beginning, I was not scared at all. I began to be scared to death when I started to be involved in very risky convoy missions. They were all the more dangerous because the situation had exacerbated. One year has passed since my first convoy. Protection means have to increase according to the threat. Therefore, a Kalachnikov and 60 rounds of ammunition are far form being enough in a country like Iraq. All the more because those against which we are fighting are very well armed. Therefore, we did not have the choice but to find supplies on our own. Once you wear a bullet-proof vest, you also need 8 cartridges, and thus the fencing jacket is a must. When you hold a weapon, you need an Olster. When you want to introduce a weapon in your car you have to put it here and not there. And then you wonder: What if we run out of supplies? Well, we just have to replace them. You end in being armed like Robocop or a Ninja Turtle. Travelling by night requires a nightly vision. Travelling by day requires a camel bag full of water, not to mention ammunitions, cartridges, satellite phones, as well as a GPS, because if you are lost in the desert you have to find out your way home. I am exhausted and pissed off. You have to bear in mind that there are some areas without any Americans. Nobody was there. It was not secured at all. We were the only dummies there. Is there a number you can call in case of emergency? Yes, there is an emergency plan but it works only in ten times. There is nobody, who can help us. We are just cannon fodder. But once again, we are well aware of it from the very beginning. So there is no surprise. You are well aware of all that. Absolutely. There is no surprise. We all know for who long we are involved in a mission, and we know we can die at anytime. So, yes, we are cannon fodder. Let's drink to money! To money and to the death of bastards!
10: 52:29 some relaxing moments, at night. Whisky, cigarettes and jokes are at the menu.
10:52:42 That particular night, Yves is having fun. He will be shot dead a few months later in July 2005 by rebel troops.
Jean Pierre
10:52:49:12
He died. He was trapped in an ambush while he was undertaking his convoy. He was shot dead, by 3 or 4 rounds of ammunitions.
10:52:59 Akihito Saito was one of Scoot's co workers. One day, this former legionnaire was captured. A group closely linked to Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the killing on the 8th of May 2005.
Jean Pierre
10:53:11:12
I know he managed to flee from them. He was killed when he tried to escape from one of the houses. They were waiting for him behind a door, and he got shot...Let it be no doubt that our life or physical integrity does not cost 10,000 or 12,000 euros. I woke up one day with the feeling that I had to end it all if I wanted to stay alive. I went home after 2 years or so in the battleground. It was high time for me to close the chapter and move on since I was starting to become what it is commonly known ass "suicidal."
10:53:47 Today, Jean Pierre lives in France. He works as a show business and businessmen bodyguard. And he has no intention to go back in Iraq.
However, these private owned military companies are thriving.
It is estimated that the market of the privatisation of war generates 100 billion dollars per annum. The US army accounts for the largest part of it across the world.
Credits
Production Company
Java Films