Federal Register/Vol. 78, No. 185/Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Federal Register/Vol. 78, No. 185/Tuesday, September 24, 2013 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 24, 2013 / Notices 58589 Electronic comments SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR administration of such programs and operations and the necessity for and • IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION Use the Commission’s Internet progress for corrective action. comment form (http://www.sec.gov/ Final Listing of Audit and Other By the end of fiscal year 2012, SIGIR’s rules/sro.shtml); or Reports Issued by SIGIR on oversight jurisdiction had grown to • Send an email to rule-comments@ Reconstruction Spending in Iraq more than $60 billion in U.S. funds appropriated or otherwise made sec.gov. Please include File Number SR– AGENCY: Special Inspector General for available for Iraq relief and NYSE–2013–61 on the subject line. Iraq Reconstruction. reconstruction. These taxpayer dollars Paper comments ACTION: Notice. flowed to a wide spectrum of initiatives, ranging from training Iraq’s army and • Send paper comments in triplicate SUMMARY: Final listing of Audits and police to building large electrical, oil, to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, other reports issued by the Special Inspector General for Iraq and water projects; from supporting Securities and Exchange Commission, democracy-building efforts to 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC Reconstruction (SIGIR) between 2004 and 2013. strengthening budget execution by 20549–1090. provincial councils; and from funding DATES: September 24, 2013. All submissions should refer to File rule-of-law reforms to ensuring that the Number SR–NYSE–2013–61. This file Authority: 5 U.S.C. app. 8G Note; Sec. Iraqi government sustains what the U.S. number should be included on the 3001 of the Emergency Supplemental program provided. Appropriations Act for Defense and for the During most of its almost decade-long subject line if email is used. To help the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004 Commission process and review your Pub. L. 108–106, as amended by Pub. L. 108– lifespan, SIGIR maintained the largest comments more efficiently, please use 375. on-the-ground presence of any U.S. auditing or investigative agency only one method. The Commission will SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In post all comments on the Commission’s November 2003, the U.S. Congress operating in Iraq, with nearly 50 Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/ passed and the President signed into personnel working in country during rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the law the Emergency Supplemental peak operations. Three operational directorates accomplished the oversight submission, all subsequent Appropriations Act for Defense and for work: Audits, Inspections, and amendments, all written statements the Reconstruction of Iraq and Investigations. As of September 2013, with respect to the proposed rule Afghanistan, 2004 (Pub. L. 108–106). In SIGIR had issued 220 audit reports, change that are filed with the addition to providing $18.4 billion for Iraq relief and reconstruction, the law issued 170 project assessments, and Commission, and all written initiated 639 criminal investigations. communications relating to the also established the Inspector General of the Coalition Provisional Authority SIGIR also issued 37 Quarterly Reports proposed rule change between the as well as 9 Lessons Learned reports, 3 Commission and any person, other than (CPA–IG) to oversee the handling and treatment of these funds. When the special reports, and 1 evaluation report. those that may be withheld from the SIGIR’s audits made 487 CPA–IG began work in early 2004, it public in accordance with the recommendations, questioned about was the only IG office within the U.S. provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be $641 million in costs, and identified an government with oversight available for Web site viewing and additional $974 million in funds to be responsibilities encompassing several printing in the Commission’s Public put to better use—a combined potential federal agencies. Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., The Ronald W. Reagan National financial benefit of $1.61 billion. As of Washington, DC 20549, on official Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal September 2013, the actual savings to business days between the hours of Year 2005 (Pub. L. 108–375), enacted the government from renegotiated 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the October 28, 2004, redesignated the contracts, refunds, and operational filing also will be available for CPA–IG as the Special Inspector General savings resulting from SIGIR findings inspection and copying at the principal for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR). Over had reached nearly $645 million. SIGIR’s investigations led to 112 office of the Exchange. All comments time, the Congress expanded SIGIR’s indictments, 90 convictions, and more received will be posted without change; mission so that, by 2008, its mandate than $192 million in court-ordered the Commission does not edit personal covered all reconstruction funds fines, forfeitures, restitution payments, identifying information from regardless of provenance. The enabling and other monetary penalties. SIGIR’s submissions. You should submit only legislation required SIGIR to investigative work also led to 139 information that you wish to make independently and objectively: debarments and 106 suspensions of available publicly. All submissions 1. Conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the programs contractors and government personnel should refer to File Number SR–NYSE– for fraud or other corrupt practices. 2013–61 and should be submitted on or and operations funded with amounts before October 15, 2013. appropriated or otherwise made Reports Issued by SIGIR available for the reconstruction of Iraq. For the Commission, by the Division of 2. Provide advice and Audit Reports Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated recommendations on policies designed 13–006 Government Agencies Cannot 16 authority. to (A) promote economy, efficiency, and Fully Identify Projects Financed with Kevin M. O’Neill, effectiveness in the administration of Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Funds Deputy Secretary. such programs and operations; and (B) 3/6/2013 [FR Doc. 2013–23146 Filed 9–23–13; 8:45 am] prevent and detect waste, fraud, and 13–005 Lessons Learned on the BILLING CODE 8011–01–P abuse in such programs and operations. Department of Defense’s 3. Keep the Secretary of State and the Commander’s Emergency Response Secretary of Defense fully and currently Program in Iraq 1/24/2013 informed about problems and 13–004 Lessons Learned from U.S. 16 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). deficiencies relating to the Agencies’ Management of Iraqi Funds VerDate Mar<15>2010 21:43 Sep 23, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00079 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\24SEN1.SGM 24SEN1 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 58590 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 24, 2013 / Notices for Relief and Reconstruction 1/22/ 12–005 U.S. Central Command 11–012 Commander’s Emergency 2013 Contracting Command Had Few Response Program Obligations Are 13–003 Development Fund for Iraq: Contract Terminations That Resulted Uncertain 1/31/2011 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Has in Wasted Funds in Iraq 10/28/2011 11–008 Interim Report: Action Needed Missing Receiving Reports and Open 12–002 Indirect Costs of Managing To Address Missing Iraq Transaction Task Orders 10/26/2012 Private Security Contracts in Iraq 10/ Data 1/28/2011 13–002 Final Review of State 28/2011 11–009 Iraqi Government Support for Department’s Management of Quick 12–004 Department of Defense the Iraq International Academy 1/26/ Response Funds in 2007 and 2008 10/ Agencies Have Taken Action on Most 2011 26/2012 Open Audit Recommendations 10/27/ 11–007 Iraq Relief and Reconstruction 13–001 Sustaining the Progress 2011 Fund 1: Report on Apportionments, Achieved by U.S. Rule of Law 12–003 Status of International Expenditures, and Canceled Funds 1/ Programs in Iraq Remains Narcotics Control and Law 25/2011 Questionable 10/25/2012 Enforcement Funds Allocated for Iraq 11–006 Forensic Audit Methodologies 12–020 Iraq Police Development Reconstruction 10/27/2011 Used To Collect and Analyze Program: Lack of Iraqi Support and 12–001 Development Fund for Iraq: Electronic Disbursement of Iraq Security Problems Raise Questions The Coalition Provisional Authority Reconstruction Funds 10/28/2010 about the Continued Viability of the Transferred Control over Most of the 11–005 Iraq Reconstruction Funds: Program 7/30/2012 Remaining DFI Funds to the Central Forensic Audits Identifying Fraud, 12–019 Gaps in Business System Bank of Iraq 10/26/2011 Waste, and Abuse—Interim Report #5 Reviews of Contractors with Generally 12–006 Iraqi Police Development 10/28/2010 Less Than $100 Million Annually in Program: Opportunities for Improved 11–004 Iraqi Security Forces: Special Contracts in Iraq Increase U.S. Program Accountability and Budget Operations Force Program Is Government Vulnerabilities to Fraud, Transparency 10/24/2011 Achieving Goals, but Iraqi Support Waste, and Abuse 7/30/2012 11–022 Poor Government Oversight of Remains Critical to Success 10/25/ 12–018 Status of Fiscal Years 2011– Anham and Its Subcontracting 2010 2012 Iraq Security Forces Fund 7/27/ Procedures Allowed Questionable 11–003 Iraqi Security Forces: Police 2012 Costs To Go Undetected 7/30/2011 Training Program Developed Sizeable 12–017 Final Forensic Audit Report of 11–023 Department of State Reports It Force, but Capabilities Are Unknown Iraq Reconstruction Funds 7/13/2012 Has Taken Action on Most Open 10/25/2010 12–016 Interim Review of State Audit Recommendations, but 11–002 Guidance
Recommended publications
  • Private Military and Security Companies: Industry-Led Self-Regulatory Initiatives Versus State-Led Containment Strategies
    The Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding 11 CCDP Working Paper Role and Governance of Islamic Charitable Institutions: Private Military and Security Companies: Industry-Led Self-Regulatory Initiatives versus State-Led Containment Strategies Raymond Saner 1 Contents List of Acronyms ....................................................................................................................... 2 Preface ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ........................................................................................................4 Definitions and Use of Private Military and Security Companies ............................6 The PMSC Industry ..............................................................................................8 Self-Regulatory Initiatives by PMSCs ................................................................... 10 Countermoves by States and International Humanitarian Organizations ............... 14 Colliding Regulatory Initiatives .......................................................................... 16 Recommendations ............................................................................................. 20 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 23 Annexes ..................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • B-400093.4,B-400093.5 Aegis Defence Services Limited
    Comptroller General of the United States United Stat es Government Accountability Office DOCUMENT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Washington , DC 20548 The decision issued on the date below was subject to a GAO Protective Order. This redacted version has been approved for public release. Decision Matter of: Aegis Defence Services Limited File: B-400093.4; B-400093.5 Date: October 16, 2008 John S. Pachter, Esq., Jonathan D. Shaffer, Esq., Mary Pat Gregory, Esq., Matthew Lloyd Haws, Esq., and Richard C. Johnson, Esq., Smith Pachter McWhorter PLC, for the protester. David S. Black, Esq., Megan M. Mocho, Esq., and Jessica M. Madon, Esq., Holland & Knight LLP, for Global Strategies Group (Integrated Security), Inc., an intervenor. Roderick McCracken, Esq., Robert J. McKenney, Esq., and Derek B. Santos, Esq., Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, for the agency. Paul N. Wengert, Esq., and Ralph O. White, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST 1. Protest that agency misevaluated awardee and protester under experience and past performance factors by downgrading protester based on its limited experience in Afghanistan, and by giving awardee credit for experience of its subcontractors, including contracts performed in Afghanistan, is denied where agency judgments were reasonable and consistent with terms of solicitation. 2. Protest that agency improperly disregarded risk posed by awardee’s low price is denied where record demonstrated that agency had compared individual fixed price line items to government estimate and to prices offered by competitors, identified those where there were significant differences, and documented the agency’s basis for concluding that the awardee’s prices were reasonable.
    [Show full text]
  • Ex New Horizon
    Archived Content Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or record-keeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page. Information archivée dans le Web Information archivée dans le Web à des fins de consultation, de recherche ou de tenue de documents. Cette dernière n’a aucunement été modifiée ni mise à jour depuis sa date de mise en archive. Les pages archivées dans le Web ne sont pas assujetties aux normes qui s’appliquent aux sites Web du gouvernement du Canada. Conformément à la Politique de communication du gouvernement du Canada, vous pouvez demander de recevoir cette information dans tout autre format de rechange à la page « Contactez-nous ». 1 CANADIAN FORCES COLLEGE / COLLÈGE DES FORCES CANADIENNES JCSP 33 / PCEMI 33 EXERCISE/EXERCICE NEW HORIZONS An Enduring Conflict: Specialist Retention in the British Army Versus Private Security Companies By /par Maj IS Warren This paper was written by a student La présente étude a été rédigée par un attending the Canadian Forces College stagiaire du Collège des Forces in fulfilment of one of the requirements canadiennes pour satisfaire à l'une des of the Course of Studies. The paper is exigences du cours. L'étude est un a scholastic document, and thus document qui se rapporte au cours et contains facts and opinions which the contient donc des faits et des opinions author alone considered appropriate que seul l'auteur considère appropriés and correct for the subject.
    [Show full text]
  • Companies Signing
    The International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers Signatory Companies Complete List as of 1 August 2013 – Version with Company Details 1. 1Naval One Signed by: Alex Raptis, Operations Manager Date of becoming Signatory Company: 1 May 2013 (by letter) Headquarters: Panama, Panama City Website: www.naval1.com 1Naval One SA., provides specialized professional global security for the maritime industry. Our company offers services that cover the fields of training, consulting and maritime security. Our people are former members of elite and SF units of the armed forces with extensive operational experience in the maritime environment. Naval One S.A., operates to the highest international standards of the industry and in compliance of national and international laws. 2. 2D Security Signed by: Devrim Poyraz, Director Date of becoming Signatory Company: 1 February 2013 (by letter) Headquarters: Turkey, Istanbul Website: www.2d.com.tr We as 2D Security have been operating since 2001 on several different security fields such as ballistics cabin protection and consultancy. With our current company form, now we are entering sea security field. We just hired over 30 special trained navy seals which have employed by the Turkish Navy in the past. These personnel are ready to execute every mission that is needed in sea security. Most of our services will be assisting vessels passing through Suez Canal and Indian Ocean area protecting against piracy. Being part of your family would take us to the next level. One good thing about crew is having different missions in different countries as part of the NATO forces, this means having experience dealing with natives of those countries.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of the Private Military Industry After the Cold War Joel AC
    Outsourcing War: The Evolution of the Private Military Industry after the Cold War Joel AC Baum Anita M McGahan Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto 105 St. George St. Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E6, Canada February 20, 2009 rev. October 5, 2009 Thanks to Xuesong Geng and Diederik van Liere for research assistance and to Rajshree Agarwal, Nick Argyres, Lyda Bigelow, Sandro Cabral, Ramon Cassadeus-Masanell, JP Eggers, Sarah Kaplan, Joe Mahoney, Costas Markides, Brian Silverman, Adrian Tschoegl, Marc Ventresca, Charlie Williams and seminar participants at the Academy of Management Meetings, Duke University, Erasmus University, New York University, London Business School, the NBER, the University of Arizona, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, the University of Toronto and the Wharton School for discussions related to this paper. Copyright © 2008, 2009 Joel AC Baum and Anita M McGahan. All rights reserved. Outsourcing War: The Evolution of the Private Military Industry after the Cold War Abstract In this paper, we study the evolution of private military corporations (PMCs), which are for-profit organizations that subcontract military field services to sovereign authorities as well as to others. Between Eisenhower’s famous “military-industrial complex” speech in 1961 and the post-9/11 war in Iraq, PMCs were transformed from relatively minor subcontractors to major companies with unique capabilities that made them strategically central to the sovereign military organizations from which they had grown. Throughout this period, PMCs exhibited a “hybrid organizational form” as delineated within organizational economics. Our purpose is grounded theorizing in which we derive insights about the evolution of PMCs as hybrid organizational forms.
    [Show full text]
  • Regulating Private Military Companies: What Role for the EU?
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Brunel University Research Archive This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in Contemporary Security Policy, Volume 26, Number 1, 2005, pp. (copyright Taylor & Francis), available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13523260500116091#.Uv4jr6OcYkA Regulating Private Military Companies: What Role for the EU? ELKE KRAHMANN Introduction Following allegations that private security guards were involved in the torture of Iraqi prisoners and in the wake an attempted coup by private mercenaries in Equatorial Guinea the proliferation of so-called ‘private military companies’ (PMCs) is again receiving considerable attention.1 Of particular concern in the public and academic debate is the continuing lack of effective national and international controls of the industry. Much of this debate criticizes that international regulation has so far focused almost exclusively on mercenaries and has been bogged down by problems related to defining PMCs. Moreover, it is suggested that national controls on PMCs are lacking in most countries with the exception of the United States and South Africa. This article seeks to show that this debate is systematically underestimat- ing the level of national and international regulation of the sector and thus the possibility of strengthening existing controls. It suggests that in particular in Europe since the mid-1990s there has been a growth of national and inter- national policies which directly or indirectly shape the provision and export of private military services. Moreover, this article argues that due to the specific dynamics of European integration these controls are not only increas- ing, but also converging within the European Union (EU).
    [Show full text]
  • Private Security Contractors in Iraq: Background, Legal Status, and Other Issues
    Order Code RL32419 Private Security Contractors in Iraq: Background, Legal Status, and Other Issues Updated August 25, 2008 Jennifer K. Elsea Legislative Attorney American Law Division Moshe Schwartz Analyst in Defense Acquisition Policy Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Kennon H. Nakamura Analyst in Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Private Security Contractors in Iraq: Background, Legal Status, and Other Issues Summary The United States is relying heavily on private firms to supply a wide variety of services in Iraq, including security. From publicly available information, this is apparently the first time that the United States has depended so extensively on contractors to provide security in a hostile environment, although it has previously contracted for more limited security services in Afghanistan, Bosnia, and elsewhere. In Iraq, private firms known as Private Security Contractors (PSCs) serve to protect individuals, transport convoys, forward operating bases, buildings, and other economic infrastructure, and are training Iraqi police and military personnel. By providing security for reconstruction and stabilization efforts, many analysts and policymakers say, private contractors contribute an essential service to U.S. and international efforts to bring peace to Iraq. Nonetheless, the use of armed contractors raises several concerns, including transparency and accountability. The lack of public information on the terms of the contracts, including their costs and the standards governing hiring and performance, make evaluating their efficiency difficult. The apparent lack of a practical means to hold contractors accountable under U.S. law for abuses and other transgressions, and the possibility that they could be prosecuted by foreign courts, is also a source of concern.
    [Show full text]
  • The African Union's Information War Against Al-Shabaab
    Williams, P D 2018 Strategic Communications for Peace Operations: stability The African Union’s Information War Against al-Shabaab. Stability: International Journal of Security & Development, 7(1): 3, pp. 1–17, DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/sta.606 RESEARCH ARTICLE Strategic Communications for Peace Operations: The African Union’s Information War Against al-Shabaab Paul D. Williams Despite widespread agreement that effective strategic communications are a necessary part of complex peace operations, many missions struggle to generate relevant capabilities and implement effective campaigns. This article analyzes the experiences of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) as a case study of this problem. Specifically, it examines how the United Nations (UN) tried to fill the gap by hiring a consortium of private firms known as the AU-UN Information Support Team (IST) to wage a strategic communications campaign against al-Shabaab. The IST’s goal was to drive, as well as communicate, AMISOM’s success, improve the mission’s media presence, and develop a communications strategy. The IST played an innovative and important function for AMISOM but suffered from several significant challenges that reduced its effectiveness. The conclusion therefore identifies four main lessons from AMISOM’s experiences that could improve strategic communications for peace operations. Introduction see also Duffey 2000). There have also been There is very little scholarly literature on how periodic calls for specific missions to improve to design and implement effective strategic their strategic communications capabilities communications for peace operations. The (e.g. Boutellis and Fink 2016: 24–25). few examples have focused on the need for The lack of scholarly attention is surpris- the United Nations (UN) to manage public ing given that several international organi- opinion in its mission areas and utilize new zations engaged in peace and security communications technologies through effec- activities have long recognized the impor- tive information strategies (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 United States District Court for the District Of
    Case 1:09-cv-01607-KBJ Document 69 Filed 03/26/14 Page 1 of 39 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA __________________________________ ) KHADIM ALKANANI, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) Civil Action No. 09-CV-1607 (KBJ)(AK) ) AEGIS DEFENSE SERVICES, LLC, ) and AEGIS DEFENCE SERVICES ) LIMITED, ) ) Defendants. ) ) _________________________________ ) MEMORANDUM OPINION Plaintiff Khadim Alkanani (“Alkanani” or “Plaintiff”), a former United States soldier, filed the instant tort action after an employee of a private defense contractor shot him in the foot in Iraq. That defense contractor, Defendant Aegis Defence Services Limited (“Aegis UK”), filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, contending that this Court need not reach the merits of Alkanani’s claims because the court lacks personal jurisdiction over the company. (Def.’s Mot. to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction (“Def.’s Mot.”), ECF No. 48, at 1.) On August 7, 2013, Magistrate Judge Alan Kay filed a Report and Recommendation that concludes that this case should be dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction over Aegis UK. (ECF No. 62, at 1.)1 Plaintiff has filed objections to that report (Pl.’s Mem. of P&A in Resp. to Magistrate’s Report and Recommendation, (“Pl.’s Objections”), ECF No. 63), and those objections 1 Page numbers throughout this opinion refer to the page numbers generated by the Court’s electronic filing system. 1 Case 1:09-cv-01607-KBJ Document 69 Filed 03/26/14 Page 2 of 39 are now before this Court. Because this Court concurs with Magistrate Judge Kay’s conclusions that it cannot exercise either specific or general personal jurisdiction over Aegis UK, the Court will overrule Alkanani’s objections and adopt Magistrate Judge Kay’s Report and Recommendation.
    [Show full text]
  • Private Military Companies
    ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANIES Peter BENICSÁK Abstract: As a result of decreasing ability of various countries to counter internal violence in emerging states after the end of the Cold War, these states rely more and more on private military companies (PMC) to maintain security. These forces make profit as business enterprises offering military advice as well as providing fighting capabilities. This approach differs from the traditional method and requires attention from regular forces to learn and identify lessons from PMCs. There have been suggestions during the last few years that PMCs could provide services in peacekeeping missions for the UN to replace the fear and fatigue of member states to involve government forces in increasingly dangerous operations. What is the difference between a private military contractor and a trained regular soldier? Keywords: Private Military Companies (PMC), Outsourcing 1. Introduction illegal combatants. According to Private Military Companies (PMC) estimates this market has reached the provide security and military services level of 100 million US dollars by taking over certain tasks, usually annually. covered by regular forces based on 2. History governmental and/or private contracts. By the end of the Cold War, the old The picture is obviously more supporting/supported political and sophisticated, as we can see below. military relations transformed, Members of these organizations are therefore, more and more third world usually named as mercenaries, but at the countries were left alone without same time their companies call them reliable and effective military support, contractors and/or security experts; creating serious gaps in their defense meanwhile their business is considered and security systems.
    [Show full text]
  • Basra: Profiting from Their Destruction, the British
    Basra: Profiting from their Destruction, the British are Back By Felicity Arbuthnot Region: Middle East & North Africa Global Research, January 09, 2014 Theme: Oil and Energy In-depth Report: IRAQ REPORT “When will there be justice in Athens? There will be justice in Athens when those who are not injured are as outraged as those who are.” Thucydides (460 BC – 395 BC.) In December 2007, Major General Graham Binns, Commander of British Forces in Basra, handed illegally occupied Basra Province back to the Iraqis, with Basra city centre “festooned with flags, lights and banners to mark the occasion.” In fact, the whole nonsense was window dressing. British soldiers had been under siege in their bases between February and September that year and had withdrawn to Basra Airport, on the city’s outskirts, leaving just seven hundred soldiers in Basra, squatting in one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces. They too slunk out to the airport, under cover of darkness on 3rd September. At the hand over, Major General Binns said that Basra had been successfully wrested from its enemies and was now being handed back to its friends. However, at the time, a poll of 1,000 Basra residents for BBC’s Newsnight programme showed 85% saying British troops had been a negative effect on the Province for their five year occupation. Given the litany of claims of murder, torture, abuse, theft, against the British army being handled by lawyers in the UK, for Basra region residents, ”negative” seems a bit of an understatement. However, Major General Binns, who commanded the 7th Armoured Brigade when it led the siege of Basra in 2003, is back in Basra with a new hat on.
    [Show full text]
  • How Private Military Companies Challenge Global Governance, Erode Accountabilin and Exacerbate Conflict
    MARKETIZED SOLDIERING: HOW PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANIES CHALLENGE GLOBAL GOVERNANCE, ERODE ACCOUNTABILIN AND EXACERBATE CONFLICT by Gregg Blakely Hon. B.A., University of Toronto, 2002 PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the Department of Political Science O Gregg Blakely 2006 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Gregg Blakely Degree: Master of Arts, Department of Political Science Title of Project: Marketized Soldiering: How private military companies challenge global governance, erode accountability and exacerbate conflict Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. Laurent Dobuzinskis, Associate Professor Department of Political Science Dr. Douglas A. Ross, Professor Senior Supervisor Department of Political Science Dr. Stuart Farson, Adjunct Professor Supervisor Department of Political Science Dr. Benjamin J. Muller, Limited Term Professor Internal Examiner Department of Political Science Date DefendedIApproved: December 4th. 2006 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY~ibra ry DECLARATION OF PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other
    [Show full text]