A Murky New Force on The Rise in Iraq; 'They Have No Accountability'

[Robbien]

While American officials trumpet 2006 as the "Year of the Police," terrorists are targeting Iraq's most revered holy sites, and no one seems to know where the real power lies these days, Newsweek reports in the current issue. A problematic force with multiple agendas called the Facilities Protection Services, a mutant security agency that has grown into a large, amorphous force that seems to lack any centralized control, is emerging, reports Baghdad Bureau Chief Scott Johnson in the April 24 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, April 17).

Facility Protection cops are suspected of committing at least some of the sectarian killings that have plagued the country in recent months. "The FPS have the same uniforms, weapons and vehicles , and they are not controlled by either the Ministry of Interior or Defense," Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr told Newsweek recently. According to Jabr, one element of FPS guards called "Battalion 16" has been "involved in sectarian killings, explosions and mortar attacks." Jabr alleged that U.S. forces recently arrested "tens" of FPS members who had slaughtered "over 100 persons" in the Baghdad neighborhood of Doura.

Jabr and others say the FPS began as a force to protect public buildings and facilities but as time passed, new ministers would bring in their own loyalists to fill the ranks of their FPS contingents and fund them separately. Yet even the commander of FPS forces under the Ministry of Interior, Gen. Jalal Mohammed Ameen, says the FPS has gotten out of control. "Killers, thieves, people who claimed to be former officers became officers," he complained to Newsweek. A U.S. official involved in political and military planning in Baghdad (who did not want to be named because he has to deal with Iraqi leaders) says: "The FPS has basically become a private army for the ministers. They have no accountability."

Not one ministry contacted by Newsweek would accept overall responsibility for the FPS. The Americans don't oversee them, either: "We really don't get anywhere near them," says Tim Keefe, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad. U.S. officials tell Newsweek that the Ministry of Transportation employs large numbers of FPS soldiers

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060416/nysu008.html?.v=52

[bemildred]

1. Death Squads are deliberately kept "murky".

Gotta keep that plausible deniability intact.

[Robbien]

2. These death squads are Iraqi natives

The Iraqi people appear to have death squads coming at them from all angles.

[NI4NI]

4. coming at them the same

way Sadam's death squads did only more often.

[bemildred]

5. Always better if the Death Squads are indigenous.

Many examples can be given. Using occupying troops in that way is always a last resort.

[Terran1212]

7. Imperial power gets native collaborators to do its dirty work

As if the US doesn't know about these activities.

[Rose Siding]

3. "Year of the Police" Oh, brother

This is from a *fox* interview with this guy-

snip>
Bayan Jabor says he hates his job and hates the police, even though he's in charge of the country's 135,000 officers.

"This is a tough job for you," I said to him during our interview in his office in a palace located inside the Green Zone......"Do you like it?"...

"No. I don't want to keep it! They force me to take it. I’m a civil engineer, a merchant. I can't continue. I don't want to continue. My specialty is construction, industry… I want to rebuild Iraq."
....
He told me he's stepping down in a couple weeks, after spending one year in the high-ranking position.

"Who’s going to take your place?"

"Anyone! Welcome!" he said with a smile, then laughed again. "I’m working 17 hours daily. At the beginning, you see pictures... my hair...," he gestured towards his silver mane.
...
"Protect human rights? Rule of law? They were torturing people during Saddam Hussein’s regime. They were corrupt; against rule of law... it's not easy to learn (teach) them. They are 50 years old! 40 years old! You can't imagine,” he said, shaking his head.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=943039&mesg_id=943039

[Terran1212]

6. Americans just never get it, do they?

Everytime the US "intervenes" in another country it's always for its own interests and it always leaves some fascist thugs behind it.

But just remember that freedom is on the march!

[Catrina]

9. Looks like it marched right past Iraq ~

The captain is on the wrong course, but he's going to 'stay the course' whatever it is. Only he seems to know.

[ShortnFiery]

8. I can't help but think even those "missing billions" of Bremers must

be close to having been spent?

Remember, mercenaries need a constant and steady flow of cash. When that runs out, they're gone. :nuke:

[fshrink]

10. We, the American people, are accountable.

We are accountable to the World for accepting the so-called "Supreme Court" ruling in favor of an extreme-right group, for supporting an absurd war and accepting our representatives' overwhelming support of it when it could have been prevented, for passively accepting that democratic principles be violated in our homeland, thus promoting the violation of these principles anywhere else. We are accountable for holding the small and the powerless accountable while endlessly bowing to the big and the powerful.

[Rex]

11. First Person Shooter

Great, a huge mercenary force in Iraq. Just what the Iraqis need. :eyes:

[annabanana]

12. WHO PAYS THEM?

If someone can follow the bucks... we'll know a lot more than we do now. It just sounds like another private contractor to me..(excuse me...) mercenary.

[Robbien]

13. In part, the US does. They are one of our paid contractors

The article says they use these hired guns as protection forces when they travel. You didn't think these Iraqi mercs would do this for free, did you? I expect they get payment from all sides.

[rodeodance]

14. says the US:"We really don't get anywhere near them,"

Not one ministry contacted by Newsweek would accept overall responsibility for the FPS. The Americans don't oversee them, either: "We really don't get anywhere near them," says Tim Keefe, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad. U.S. officials tell Newsweek that the Ministry of Transportation employs large numbers of FPS soldiers

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

15. I wonder what input...

Blackwater and other private contractors like them have had with FPS.

I bet I can guess.

[lovuian]

16. Is it really better without Saddam or is it worse???

Its worse...

[0007]

17. It sure appears worse for the Iraqi and we know that the US

has taken a bath and has been cleaned to the bone since Saddam Hussein has been run out of office.

The Carlyle Group & Halliburton and others have certainly become fat and would disagree with me.

[Robbien]

18. If you read Riverbend's blog, there is no question. It's worse.

She talks about being raided by these guys and takes us through the experience. I wouldn't wish that on my worse enemy.

[LynnTheDem]

19. Far worse.

For them. For us. For the world.

[rman]

20. They're not even hiding the false-flag ops anymore

[rman]

21. Trophy Video of Civilian Shootings By Contractors

Trophy Video of Civilian Shootings By Contractors
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/11/27/172747/10

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/11/27.html#a6076
Video of Random Shootings in Iraq

Telegraph: "A "trophy" video appearing to show security guards in Baghdad randomly shooting Iraqi civilians has sparked two investigations after it was posted on the internet, the Sunday Telegraph can reveal.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/27/wirq27.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/11/27/ixworld.html

The video has sparked concern that private security companies, which are not subject to any form of regulation either in Britain or in Iraq, could be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent Iraqis."

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Aegis-PSD.mov (quicktime)