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Karzai Kicks Contractors out of Afghanistan—Underlining Need for Accountability

8-17-2010

President Hamid Karzai issued a decree today ordering private security companies in Afghanistan to disband within four months, the New York Times reports. This decree comes on the heels of serious allegations of corruption and reports of rampant abuse by private security contractors in Afghanistan, which currently number at over 28,000 strong—nearly all of them armed.

Since the release of our report, Private Security Contractors at War, Human Rights First has been urging accountability. Read our press release responding to Karzai’s decree, and a recent blog underlining what can be done to provide oversight and accountability for contractors at war.


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  • Brian

    This is probably the most inaccurate article written regarding private security companies working in Afghanistan. The majority of security personnel work for governmental organizations such as the Foreign CommonWealth Office and are strictly regulated and controlled in and out of country. We are armed yes, but for the protection of ourselves and our clients and in this environment where the insurgents wear no uniforms it is a necessity. We have strict rules of engagement and the use of force. We as operators are professional employees using the skills and experience accumulated over many years of military service.

    I do not deny however there are many “cowboys and wannabe’s that get through the net by lying and falsifying their CV’s but this is a minority and they are soon discovered and fired. Because of Black Water and its amateurs and people and organizations wanting to make a quick buck the industry and those professionals working in it are labelled with a bad reputation.

    Lets look at the other side of the coin shall we. Karzai is not running his country and is himself as corrupt as the next Afghan. Millions is being pumped into projects to try and bring Afghanistan into the 19th century let alone the 21st. Most of that money goes towards bribes, embezzlement and back handers and does not go towards rebuilding of what is a failed state. Karzai has tried to flex his diplomatic muscles but where has it got him. There are still as many if not more private security working in country. Karzai is making it difficult for operators to get visa’s to work as security but even this is another measure to see how much money he can squeeze out of the west and private companies trying to help this backward and corrupt country.