Private armies of the world (11 photos)

Submitted by: Alexander

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It is no secret that in a globalized world war corporations and states for resources forms need to know how to fight the structures are ready to take contracts for the most bloody and dirty tenders on the market, hidden from the general public. Probably the most publicized of these offices - a French Foreign Legion, we have the way on this subject was dvizhuha couple of years ago, such a '' cool '' news: Gazprom will have its own army

However, closer to the subject)) described below will focus on the American corporation Blackwater, which is a kind of leader of the '' industry '', those who really pours blood, fulfilling the American public tender for the deflation of guts various unwashed during unleashed (or indirectly supported) America's wars and everyday hotspots. They are professionals who live with it, and bloody disposition of these troops (they have the reputation of people who shoot first and then questioned. They do not just create complex situation: after an operation Blackwater outside left 17 dead civilians.) Striking contrast with bleating on TV often lohovatymi-looking lad from the official army of the state. Large losses army in the war at home create a strong social tension and incite prostest, there is a social war weariness and circuses funeral, and provide different points of the planet military pressure on recalcitrant states must constantly. Therefore, in the modern world in the bloody fighting around baths private mercenaries for them, and no one asks for a rally with placards will not go. They are behind the scenes and most of the other grandmother there in a number of conflicts, and they do all the work, while the official US soldiers heroically represent their existents in the same area, not sticking out of the nose from its base, which is already mentioned by many.

Blackwater (Eng. Blackwater - «black water") - since February 2009, it renamed «Xe» (read as "Z") - a private US security company (in fact - a small but powerful "private army" - in its ranks about 2, 3 thousand. professionally mercenaries on active duty and about 25 thousand. soldiers in reserve. This organization has had and has a very active support of American troops in Iraq.).



company was founded in 1996 (according to other sources - in 1997), the former officer of the naval special forces US 27-year-old Prince Eric (Erik Prince). Headquartered in North Carolina. Over time, the security company has become a real private army, and the Prince was one of the main sponsors of the Republican Party.



Armed with this company have the entire arsenal of military small arms, armored personnel carriers and transport helicopters. It has training bases in the United States and certain other countries.



Immediately after the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Blackwater has appeared. Since 2003, its employees guarded the head of the civilian administration in Iraq, Paul Bremer. The number of soldiers Blackwater, involved in the active phase of the war in Iraq, more than 10 thousand people. The Iraq campaign, according to various estimates, was attended by 25 to 40 thousand. Soldiers of private companies, most of them from Blackwater.

According to media reports, the loss of soldiers Blackwater in Iraq amounted to about 780 people, but these people are not counted in the official statistics of military losses. What is certainly on hand of the Bush administration. In addition, crimes Blackwater soldiers in Iraq does not fall into the category of war. Armed soldiers patrol the streets of Blackwater have seen in New Orleans during the flood.
The first loss of the Blackwater private army suffered in March 2004 that killed several of its employees.

The company has become infamous due to the incident with the killings of Iraqis in September 2007. 16 September 2007 Blackwater employees guarding the diplomatic convoy of US State Department, the central square in Baghdad staged a gunfight that ended with the death of seventeen Iraqi civilians. As a result of investigations it was found out that the employees of the company for the Prince since 2005 at the time took part in almost two hundred shootings. Also, the company suspected of smuggling weapons into Iraq.



Rigid behavior of US guards in Iraq, many associated with the events of April 2003. Then, in the city of Fallujah killed four members of "Blackwater". Guards rebels mutilated bodies hung on a bridge. Kontraktnik then stepped up its own security and started shooting first. And it became even tougher to manage with foreign diplomats. October 1st the employees of the international security firm "Global", commanded by an American, tried to watch the cars of the Russian Embassy in Iraq and even threatened with weapons. This was followed by nearly a response. After all, our diplomats took into account the fact that the employees of private security firms in Iraq sometimes start shooting first. According to our diplomats, "serious consequences" has been avoided thanks to the "coolness" of the Russians. Russian Foreign Ministry described the actions of the guards "as a flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961».



At the beginning of the Iraq Blackwater employees are rarely heroes of press reports. For the first time they have seen on the news, when the entire world saw footage of Iraqis dragged through the streets of Fallujah burned, mutilated bodies of four kontraktnikov.Deystviya employees in Iraq, severely damaged its reputation. In 2009, the company's founder Erik Prince stepped down as its CEO and in February Blackwater Worldwide officially changed its name to «Xe», and also uses the brand «US Training Center ».

The firm Blackwater, founded in 1997 by retired US military provided security services and nothing special so far, has not yet attacked the gold mine - federal contracts. With the start of the US campaign in Iraq, the Bush administration suddenly start to use the services of the company and paid them generously. In 2001, Blackwater has received from the federal budget of $ 736 thousand., Then in 2005 the amount exceeded $ 25 million. In 2006, the contract is valued at nearly $ 600 million. On the whole, the work of Blackwater in Iraq has already received more than a billion dollars. Currently, revenues from Iraq on the order of 95% of the revenue of the company.
Every single day of mercenaries from Blackwater US budget costs an average of $ 1222. This soldier of the American army doing similar work (with the rank of sergeant) receives $ 140-190 per day (depending on the length of service, etc.) Thus, one gunman from Blackwater US budget costs 6-9 times more expensive. < br />
Determine the number of employees in Iraq, mercenaries from private security agencies difficult. Not all people hired Blackwater number of employees of the company. The official website of Blackwater in the section on job emphasizes that if you work for a company, then you are not officially take on the staff and you will be independent contractors. Estimates of the number of mercenaries in Iraq range from 25 thousand. To more than one hundred thousand people (which is almost equal to the number of coalition troops). In Iraq, employs about 60 large and small security firms (not just American) substantially - private armies. It is worth noting that the White House similarly uses mercenaries in Afghanistan.



Interestingly, in 2001 the amount of annual contracts Blackwater was less than a million dollars, and by 2007 exceeded one billion dollars.



Now this structure raises unrealistic loot due to the threat of Somali pirates (they could eliminate one day, as I suspect, Somali pirates - the lobby to stir up military corporations). President of the corporation - Eric Prince. This American with a square chin and short hair served in an elite unit of the US Navy. He was in Bosnia, Haiti, the Middle East. Prince said that he would not be difficult to distinguish good from evil, and on the new battlefield - the high seas.

"When I see a couple of guys in a six-meter fishing boat in the center of the Gulf of Aden, and with a grenade in hand, I understand that they are not put out to sea to fish, - said the Prince - the fool is clear that they have in mind».

The task of his people - to escort cargo vessels. Fighters for the new job, he recruited from former soldiers of the elite units of the Navy. They are supposed to first warn the attacking pirates on the horn. Then to intimidate fired several shots into the air. And only after that work will take performers, such as snipers on the two helicopters that are on board the warship McArthur.



Now they call dozens of new customers, mainly ship-owners and insurance companies. Everyone wants one thing: to mercenaries from Blackwater carried their cargo ships and tankers safely along the coast of Somalia, the most dangerous waters in the world, lands poaching gangs with Kalashnikovs and grenade attack anything that gets in their way. Shod in slippers, plastic boats, they look like petty crooks, which can handle a Coast Guard cutter. In fact, they create huge problems navies of the great powers, and of course, the government in Berlin, Paris and Washington.



This year, Somali pirates attacked more than 90 ships, three times more than in the past. They managed to grab and steal 39 cargo ships, tankers, fishing boats. And now, at least 14 vessels under strict protection are anchored near the shore, in front of pirate villages. Their crews for several months waiting for the pirates receive the ransom and let them go free. According to UN estimates, the shipowners pay them for almost 25 million euros.



Fighters from Blackwater - are not the only ones on the market of new services. Drum Company from the UK reports that the number of requests to escort for the last year has increased tenfold. Head Drum Peter Hopkins provides teams of between 4 to 8 people, who climb on board the ship in Port Said, Oman to Mombasa and back down to earth. Four guards cost about 6,500 euros per day plus travel expenses. They are armed, but first try to defend a court with the help of the sound of guns and barbed wire.
The American firm Blackwater rival John Harris prefers a tougher tone. It ensures that the men of his company's Hollow Point pirates will not leave any chances. In addition, they are able to liberate and have hijacked ships, "Anyway, we will deliver your team and Vessel ago - he assures. - Any agreement or send our group ».

After that, there is little question arises who is beneficial to the Somali pirates were hysteria developed. At least - the military corporations make enormous profits from the protection of major trade route. And the dumb - this is just one of many fouled, which then illuminate the collar on the inversion townsfolk working in the interest of corporate media.

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