Re-branded Blackwater firm aims for $1 billion Afghan deal

[spanone]

WASHINGTON - Blackwater Worldwide's legal woes haven't dimmed the company's prospects in Afghanistan, where it's a contender to be a key part of President Barack Obama's strategy for stabilizing the country.

Now called Xe Services, the company is in the running for a Pentagon contract potentially worth $1 billion to train Afghanistan's troubled national police force. Xe has been shifting to training, aviation and logistics work after its security guards were accused of killing unarmed Iraqi civilians more than two years ago.

Yet even with a new name and focus, the expanded role would seem an unlikely one for Xe because Democrats have held such a negative opinion of the company following the Iraqi deaths, which are still reverberating in Baghdad and Washington.

During the presidential campaign, then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, now Obama's secretary of state, backed legislation to ban Blackwater and other private security contractors from Iraq.

Xe eventually lost its license to operate as guardian of U.S. diplomats in Iraq and the State Department, with Clinton at the helm, elected not to rehire the company when the contract expired in 2009. Delays in getting a new company in place led to a temporary extension of the State contract.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34778920/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

[Toots]

1. Why is it we don't have any government forces capable of training the Afghans?

Why do we have to use hired killers and thieves to do our job for us? The same thing applies to Security forces. Is our Military unable to provide Americans security? This is just another Republican transfer of wealth away from our country and into the hands of murderers and thieves..

[MH1]

3. "government forces" - as in US military?

ETA: on fuller reading of your post I guess that is what you mean.

The reason is we don't have enough military troops. The choice is to hire civilian firms like Blackwater / Xe, or expand the size of the US military. OR of course reduce our military commitments around the globe - but that can't be done in the needed timeframe.

I think given the global situation the prudent thing would be to expand our military while gradually cutting back some of our commitments. But I know the first part of that will not be a popular idea at DU! (but think about the job opportunities for the economically disadvantaged. It sucks that it is this way, but it is, and more enlistment slots = more kids that can get a good start after high school.)

[Toots]

4. as in government forces...

Yes the military would be included in that, but I believe we also have other government agencies that are involved in training law enforcement personnel.

[MH1]

5. such as what government agencies?

I edited above because after reading your post again I thought you did mean military.

[Toots]

7. Such as CIA, NSA, DEA, FBI, ATF, the list is actually quite long.

America excels at law enforcement and locking up Americans.

[Moochy]

2. So much for Ending No-bid Contracts?

on edit... from the MSNBC article, here's what Xe says about the bidding process:

Xe spokesman Mark Corallo declined to comment on whether the company, based in Moyock, N.C., is bidding for the Afghan police training contract. But a U.S. official knowledgeable of the deliberations said Xe is competing. The official requested anonymity to discuss sensitive information about the federal contracting process.

Xe provides security services in Afghanistan, though on a smaller scale than it did in Iraq. As of November, Xe had more than 200 security personnel on the ground in Afghanistan, according to documents highlighting Xe's operations.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/30/end-no-bid-contracts-above-25000/

[tekisui]

6. Abusive war-profiteers profiteering!

Shame on Obama for using them as part of his war plans.

[StarfarerBill]

8. More profits and fresher targets: that's the Xe way.

[Solly Mack]

9. Sickening

K/R