Outsourcing the Global War on Terrorism This page intentionally left blank Outsourcing the Global War on Terrorism Private Military Companies and American Intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan George C. Lovewine OUTSOURCING THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM Copyright © George C. Lovewine, 2014. Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2014 978-1-137-37282-6 All rights reserved. First published in 2014 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN® in the United States— a division of St. Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-47635-0 ISBN 978-1-137-37026-6 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/9781137370266 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the Library of Congress. A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Knowledge Works (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: April 2014 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents List of Illustrations vii Preface ix Acknowledgments xi Abbreviations xiii Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 The Impact of the Department of Defense’s Use of Private Security Companies on US Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan 17 Chapter 3 Analysis of the Effects of Private Security Companies on US Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan 51 Chapter 4 The Impact of the Department of Defense’s Use of Private Military Companies on US Efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan 77 Chapter 5 Analysis of the Effects of Private Military Companies on US Efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan 111 Chapter 6 Conclusion 135 Appendix 1 US Military and Policy Objectives in Afghanistan 151 Appendix 2 US Military and Policy Objectives in Iraq: Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn 155 Appendix 3 DoD Policy and Guidelines—Contingency Contracting 161 vi (cid:77) Contents Glossary 165 Notes 177 Bibliography 185 Index 221 Illustrations Figures 2.1 The outcome of Academi activities in Fallujah 30 2.2 The outcome of the Academi in Nisoor Square 35 2.3 The outcome of ArmorGroup activities 40 2.4 The outcome of USPI activities 43 3.1 Academi’s effect on US military activities and political objectives 55 3.2 Academi’s effect on US policy objectives and military stability operations 58 3.3 US military reactions to ArmorGroup’s activities 63 3.4 US political reactions to USPI activities 65 4.1 The outcome of CACI and L3-Titan activities 90 4.2 The outcome of Kellogg, Brown & Root activities 97 4.3 The outcome of DynCorp activities 104 4.4 DoD and US regulations to address the prisoner abuse issue and their impact 109 5.1 US military reactions to the Abu Ghraib incident 117 5.2 US military reactions to KBR’s logistics operations 120 5.3 US military reactions to DynCorp’s logistics operations 125 6.1 M ilitary forces waging the global war on terrorism 143 Tables 2.1 Nationality of contracted civilians performing security-related to supporting US activities in Iraq and Afghanistan 20 2.2 Top private security companies providing security services to US entities in Iraq and Afghanistan 21 2.3 Significance and the assessed impact of private security companies on US objectives 45 viii (cid:77) Illustrations 2.4 Policy changes and regulatory developments based on the activities of private security companies 48 3.1 A review of the operational and policy effects of private security companies on US objectives 71 4.1 Estimate of private military companies’ employees supporting the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan 79 4.2 Significance and the assessed impact of private military companies on US objectives 105 4.3 Policy changes and regulatory developments based on the activities of private military companies 107 5.1 A review of the operational and policy effects of private military companies on US objectives 129 Preface Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the US military has operated at a high operational tempo, characterized by sustained combat operations, in Iraq and Afghanistan. The military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, part of the US Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) required the US military to field its military forces, as well as provide it with the logisti- cal and material support needed to fight and win these wars. To support this military effort, the US Department of Defense (DoD) deployed thousands of contracted civilians into both theaters of war. The DoD relied on the employees of Private Military/Security Companies (PMSCs) to perform critical support missions in both Iraq and Afghanistan. This new operational reality shaped an environment in which the employ- ment of PMSCs on the battlefield has not only raised questions concerning overreliance on commercial entities, but has also given rise to the question— can the activities of PMSCs affect US military capabilities or even undermine (or influence) US policy efforts in Afghanistan or Iraq? In the chaotic envi- ronments of Iraq and Afghanistan, the actions or operations of PMSCs have the potential not only to influence US objectives, but also to undermine the ongoing US military operations, US relations with the international commu- nity, and US capacity-building initiatives within both countries. Through an examination of the actions/activities of selected PMSCs, this book explores the questionable activities of companies employed by the US government and the consequences of those activities on US military and policy objectives in Iraq and Afghanistan.