- No need for your PKM’s anymore boys – the Iraqi roads are safe now
Here’s some of the latest observations from the Red zone -
The threat environment in Iraq continues to evolve and with it Iraq’s Ministry of Interior ovesight and involvement with PMCs, regulations, and inspections. What does this all equal – MORE HASSLE AND MORE DANGER.
NO PK’s, WTF?
One of the most recent and overt steps taken by the MOI has been the requirement that PKM/PKCs not be used while rolling the roads. This isn’t news to the teams risking their necks to move people and property for the DOD, DOS, and Iraqi Gov’t and it most certainly has not gone unnoticed with our enemies and those that would like to see the continued disruption of the rule of law in the Iraqi state.
I key in on this issue because it has meaning to the guy on the street. The contractor who needs all the weapons and support tools necessary to safely accomplish missions in what is most certainly a semi- permissive and often a hostile operating environment; you see- when a team is attacked, a belt-fed like a PKM/PKC allows a team to establish a controlled base of fire, maneuver against their foes, protect their assets and charges, and effect an escape. Without belt-feds, our defenses are seriously diminished.
PROMOTING THREATS NOT SECURITY
Given the downgrade in capabilities fielded by the United States at a time when the presence of effective defense providers are more prudent than ever (Obama’s ‘draw-down’), the new rules being instituted by Iraq’s MOI fly in the face of street level wisdom and common sense unless, of course, you view PMCs as a threat to national interests and sovereignty and promote their vulnerability and effectively want to endanger their mission’s purpose – SUPPORTING THE STATE AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS OF IRAQ.
So when the Bureaucrats chip away at your capabilities what do you do?
DIG IN:
• Master the rudiments of your job. Work your skills set – train, retrain, and become as efficient an operator, detail member, and shooter as possible. Even if you can’t field them, be familiar with all types of belt-fed machine guns. They are everywhere and often pointed at you by the IPs swarming the checkpoints along your route. There is such a thing as battlefield pick-up.
• Have your comms sorted and tested prior to each mission. Make sure that you can get ahold of your Ops Center and call in support. You are going to need this capability more and more when operating in the mean streets of Iraq. Communications may become your most valued asset on the ground.
• Sort your medical kit. If there’s one thing I know, EVERYONE could do with being familiar with a combat lifesaver bag and the contents of your team medical kit. You’ll probably use your medical skills and equipment more often than your trigger finger in today’s Iraq. Trust me on this.
• Be knowledgeable and current with field intel. Keep up to date on the happenings in your area of operations and the tactics, techniques, and procedures that may be fielded by your enemy against you. Develop your drills and ‘actions on’ with this type of intel in mind. Make sure to review this regularly.
• Throw down, when called for. Be ready to fight and fight with savvy if confronted with deadly danger. Surviving is Rule#1, have an exit strategy and a good legal advisor is #2. Play out the possibilities in your head, and visualize what you’ll need to do during an engagement and afterwards. Use your brain and your tools, and come home.
• Be flexible and diplomatic; know when to pull the plug. The contacting game is ever evolving and not always in a reasonable or good direction. Know when a request of something being asked of you is just plain stupid, and be smart enough to articulate your way out of it. Be your own diplomat and always remember that you can find another job if things get too retarded.
As US troops continue to exit the Iraq Theater and a new normal settles in, I am sure contractors will have a larger role as Iraq develops into a more ‘stable’ Nation state. The issue will always be how to manage the changes along with the threats for those treading the red zone.
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~Bubba G
Editor at Large
Bubba G is an active protective professional presently performing contract duties in the Middle East and has well over 15 years of military, high risk contracting, international training and martial arts experience.
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
The “logic” of no belt fed just escapes me. Stay safe over there. What a mess.
David West(Quote This Comment)
Excellent post Bubba and spot on.
Matt(Quote This Comment)
I was told today that I can’t use my RPK on the road, I can now only use it on base – and that’s not even a belt fed = Gay. Like I am going to walk around base with an RPK, I might as well throw that fucker in a garbage can.
So no Belt-Fed, no 40mm, no RPG’s and some companies restricting the types of rifles you can use (cuz they are scared of the Iraqi government revoking their license) – So only rifles and pistols on the road – and if you happen to Zap someone… shit
I guess you can just call me FOBBIT James G. now
~James G
James G.(Quote This Comment)
Outstanding article Bubba. These types of interpretive small arms rules are being instituted to kick contractors in the nuts as well as render them vulnerable to the insurgency. Total bullshit James on the RPK, that’s really just a heavy barrel AK with an extended mag. I feel for ya. Nothing worse than being disarmed. Does the MOI ban mention drum magazines for ARs and AKs? That sexy little FAL I keep seeing on here is gonna get snatched up sooner or later by some Magnum PI looking bastard at a checkpoint.
Gonkafied(Quote This Comment)
PMC is what you do. I realize it is your chosen profession and Iraq has been a lucrative AO. The situation has apparently changed with regards to who is making the rules and what the rules are.
An old Eddie Murphy skit came to mind:
I was watching those movies — I’m moving out of my house, I was watching movies like Poltergeist and Amityville Horror. Why don’t the people just get the hell out of the house? … You can’t make a horror movie with black people in it ‘cuz the movie’d stop, you’d see niggers runnin’ down the street, the movie’s over! … That’s the movie. You can’t have a movie like that. See, white people, you all sit on the toilet, see blood in the toilet, and you all go get Ajax. … Brothers won’t sit on the toilet. … Movie be just like this: [brother's voice] “Wow, baby, this is beautiful. We got chandelier hangin’ up here, kids outside playin’, it’s a beautiful neighborhood, I really love – this is beaut–” [demonic whisper] “Get out!” [brother's voice] “Too bad we can’t stay.”
No belt-fed, no forty mike-mike, no RPGs; sounds like a demonic whisper saying “Get out!” (as well as “Open season on convoys!”).
At what point do you decide to just get the hell out of the house?
Striker2(Quote This Comment)
What else would we do besides private soldiering?
~James G
James G(Quote This Comment)
Judging from this website, you could probably write a book or two.
But (assuming that doesn’t sound like your ideal lifestyle), I wasn’t suggesting giving up the profession; I was more wondering at what point does a PMC gig in Iraq stop being worth the risk. If employers still want/need PMCs, but they don’t have enough leverage with MOI/the Iraq government to get them to permit PMCs to bear heavier weapons, how many chewed-up operations before the risk outweighs the reward?
Assuming you end up reduced to rolling out the gate armed with only plastic cutlery and harsh language (or alternatively, peace breaks out and your services are no longer required in Iraq – I’m not holding my breath for that one), aren’t there other AOs? Maybe with better risk/reward profiles? At the risk of oversimplifying the issue: you work somewhere else for (perhaps) less money, but under better conditions?
I suppose (as it isn’t just PMCs who are getting shot at, but whoever you are working for, as well), perhaps the businesses who pay the PMC salaries decide Iraq that isn’t where they want to be, they find a more hospitable country to work in, and the PMC jobs dry up. (There’s lots of oil there, though; I suppose if there’s money to be made, foreign companies will be willing to take risks to get a piece of it.)
The feeling I get from reading the papers is that some Iraqis simply don’t like having PMCs operating in Iraq. It sounds like (as the Iraqis start running things on their own) they are trying to “rein in” the PMCs and/or drive them out, and that this is a step in that direction.
To the extent that the Iraqi government doesn’t simply make PMC operations illegal, I guess I’m interested to hear how their efforts to make Iraq “inhospitable” to the PMC business (assuming that’s what these kinds of restrictions are) affects your decision to work there. If they are whispering “Get out”, when would you decide that was a good thing to do? Or do you; is the job always worth the risk?
Striker 2(Quote This Comment)
Gonkafied – Funny you mention the FAL.
I have to turn it in this week. MOI is longer allowing us to carry FAL’s or G3′s either!!! They will be collecting those ASAP from our headquarters unit.
I expect the noose to tighten further as well. Anything they can tweak or get away with doing. The funny thing that has to be asked as well is – WHO THE HELL IS IN CHARGE OF IRAQ?!
They had elections, but ….
As well, the fighting is far from over with an emergent enemy showing back up on the scene fresh, reconstituted, and with support in place.
check this out –
Despite formal combat end, US joins Baghdad battle (AP)
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100905/D9I204T00.html
Bubba(Quote This Comment)
Seems to me, if you can believe the media ( not a chance in Hell ) , that there’s a stable crowd in charge. As I as see it, whoever’s in charge this week won’t be in charge next week. Somebody’s got to be smart enough to have an exit strategy, smart enough to know when to execute it, and GTFO. Know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em. Money’s no good when you’re dead.
Jeff(Quote This Comment)
Good points on all bubba. The only thing I would add is some fast E&E routes out of the country. Since Nissoor, and the sore feelings of them not being turned over to the Iraqis, it is only a matter of time until they see something they don’t like or think something was excessive (and given their new rules, that soon could be firing a sling shot without a permit) they are going to look for PMC’s and contractors to jam up. And with that I would want to know the quick ways out of the country.
There is no way in hell I would want any of you guys submitted to the “justice” system there, because they would be looking to make a point.
Also, that sucks about your FAL. Such a great platform to use.
And James G, You could always start cross stitching multi cam for a new job.
Eugene(Quote This Comment)
Per the AP, Afghanistan issued an order last mouth, that all security companies are to disband in the next 4 mouths.Its a matter of time before Iraq does the same thing.
KC(Quote This Comment)
I’d go with bullet point six; take a few months off, learn to speak French and try and get a job in Congo (DRC)
Michael Hawkins(Quote This Comment)
What else would we do besides private soldiering?~James G
Theirs always barber college. – Dalton
Just ridiculous that some paper pusher has no idea about the danger of they are putting you in makes me remember the ‘watermelon incident’. common sense isn’t common.
beatnik(Quote This Comment)
Boys…have no fear. This is simply the un-evolved culture tweeking the nose and pinching the ball sack of their betters.
The way it historically runs is that the monkeys continue to do this until they get bold enough to try and snatch away the bananas from the zoo keeper, biting him in the process.
In this case, we’re talking about monkey business with the glue that keeps modern, evolved, western civilization together…oil.
You see, their culture has a real issue with it’s ego, so it does these things to their betters. That and they get extra bananas from the insurgents, but I digress.
In any case what happens in the end is that they tamper with the evolved society’s energy source and the formerly liberal suddenly become very afraid of dying in the sort of civil unrest an energy crisis would bring on. What happens then is that they become nazis overnight and demand an end to the monkey business.
Not only will they co-sign ANYTHING to put a stop to it, they will demand the most extreme measures.
That’s when the Arab world finds out that western societies have a nasty habit of responding with genocide when threatened. Now they don’t call it that because they’ll hand out band-aids and casks of sour meat to the handful of survivors, but in the end the problem is solved.
Duoh!
So that’s all this is.
Next they’ll take away long arms and enforce uniform standards such as blazers and concealed carry with three magazines max.
They’ll keep tampering with everything until the big threat gets tripped over and the evolved come and exterminate the majority of them.
Relax, at some point it will all be settled the Roman way.
MSBY(Quote This Comment)
Ouch – way to throw down the gauntlet, dude!
Without really taking sides (I’ve no dog in this fight), I’ll point out that while you might think PMC salaries are “undeserved,” several businesses and government agencies disagree with you, as they are apparently more than willing to pony up the cash.
The free market can be a bitch, but if the salaries were really “undeserved,” no one would be willing to pay them.
Sounds a little more like jealousy on your part rather than an objective observation of facts on the ground (daily threatcon reports notwithstanding).
Maybe even a little bit “whiny.”
Striker 2(Quote This Comment)
It appears the comment I was responding to was removed; disregard previous post.
Striker 2(Quote This Comment)
Yes folks, its crazy. I had to turn in my Glock 19 “because the Iraqi Police carry that weapon” and “now they will seize them at the checkpoints”. I now carry a lovely, large, heavy CZ99. By the way…I was carrying a Glock before the IP’s at the checkpoints could say “Glock”. Time will tell how this zoo will play out. The money is still better then the states and on my personal risk vs. reward scale its still worth sticking around to see what happens next. Stay safe folks!!!
Guy Cordle(Quote This Comment)
Seems to me that this is just what happens when ” intellectuals ” take control of a government ( ours ) . After all, they’re smarter than us, right? When they bow and scrape to 3rd and 4th world leaders, that sends the message that the U.S. is scared of everybody. Then, the management of the PMCs, in order to keep their contracts, goes to the local honcho with begging bowl in hand and says they’ll cooperate. Hey! I just had an idea! Why don’t the heads of the PMCs spend a week in the field in the same conditions as those for whom they work? Let the big man sleep in a hootch, bathe once a day with wetwipes, and generally have to follow his own edicts, and see what happens. Oops! Did that make too much sense? Damn. Well, a man can dream, right?
Jeff(Quote This Comment)