Taliban, Criminals, And Drug Addicts Employed By U.S. Contractors in Afghanistan To Protect U.S. Bases And Convoys

U.S. soldiers search Afghan men working for a private security firm escorting truck convoys, after they found illegal weapons in their vehicle, in a village near Kandahar. Reuters

U.S. Contractors Employed Taliban -- Wall Street Journal

Senate Investigation Says Military Depends on Private Security Forces Rife With Criminals, Drug Users and Insurgents.

WASHINGTON—A yearlong investigation by a Senate panel has found evidence that the mostly Afghan force of private security guards the U.S. military depends on to protect supply convoys and bases in Afghanistan is rife with criminals, drug users and insurgents.

The Senate Armed Services Committee inquiry, based on interviews with dozens of military commanders and contractors and a review of over 125 Pentagon security contracts, found evidence of "untrained guards, insufficient and unserviceable weapons, unmanned posts" and other failings that put U.S. troops at risk.

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More News On Who Is Being Hired To protect U.S. Bases And Convoys In Afghanistan

Inquiry Finds Guards at U.S. Bases Are Tied to Taliban -- New York Times
Contract security 'funding Taliban' -- Al Jazeera
Security contractors in Afghanistan 'fund Taliban' -- BBC
DOD security contracts aided Taliban, Senate committee says -- L.A. Times
Afghanistan: Pentagon contractors entwined with 'pro-Taliban' warlords -- Christian Science Monitor
Senate report blasts security contractors in Afghanistan -- Politico
Senate Finds Corrupt Security Firms Fund Enemy -- FOX News
Senate report says that US hires Afghan warlords and thugs as security contractors -- Baltimore Sun
Senate report blasts Pentagon for handling of security contractors -- CNN
Warlords With Tarantino Monikers Mar Afghan Security, U.S. Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Taliban Allies, Warlord Flunkies Guard U.S. Bases -- The Danger Room
Report: US Contractors Hired Iranian Spies, Taliban, Warlords To Guard US Troops In Afghanistan -- ABC News

My Comment: I cannot say that I am surprised (I am not) .... but I will say that this is probably the tip of a very LARGE iceberg.