S. African hit men, Serbian mercenaries, and war criminals working in Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=23706

Balkans Soldiers Find Fortune in Baghdad

Vesna Peric Zimonjic


BELGRADE, May 12 (IPS) - Fighting gets into your veins, said men who fought in former Yugoslavia. And so now that peace has come to their homeland, many have moved to Iraq.

"There is no doubt that there is a growing demand for mercenaries or soldiers of fortune in Iraq," military analyst Slobodan Kljakic told IPS. "Within the community close to those circles, a number of between 500 and 1,000 Serbs is mentioned. They have already obtained contracts to work as security staff or bodyguards in Iraq."

U.S. corporate giants engaged in oil exploitation and reconstruction of Iraq such as Halliburton or the San Francisco-based Bechtel have turned to private security companies like Blackwater Security Consulting or Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR), Kljakic says. snip

Nicovic points to a recent statement by Richard Goldstone, former chief prosecutor of the United Nations-founded International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The South African jurist said former hit men from South Africa together with Serb mercenaries and war criminals are finding gainful employment in Iraq.

"It is just a horrible thought that such people are working for the Americans," Goldstone said.

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[madrchsod]

1. mel brook`s "blazing saddles'?

recruiting the gang to shoot up rockridge???

[redqueen]

2. Thanks for posting this!

I read a Katha Politt piece where she talked about this... was wondering about it.

I love DU. :)

[Karenina]

3. Errrraaaa....

"It is just a horrible thought that such people are working for the Americans," Goldstone said.

Any real student of American History can tell you that this has been SOP
(Standard Operating Procedure) for DECADES.

[killbotfactory]

4. God Bless War Profiteering!

Hell, while we're at it, let's outsource our entire military to mercenaries! Everyone knows businesses can run things better than the guvuhmint!