Global Strategies Group
Global Strategies Group, formerly Global Risk Strategies, is a London based firm founded by Damien Perl, a former marine, and Charlie Andrews, a former Scots Guards officer. With a modest beginning ferrying NGO employees and media personnel to and from Afghanistan the company soon expanded its operations to renting out secure compounds in Kabul. The US authorities also gave it a contract to distribute new currency in Afghanistan and in Iraq. What began as a two man team has grown extensively since then. In March 2004, The Economist wrote:
- Global Risk Strategies was a two-man team until the invasion of Afghanistan. Now it has over 1,000 guards in Iraq—more than many of the countries taking part in the occupation—manning the barricades of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). Last year it also won a $27m contract to distribute Iraq's new dinar.[1]
The firm is helping the CPA to draft new regulations in Iraq and has also replaced Custer Battles with providing the security at Baghdad airport. The firm has around 1,500 mercenaries of various nationalities working for it in Iraq, majority of them Fijians and Gurkhas. While it pays British or US ex-special forces soldiers more than £300 a day for their services, the 500 Gurkhas and the 500 former members of the Fijian army only receive £35 a day.[2]
Through its senior analyst Tamara Makarenko the firm also has links to the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at St Andrews University,[3] the leading academic centre on terrorism providing ideological definitions and remedies for terrorism. According to Makarenko, civil liberties are something that one would cherish, only 'if you are a suspect with something to hide.'[4]
The firm was amongst four whose payments were withheld by the new Iraqi government due to the lack of procedure and paperwork followed by the CPA in awarding these contracts. The companies were also accused of overcharging and of failing to deliver on their obligations. The US State Department subsequently intervened on their behalf.[5]
In Afghanistan, it works in conjunction with Asia Foundation on USAID funded projects.[6]
Contents
Contact, Related, External links,Notes
Contact
Contact information for the organization's offices in Washington DC, Colombia, London, Baghdad, Spain, Nigeria, Kabul, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and China are available at: http://www.globalgroup.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=209
Related Resources
External links
- "Baghdad Airport Closed to Civilian Traffic: Iraqi forces to take over security after dispute with contractor", CNN, September 10, 2005
- "US Army Blocks the Iraqi Army from Iraq's Airport", ArabicNews.com, September 10, 2005.
- Jonathon Finer, "Financial Dispute May Disrupt Iraq Airport Security: Current Firm Has Not Been Paid; Iraqis Want Local Group to Take Over", Washington Post, July 1, 2006.
- David Hubler, "Technology with a human touch: Company combines IT and security to win work in the world’s hot spots", Washington Technology, June 25th, 2007
Notes
- ↑ Mercenaries: The Baghdad Boom, The Economist, March 27, 2004
- ↑ Special Report, "Don't call us mercenaries, says British company with lucrative contracts and cheap labour", The Guardian, May 17, 2004
- ↑ James Cusick, "The Battle To Stop Freedom Falling Victim To Terrorism Human Rights", Sunday Herald, July 10, 2005
- ↑ James Cusick, "The Battle To Stop Freedom Falling Victim To Terrorism Human Rights", Sunday Herald, July 10, 2005
- ↑ David Phinney, "Contract Quagmire in Iraq", CorpWatch, April 27th, 2005
- ↑ Voter Registration & Elections Process (VREP) in Afghanistan The Asia Foundation
- Steve Negus, "Iraq: Civilian Traffic at Baghdad Airport Set to Resume", Financial Times, June 26, 2005.
