this is the face of the latest canadian soldier killed in afghanistan, the 89th since the mission began. master corporal josh roberts was shot during an operation against insurgents in the dangerous zhari district. he was known as an all-round good guy, and was expecting his first child next month. but this is more than another tragic story from the front lines.investigations are underway to determine whether roberts was shot by a private security team which was in the area at the time. private security companies in war zones have been a source of controversy for years, particularly in iraq and afghanistan. the stories about tragic massacres involving blackwater and other private security companies abound.
many afghans, not to mention ngo's and the united nations, don't trust private security firms, and who can blame them?(http://www.privateforces.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2081&Itemid=99999999)
not only are these security companies making billions of dollars, they also kill civilians, and get tangled up with state military forces.
canadian forces shot and killed a private security guard in april from the same company being investigated in master corporal roberts' death. the canadians apparently shot at security personnel after they failed to heed warnings to stop advancing towards a military checkpoint. these firms provide security for development projects and protect foreign dignitaries. that's work the military used to do, but private security forces now fill these roles without legal and ethical boundaries.
newspaper reports in afghanistan say they increase the likelihood that those in the country to fight the taliban will be confused with security forces that often seem to play by their own rules. (http://www.privateforces.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2022&Itemid=99999999)
it's making afghans increasingly nervous and breeding paranoia. and given the thin line between local cooperation and radicalization, perhaps it's time to give them the boot.
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