Thursday, June 12, 2008

PSDs Behaving Badly

My disdain for many of the Western Personal Security Detachments (PSDs) is well-documented in this blog. While I understand their job is difficult and infinitely dangerous I believe that their ranks, the guys behind the automatic weapons, are swollen with Walter Middy types, e.g., way under-qualified, under-trained, scared to death, pretending to be someone that they're not, and praying that they don't get killed in the process.

As I stated above, PSD work is dangerous, but in all honesty they bring most of that danger on themselves by the way they drive and comport themselves. The above now-infamous video is from one PSD company, and will give a viewer a good sense as to what I'm talking about. The footage is shot from the rear vehicles of the convoys, who's job it is to protect the leading vehicles from a rearward attack or at least to provide early warning.

In almost every example it's obvious that the roads are crowded as is the norm on most Iraqi highways. The approaching vehicles are hundreds of meters away from the rear of the convoy and pose no overt threat but are engaged nonetheless by the rear gunner. While I can't say for certain, I'm fairly sure that people died or were severely injured as a result of these actions. The people responsible for this should be in an Iraqi jail right now. There's absolutely no excuse for this; it's murder plain and simple.

1 comment:

Long-time RN said...

Always interesting for an average citizen to read about subjects not covered in the MSM. Hope the sandstorms have eased.
Cathy B