American security contractor allegedly shoots dead his Afghan interpreter

[Judi Lynn]

American security contractor allegedly shoots dead his Afghan interpreter
09/30/2005 10:01:23 AM


KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- An American supervisor for a U.S. security firm allegedly shot to death his Afghan interpreter after a quarrel this week, Afghan officials said Friday.

Noor Ahmad, 37, was shot in the head late Tuesday at a compound of his employer, U.S. Protection and Investigations, at Tut village in Farah province's Gulistan district in western Afghanistan, the officials said.

The American reportedly worked as the local supervisor for USPI, a Houston-based company that provides security for foreign contract workers in Afghanistan, including on construction of a U.S.-funded road between the cities of Herat and Kandahar.

"An American guy shot his translator. Next morning, a helicopter came and took the foreigner to Kabul," provincial police chief Allah Udin Noorzai told The Associated Press. Noorzai had no details about who had taken him away, although other officials in the province claimed they were Americans.
(snip/...)

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2005/09/30/news/latest_news/041e4f420e8ffc2e8625708c005285b4.txt

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Don't be so nitpicky. We're building nations and making friends.

Look at the big picture for once.

[lebkuchen]

2. The troops are concerned about this, too. See two Stripes letters here

The first one is in today's Stars and Stripes.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4932510&mesg_id=4932510

[Qanisqineq]

3. That guy must have a short fuse

and a few screws loose. I don't mean to make light of it but there is so much insane crap that Americans are doing lately... I don't know, it just feels surreal.

Edited b/c I forgot the word "much"

[Ouabache]

4. The Ugly American

syndrome. Follows empire anywhere.

[Qanisqineq]

8. that reminds me of something I read yesterday

Maybe it was here on DU? Maybe not. I have a terrible memory lately. But anyway, it was about an American that has lived in Japan for many years and his view of the USA and Americans when he came back recently.

Boy, I'm a lot of help aren't I! If I can find it or remember it I'll add a link.

[MisterP]

13. that sounds really interesting; I feel like the U.S. is staging ground

for pod people: puppies on grills, New Orleanois damned as welfare queens who just wait around for a government helicopter, calls for black babies to all be aborted...

[NYC]

16. Was that the DUer,

Art from Ark? If so, perhaps you can use the search function to find the thread.

[Qanisqineq]

17. I tried that

but I found absolutely nothing that looked familiar. I could have sworn it wasn't on DU, but maybe I did read it here.

[NYC]

19. Maybe it wasn't here.

I have no reason to believe that Art from Ark is in the U.S., but I thought it was a possibility.

[bushisanidiot]

5. Sounds like the interpreter knew a little too much

The contractor get's mad and shoots his interpreter?

sorry, that's a story only a kindergartner would believe.

[Realityhack]

14. Thats posible but NOT devinate

Whilte that is certainly a posiblility there is no real reason to reach the conclusion that that was what happend. These people are paid mercenaries with zero accountability and packing serious firepower. Even domesticaly that can lead to murders and here they are held accountable (well... more than there).

There is no reason to jump into assuming that the enterprate either did or did not 'know to much'.

[daleo]

6. Will he be covered by the U.S. military or civil law?

I think the U.S. has a standard agreement in country's it has troops, that their misconduct would be punished through the U.S. military rather than the host country's civil law. One would think this wouldn't apply in this case, but it will be interesting to find out.

[ms liberty]

7. Bookmarking and recommending...

This can be directly linked to what's going on in NOLA right now...we have some of those same companies at work there. Does * want NOLA to be like Bagdad? Hmmmm...

[MidwestTransplant]

9. All contractors are exempt from local laws.

Conceivably he could still be charged in the US.

[damntexdem]

10. Well, I knew they didn't have many supervisory skills, if they were ...

working for those firms -- but really!

Of course, he'll be protected and hustled out of the country, so there will be no real repercussions for killing a human being.

[Judi Lynn]

11. it's an accurate look at how right-wing Republicans see the world...

Everything in the air, on the surface, or below ground is theirs to utilize or simply destroy, with no exception allowed. Everything is here for them to control. They will force weaker people to protect them while they destroy everything in their paths.

It's very, very diseased.

[glitch]

22. This is it.

For those wondering why an argument with an employee would lead to his murder by the employer.

Absolutely no respect, concern or even thought for another life.

[IndianaGreen]

12. US personnel can murder with impunity

Bush has forced many nations to give immunity to American troops and different assortments of spooks for any crimes they commit.

[Pharlo]

15. Semi-off topic,

but anyone who is interested in the role of private contractors in 'war' zones, I would recommend watching the 'Frontline' episode entitled 'Private Warriors'.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/view/

Fascinating and informative.

After watching the first five minutes, I understand why there are so many 'insurgents'. Treated like that, and I'd become an insurgent too.

[shavedape]

18. who are these psychos!!!

wtf!

[BikeWriter]

20. Licensed to kill!

[Roland99]

21. That's lettin' off some steam. Darn those bad apples.

[Mika]

23. Stories like this will soon be from Florida w/its no flee gun law.

:puke: