KBR private security contractor killed at checkpoint by Australian forces

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/5266351.html

(January 19, 2007)--A 58-year-old San Antonio man working as a private contractor in Iraq partly to raise money for retirement was killed in a "friendly fire" incident.

Family members of Hector Patio say armed guards shot him Saturday morning at a checkpoint outside of the Australian Embassy in Baghdad. snip

It says the vehicle continued forward despite clear signs and requests from Australian guards.

Melissa Norcross, a spokeswoman for Houston-based KBR, confirmed that an employee was killed at a coalition checkpoint in Baghdad. snip

Rosemary Patio says her brother, a Vietnam veteran, believed in the United States mission in Iraq and "was trying hard to serve his country in the capacity he was in."

[Recursion]

1. Why assume it's "friendly fire"?

When we were over there we were told from day 1 that no matter what, the mercs are on their own side not ours, and we weren't supposed to assume they were friendly any more than we would about an Iraqi.

[soulcore]

2. tragic, but bound to happen eventually.

Maybe now the rest of the world can try and grasp the perspective of being riddled with machine gun fire simply for not stopping your car fast enough.

[Ian David]

3. Well, he's solved the problem of having to pay for his retirement.

I have zero sympathy for the "private security contractors," aka "mercenaries."

Fair dinkums, mate!