Protecting Diplomats in Iraq: What Can the U.S. Department of State do to Improve it's Management and Oversight of Security Contractors in Iraq

Abstract

As insurgent attacks against U.S. military and diplomatic personnel in Iraq are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, the U.S. Department of State will continue to rely upon the services of private security companies, such as Blackwater, USA to protect U.S. diplomats assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq. By exercising proper management of its security contracts and implementing measures to hold contractors accountable for their pefformance, the Department of State will improve the effectiveness of its protective security programs. Discussion: Private security contractors hired by the U.S. Department of State have protected U.S. diplomatic personnel in Iraq since 2003. The contactors have performed their mission with great success in that no U.S. diplomats have been killed while under their protective coverage. However, the controversial September 16, 2007 killing of 17 Iraqis in Nisour Square, Baghdad by PSCs employed by Blackwater USA, under contract to the Department of State, publicized the problems associated with the Department of State's management of its security contracts and with the general lack of regulation and accountability regarding all private security contractors operating in Iraq. The September 16 incident was the catalyst for change because it compelled the Department of State to review its security contract management practices and improve how it manages and oversees its protective security contracts. This paper addressed the question of what the Department of State can do to improve its management and oversight of the World Wide Personal Protective Services (WPPS) contract both at Diplomatic Security Service (DS) headquarters in Washington, D.C. and at the U.S.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA491053

Entities

People

  • Michael Eicher

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Contract Administration
  • Contractors
  • Contracts
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of State
  • Deployment
  • Employment
  • Foreign Policy
  • Governments
  • Law
  • Management Personnel
  • Personnel Management
  • Private Military Companies
  • Security
  • Students
  • United States
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.