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GoreTex
15th May 2011, 14:58
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/world/middleeast/15prince.html?_r=2&hp

not that I think that anything will change here, but somebody is rather save than sorry and plans ahead just in case.

Avi8tor87
15th May 2011, 20:15
What do expect of another american businessman..

oops,,i said business!!

well,,he is just another rich more organised Osama bin ladin..

i see this region is coming to a hell of time soon enough

Eric Carr
16th May 2011, 02:57
Such troops could be deployed if the Emirates faced unrest in their crowded labor camps...
You guys in Semmer Villas better behave;)

5star
16th May 2011, 05:10
tx for the link Goretex. Isn't really surprising.
Seems our fellow friends in the U s of A are looking to diversifying and exporting their war business. In the name of freedom.....

Just be careful what you say next time you go to work...you never know.

Payscale
16th May 2011, 06:03
8 - 10% local population... and they are not all SAS types judging from the guys one sees in the malls.
A mercenary army is a logic step for this country. All European countries medieval times had one. France and Spain still have foreign legion and the Vatican has a token security force.. Now Abu Dhabi has one. Big deal! Erik Prince has found a new home among all other interesting characters living here.

Kamelchaser
16th May 2011, 12:01
Same article is making the headlines in newspapers around the world.

..and not a word mentioned in the local papers..yet.

Local papers remain, at the very least, heavily self-censored. Only information that "the relevant authorities" want released actually makes it into print.

A friend of mine was involved with a controversial issue with a local company that was being regularly reported on by a credible local paper...until the editor got a call telling them to stop printing negative articles about this company.

End of negative (and accurate) publicity.

mini cooper
16th May 2011, 14:52
I know a number of ex-royal marines some SBS, pathfinder paras and more special ops types who have been working for the UAE army in the training roll, good guys one and all. The standard of the army here is not exceptional, UAE locals make up the officer ranks the rest are yemenis etc. They do not have the skills required for some of the more taxing scenarios. So the government wants some ex special ops guys to come here and cover a number of risk areas. Pretty sensible, they know there are weaknesses in the present forces, the threat is there, so they pay some highly trained guys to cover it. The guys get paid well so its good for them.

However Blackwater is another story, if it starts getting an air of respectability then one may forget its history which is not impressive. A second point is that mercs will not necessarily go as far in defending the state ie the UAE as a local guy would, they are in it for the money so when the **** hits the fan who is to say they will do what is expected of them!

GoreTex
16th May 2011, 20:35
I guess foreigners are easier to convince to shoot at protesters, like in libya for example.

jimmyjetdriver
17th May 2011, 18:33
Read the article. This guy figured he was no longer wanted in the US. If no one noticed, there is a new sheriff in D.C. Mr. Prince will eventually be prosecuted in the states for war crimes. He will be a prisoner of the UAE until they get tired of him.

flightknight
18th May 2011, 15:40
Just another expat trying to make a buck !!!:ouch:

KangarooFlyer
21st May 2011, 19:40
Erik Prince, a fugitive of the US, considers himself to be leading an army of "Christian Crusaders" and is recruiting the most vicious mercenaries from around the world. You have to wonder why, of all people, UAE royalty would want the most venal "Christian Crusaders" on their property?

Check out this interview:
Jeremy Scahill on Blackwater Founder Erik Prince’s Private Army of “Christian Crusaders” in the UAE

Jeremy Scahill on Blackwater Founder Erik Prince (http://www.commondreams.org/video/2011/05/18-0)