Photo from ABC NewsFrom The Middle East Times:
WASHINGTON, March 13 (UPI) -- If, as most people expect, private military and security contractors are increasingly part of America's military establishment and future battlefields, they will need to improve the coordination of their operations with regular military forces.
In the past, there has been undeniable friction between soldiers and contractors on numerous occasions in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
There have been many cases of "blue on white" incidents, in which soldiers have been in conflict with contractors. In one famous case, a 19-man security convoy from Zapata Engineering -- a company hired to destroy enemy ammunition, such as shells and bombs -- was taken into custody for three days on suspicion of shooting at a tower at a Marine base in Iraq. The contractors felt they were unfairly arrested and, once in the military prisons, said they were treated with physical abuse and disrespect.
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My Comment: Afghanistan is now the new "war theater". How contractors will work there will be defined this year.