UN DUTY: French Gendarmerie, part of the EU's Kosovo mission, at the entrance of the court building in the northern part of Kosovo's ethnically divided town Mitrovica in December 2008. Sofia Echo
UN 'Reliant On Private Security Firms' -- BBC
The UN is becoming increasingly reliant on private military and security firms, according to a report.
The Global Policy Forum says that the UN's use of these private companies is "dangerous" and suggests a system that is "unaccountable".
It says that according to available - though incomplete - data, there was a 77% increase on amounts spent on such firms in the year to 2010.
A UN spokesman said that the use of such contractors was "appropriate".
Read more ....
Update #1: UN Criticized for Using Private Security Companies -- ABC News/AP
Update #2: U.N. blasted for using private security firms -- UPI
My Comment: This is not exactly a vote of confidence from the UN on the men and women that they employ to protect them .... but employing outside contractors with their professional and experienced men and services does make sense. You want to have the best protection when you go to a troubled zone, and quite often that 'best protection' is something that you will have to pay for it.