The Perfect Soldier: Special Operations, Commandos, and the Future of Us Warfare by James F. Dunnigan
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Dirty Little Secrets
Mad Max in Baghdad
by James Dunnigan
June 16, 2006
Discussion Board on this DLS topic
The thousands of civilian security
personnel in Iraq have equipped themselves with hundreds of armored
SUVs and light trucks. These security contractors are frequently used
as bodyguards for American and NGO officials, as well as Iraqi
big-shots. In addition to armor kits (which some firms now specialize
in) for the vehicles, improvised gun turrets are often added as well
(mounting one or two 7.62mm machine-guns). All this isn't overkill.
Kidnapping gangs or death squads will come after a target in large
numbers, so some extra firepower will help the security crew, and
whoever they are protecting, get out alive. Many American troops note
the similarity between these improvised vehicles and those seen in
movies like "Mad Max."
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