Erik Princes private air force in Afghanistan faces many legal hurdles

[muriel_volestrangler]

WASHINGTON — Erik Prince’s proposal to bridge the Afghanistan air force’s capability gaps with his own private air force faces a mountain of legal hurdles, government oversight, and raises new questions about private military companies operating in roles typically in the purview of nation states.

On Wednesday, Military Times reported that the former Blackwater CEO had submitted a proposal to the Afghan government to contract services using a private fleet of attack aircraft, gunships, transport planes, and intelligence assets to help the war-torn country’s fledgling air force transition over the next two years.

The White House is currently reviewing the military strategy for Afghanistan. The options on the table include both increasing the number of U.S. troops deployed to America’s longest war by several thousand or drawing down and filling the ensuing void with military contractors — the latter allegedly favored by President Trump and his chief strategist Steve Bannon.

There has been a lot of push back from U.S. defense officials on the proposal to use contractors in lieu of U.S. forces and, according to Afghan defense officials, that plan would likely be rejected by the Afghan government.

http://www.navytimes.com/flashpoints/2017/08/06/erik-princes-private-air-force-in-afghanistan-faces-many-legal-hurdles/

The earlier article:

Blackwater founder wants to boost the Afghan air war with his private air force

Erik Prince, the former CEO of the private military company known as Blackwater, wants to step up the Afghan air war with a private air force capable of intelligence collection and close-air support, according to a recent proposal submitted to the Afghan government.

According to a senior Afghan military official, Prince has submitted a business proposal offering a “turn-key composite air wing” to help the fledgling Afghan air force in its fight against the Taliban and other militant groups.
...
The air frames are also outfitted with equipment to provide intelligence collection that includes imagery intelligence, signals intelligence and communications intelligence. The aircraft would be operated by the private company’s employees.

One tool in particular is an iPhone application called Safe Strike. Safe Strike is a deconfliction tool for air tactical controllers to safely and accurately call in precision airstrikes or indirect fire, according to the proposal.

https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/2017/08/02/blackwater-founder-wants-to-run-the-afghan-air-war-with-his-private-air-force/

Airstrikes called in via iPhone - what could possibly go wrong, especially in the hands of trusted mercenaries employed by the brother of a Trump cabinet member? No wonder Trump and Bannon like the cut of the man's jib ...

[Brother Buzz]

1. Attack aircraft and gunships with zero accountability

What could possibly go wrong?

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

SMH