State Dept to review Kabul Embassy

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

From NBC’s Libby Leist
NBC News has learned that the State Department Inspector's General office will be sending a team of more than a dozen inspectors to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul in the coming weeks to conduct a "full inspection" of embassy operations, according to a spokesman for the Inspector General's office.

The inspectors will "evaluate all aspects of the embassy and the mission," spokesman Tom Burgess said.

State Department officials say the inspectors will be looking at the allegations against ArmorGroup revealed by a watchdog group yesterday as well as all embassy operations including diplomatic, consular and security activity.

The IG's office has previously conducted inspections of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul in 2004 and 2006 and officials insist that the ArmorGroup revelations did not trigger this latest inspection.

Separately, the State Department IG's office has opened an investigation into the ArmorGroup contract. The Project on Government Oversight, or POGO, revealed explicit photos and videos yesterday of alleged hazing by ArmorGroup guards at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and accused the company of failure to provide proper equipment to protect the embassy, overworked guards, guard shortages, a lack of English-speaking guards, bringing prostitutes on base and supervisors engaging in missions they are not trained for.

Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/09/02/2050098.aspx

[Spazito]

1. Good to hear that both will happen...

An investigation, as a whole, into the Kabul embassy AND a separate investigation in the ArmorGRoup contract.

Recommended.

[jfkraus]

2. Why no mention of the US Ambassador?

Why no statement from said Ambassador?

[Spazito]

3. It would be inappropriate, imo, for the Ambassador to say anything given there is an...

investigation, two investigations actually, going on.

[EFerrari]

4. Because that would draw even more attention.

I'm sure the Ambassador had a lot to say in private.

[Joe Chi Minh]

5. It must be really reassuring to see that Obama gets a grip so quickly on shameful situations.

I know there are old long-standing ones, but at least he's acting on some that are beginning on his watch, which would not have troubled others.

[EFerrari]

6. He's having to reform the world's biggest, worst behaving brat government.

For that alone, he should get a Nobel.

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. I agree. A truly outstanding candidate.