The hogs of war

Mercenaries make big money in Iraq but, says Sam Kiley, the ‘outsourcing’ of security work is adding to the chaos in the country

They bustle through the Palestine Hotel lobby in central Baghdad clanking with military hardware. They have a very special look. The head is crew-cut, the sunglasses wraparound. A Heckler and Koch 9mm submachine gun is de rigueur — strapped across a black Kevlar bullet-proof vest, barely hidden by a photographer’s jacket. Pockets are stuffed with radios, a hand-held global positioning system, medical trauma packs.

From the webbing belt holding up ‘rip-proof’ combat trousers, a Gerber multi-tool dangles beside a Leatherman knife. Another gun, usually a Glock 9mm, is held in a black nylon holster halfway down one thigh. Spare clips of ‘ammo’ and a commando dagger are sheathed on the other leg. The knees are reinforced with strap-on rubber pads. Asked about their backgrounds the Brits among them smile enigmatically and ‘let slip’ they’ve spent some time ‘in Hereford’ — a weak code for service with 22 Special Air Service. The Yanks favour a 1,000 mile stare and ‘I’ve been around a bit since Mogadishu’. They sneak looks at each other’s hardware and exchange knowing nods. It’s all a bit Village People.

My friend ‘Rob’, a genuine former sergeant major from the SAS, is unarmed and looks like an off-the-peg BBC reporter, blue shirt, chinos. He is disgusted. ‘Look at those pooftas,’ he splutters. ‘They might as well wear a fucking sign saying shoot me!’

Since then several mercenaries, or members of private military companies (PMCs), have indeed been shot. Two were killed near Kirkuk. Four were butchered on the street in Fallujah. Mike Bloss, a Brit, died bravely fighting off guerrillas and saved three engineers fixing power lines in Hit, not far from Fallujah.