Guard Behavior at U.S. Embassy in Kabul Resembles 'Lord of the Flies'

State Department contractors guarding the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan are working in a "Lord of the Flies environment," the watchdog group Project on Government Oversight told Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday. The group cited complaints from a number of the contractors, who described scenes of revelry involving alcohol, urination and public nudity among some guards and their supervisors.

Several of the complaints, which were released to reporters, included photographs that seem to corroborate the claims. In a letter to Clinton, POGO said the situation in Kabul constitutes "a pervasive breakdown in the chain of command and guard force discipline and morale."

The contractors guarding the embassy work for a private security company called ArmorGroup, based in Florida and Great Britain. The POGO letter said their lack of discipline and respect for the chain of command is a major breach of U.S. security, and should be investigated. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, urged the State Department to instigate a "thorough review of the performance, management and oversight of this contract."

For details: 'Lord of the Flies' in Kabul [Politco]