http://www.captainsjournal.com/2007/10/04/warriors-and-the-oakland-airport-the-final-story/ News & Commentary on Warfare, Policy and Counterterrorism Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:14:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://www.captainsjournal.com/2007/10/04/warriors-and-the-oakland-airport-the-final-story/#comment-23155 fumento Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:20:47 +0000 http://www.captainsjournal.com/2007/10/04/warriors-and-the-oakland-airport-the-final-story/#comment-23155 Actually, there is a close precedent for this -- but it's even more extreme perhaps. When I first embedded in Iraq in early 2005, the State Department was employing Ghurkas for its Green Zone security. (They later dropped them for cheaper South Americans.) I had never heard of Ghurkas working for anybody but the Brits, so I was quite taken aback. They had the reputation for being the nicest killers on the face of the planet and my conversations with them confirmed that. Once I teased one about why none of them carried their famous knives. As you know, a Ghurka without his knife is like a ... well, make up your own metaphor but make it good. His English wasn't terrific, but he made it clear it was the fault of the airline! Actually, there is a close precedent for this — but it’s even more extreme perhaps. When I first embedded in Iraq in early 2005, the State Department was employing Ghurkas for its Green Zone security. (They later dropped them for cheaper South Americans.) I had never heard of Ghurkas working for anybody but the Brits, so I was quite taken aback. They had the reputation for being the nicest killers on the face of the planet and my conversations with them confirmed that. Once I teased one about why none of them carried their famous knives. As you know, a Ghurka without his knife is like a … well, make up your own metaphor but make it good. His English wasn’t terrific, but he made it clear it was the fault of the airline!

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