Scramble for non-Muslim mercenaries
THE unrest stalking the Middle East has spurred a security rush by leaders in the region who long have worried about the loyalty and professionalism of their own armed forces.
On the heels of the refusal by troops in Tunisia and Egypt to fire on their fellow countrymen earlier his year, Libya's embattled Muammar Gaddafi put mercenaries (already on his payroll) on the front line - fighters from Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.
And on realising that he faced a long struggle as some in his security forces defected, Gaddafi's agents reportedly were flashing their chequebooks in Polisario-controlled southern Algeria - offering hundreds of rebel fighters as much as $10,000 to fight for the Tripoli regime for just two months. According to a high-level defector from Tripoli, Gaddafi was also recruiting from the ranks of rebel movements in Mail and Niger.
Such is the demand, Pakistan's army has established a commercial recruiting agency, Fauji Security Services, to enlist thousands from the ranks of the various Pakistani armed forces for service in Bahrain - retired officers and men from the ranks.
More than 90 per cent of the recruits are destined for Bahrain, according to Pakistani press reports. But some are also bound for Saudi Arabia, which in the past has relied on Pakistani pilots to fly its fighter jets.
By one estimate, Pakistanis are signing up at a rate of as many as 1500 a month to the Bahraini packages, which include a monthly salary of $1100 and perks such as health insurance and lodging. More than 12,000 Pakistanis are said to be serving in Bahrain.
Abu Dhabi, according to The New York Times, is putting up $500 million for a company connected to Erik Prince, the founder of the controversial Blackwater global security organisation, to set up an American-led mercenary force, mainly Colombians and South Africans, to conduct special operations at home and abroad, to defend the emirates' oil facilities and to put down revolts. Prince reportedly has a cardinal rule of recruitment - no Muslims.
Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/scramble-for-nonmuslim-mercenaries-20110605-...
Seems Mr Prince is under the notion that ,as far as Muslims go,many non Muslims are bloodthirsty !
must be an armchair reporter
Kareena74--The term is not my own; it is the headline from the newspaper. I left it there to highlight the irony of the article.
He means Colombians and South Africans.
I guess you meant Non-Arabs