Article

2011-04-19 India-Pakistan

MEMRI: Role of Pakistani Mercenaries in the Middle East

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2011-04-19 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ] Top
File under: Govt of Pakistan

#1 Paki mercinaries have been a feature in the Middle East for several decades. For many years, they had a reputation of being (compared to the Arabs) good soldiers.

Then our troops had extensive contact with them in Somalia. The upshot is our troops did not trust the Pakis at all. The Black African troops were much better. My friends said that you could give a bunch of American mall rats M-4s and they would do just as good a job.

One of the sad developments in the Middle East has been the cancelling of American training/maintenance contracts in the Middle East and replacement by Paki mercinary trainers and technicians. These men aren't nearly as good (and the Arabs know it). The result is that most of their fancy equipment is rusted junk.

Posted by Frozen Al 2011-04-19 11:40|| 2011-04-19 11:40|| Front Page Top

#2 "Are there many tall Pakistanis?"

My friends are, tw. Ali and the other men in his family are well over 6 feet tall. Not sure where in Pakistan they originally came from - I've only know them as Americans.

(For some reason, I tend to think of tall Pakistanis as coming from the north of the country, but that thinking may be influenced by the tall aboriginals in the north of Japan.)

Posted by Barbara Skolaut 2011-04-19 13:40|| 2011-04-19 13:40|| Front Page Top

#3 One of the sad developments in the Middle East has been the cancelling of American training/maintenance contracts in the Middle East and replacement by Paki mercinary trainers and technicians. These men aren't nearly as good (and the Arabs know it). The result is that most of their fancy equipment is rusted junk.

I don't think it's sad.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2011-04-19 15:45|| 2011-04-19 15:45|| Front Page Top

#4 I'm with you, grom.

But, as they sow, so shall they reap, and with any luck the Arabs and the Pakis will all get royally reaped.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut 2011-04-19 18:00|| 2011-04-19 18:00|| Front Page Top

#5 I'm just p*ssed that Americains are getting screwed out of a contract (and money) they deserve in favor of a bunch of co-religionists that can barely chew gum and walk.

P.S. The reason they do this is because the US will come rescue them anyway.

Posted by Frozen Al 2011-04-19 18:50|| 2011-04-19 18:50|| Front Page Top

#6 The Pak deep state [i.e. the military] apparently has decided to keep selling itself to the oil-rich sheikhs. The domestic policy of coercion and chaos will be continued in foreign lands too." Posted by: Fred

Particularly Afghanistan. Attempts at repairing earthen berms or fences (Taliban border infiltration and smuggling routes) are generally met by Pakistani Border Guard threats to open fire.

Posted by Besoeker 2011-04-19 21:35|| 2011-04-19 21:35|| Front Page Top

#7 Pakistanis have also been hired on as police in Bahrain, and work in a mercenary capacity in several sub-Saharan nations. In Zimbabwe, for example' they've functioned as 'police' helicopter pilots and aviation support, with reported training roles as well.

Posted by Pappy 2011-04-19 22:37|| 2011-04-19 22:37|| Front Page Top

#8 The world of today reminds me of the book "Soldier Ask Not" by Gordon Dickson. Basically in the far future you have two groups of Mercenaries, the DORSAI who are super-soldiers, and the FRIENDLYS who are overly religious canon-fodder.

Posted by rjschwarz 2011-04-19 23:22|| 2011-04-19 23:22|| Front Page Top

23:34 trailing wife
23:22 rjschwarz
23:15 rjschwarz
22:38 Besoeker
22:38 Bobby
22:37 Pappy
22:34 Bobby
22:34 phil_b
22:33 Besoeker
22:30 Pappy
22:29 Zhang Fei
22:28 Barbara Skolaut
22:24 Frank G
22:23 Besoeker
22:20 Frank G
22:17 Besoeker
22:14 Fi
22:11 twobyfour
22:06 Fi
21:57 Lionel Flinenter3278
21:51 DanNY
21:35 Besoeker
21:20 JohnQC
21:17 Besoeker