I was poking around some security sites to get some perspective on the situation in Iraq when I found a curious and rather dark summary from Erinys:

Between August 2003 and December 2004, Erinys Iraq, trained, equipped and mobilised a 16,000 strong Iraqi guard force to protect the pipelines. This was achieved against a backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating security environment.

The OPF brochure tells the story of how Erinys achieved what it did, in many cases against the odds, and examines some of the broad operational, political and contractual factors which shaped the force. It also introduces the reader to an eclectic mix of people who worked as an effective team in an extraordinary time and place in history, and who, with sheer single minded determination, created something that made a powerful difference for the better.

With that kind of language, you might almost think someone was working on a cure for cancer or solving the problems in Darfur. Sorry, no, actually Erinys was fighting to stem the flow of “$8million in revenue per day due to sabotage on [Iraq’s] northern oil and gas pipelines”. The powerful difference for the better was thus an operating cost reduction for the oil companies in Iraq, through the use of tens of thousands of armed guards. Not exactly the kind of security to write home about if your objective is human rights, especially as some people can get so anti-mercenary and attempt to regulate the soldier of fortune industry, which just drives costs back up again for the oil industry. (Note: sarcasm should be detected here).

It makes for an interesting alternative news source (“backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating security environment”) and I am sure there are some oil companies with installations in unstable political environments who are curious to know exactly how it was done. In fact, it looks like Erinsys recently opened a new office in Houston, perhaps in anticipation of the hurricane season…

“Mr. Mac Namee’s broad experience as a former United Kingdom Special Forces Officer with extensive seconded service with MI5 along with his current, active involvement in international oil and gas security advisory business can play an important role when our Company needs guidelines for large international projects,” said Alex Genin — CEO and President of [First Capital International, Inc.].

[…]

“I am extremely pleased to be invited to join First Capital International’s Security Advisory Board,” said Mr. Richard Mac Namee who went on to further state: “This innovative counter-terrorist technology developed by First Capital International has outstanding marketing possibilities and has great potential benefits for marine insurance carriers worldwide. I also believe that the technology package will contribute greatly to mitigating the associated risks of LNG transportation and possibly even prevent a major terrorist-related disaster for the LNG shipping industry.”

I like that quote. It makes me wonder if they could put it on surveillance product labels, or at least on the marketing website: “May prevent major terrorist-related disasters. Possible side effects include loss of freedom…”