BLACKWATER MERCENARIES MAY BE USED IN WAR ON DRUGS

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PAUL RICHFIELD, DEFENSE NEWS - The U.S. Defense Department has invited
five contractors to bid on elements of a new multibillion-dollar effort
to combat the global flow of illegal drugs allegedly used to finance
terrorism. Awarded by the Pentagon's Counter-Narcoterrorism Technology
Program Office, Dahlgren, Va., the contract vehicle has a potential
value of $15 billion over five years. One participant is ARINC, a
Maryland-based provider of airline communications systems. "This gives
us the opportunity to bid on this work," said Linda Hartwig, an ARINC
spokeswoman. . . Hartwig said the other participating vendors are
defense giants Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon, and
security contractor Blackwater USA.

Blackwater confirmed its participation, but the other three vendors did
not respond to inquiries. The vendors will compete for a series of task
orders covering a wide range of products and services. These could
include anti-drug technologies and equipment, special vehicles and
aircraft, communications, security training, pilot training, geographic
information systems and in-field support. According to ARINC, training
elements could include instruction for border police, the construction
of shooting ranges and the integration of aircraft-mounted
drug-detection systems.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3039345&C=america

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