Comments on: Interview with the Vampyr — a Sri Lankan Mercenary in Iraq

By: Army wife’s story: my husband’s at Elephant Pass « Cerno

Army wife’s story: my husband’s at Elephant Pass « Cerno — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:29:09 +0000

[...] a handful of months from a heavily postponed retirement. He has hopes for a hard currency job as a private military contractor in Iraq but wants to win this war first — to be there with his men when it “ends”. She wants [...]

By: When the war is “over” « Cerno

When the war is “over” « Cerno — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:00:41 +0000

[...] Sri Lankan government can maintain a large peace time military. U.N peace keeping operations and private military contractors might pickup the slack but it won’t cover for [...]

By: Ya

Ya — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:41:31 +0000

Can I contact you through e-mail. I want to have some more information. This is only for my private thing. Thanks.

By: David Blacker

David Blacker — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:39:09 +0000

Renegade, that exhibition is done by my ad agency every two years.

Yeah, I think DW’s more informative in the details than DN, but sadly, the readers are the same bunch, as you can see from the comments.

By: Ruslan

Ruslan — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:41:53 +0000

Great post mate. looking forward for most post like that.

By: Renegade

Renegade — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:57:30 +0000

So, DB you are saying that defencewire is more credible and accurate than defencenet?..i also think so,through their thorough analysis of defence matters.BTW, when are you gonna have an exhibition like u had last time at barefoot?.i’m in down in SL for vacation for about 9 days-came for eid,so..

By: Daphnethegreat

Daphnethegreat — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:03:37 +0000

Great writing.. keep up the great work mate !

By: Gini Appu

Gini Appu — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:57:41 +0000

Fascinating stuff and a welcome development. Obviously the man has some entreprenurial flair and he has used it to good effect. Plus, I’d rather these chaps ply their trade elsewhere than in Sri Lanka.

The money quote of the entire article, however, is this one:
“Also, you won’t believe what a reputation the Sri Lanka Army has built over the years. Clients know we’ve been fighting terrorists for decades, so they know we have a lot of experience.”

Ahhh… if Velu could read your blog, I’m sure even he’d chuckle at this unexpected bonus.

By: Asanga

Asanga — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:14:56 +0000

Thanks for the information and the views David. Yeah I guess the UN option seems the more practical way to go to provide ex-soldiers with gainful employment.

By: David Blacker

David Blacker — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:51:21 +0000

Yeah, I’m sure such PMCs will be useful, but only if the GoSL makes it easy for ex-soldiers to go overseas, the way they do with housemaids.

A more likely choice for the GoSL is to hire out the troops to the UN for peacekeeping operations as they have in Haiti. The UN is always short of well-trained and experienced troops, and several thousand combat veterans on a retainer might seem a lucrative venture for the MoD.