John McClurg

Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paulo
May 9^th– 10^th, 2011

The beguiling out-stretched, welcoming arms of Rio’s iconic symbol stood in stark contrast to the long lines that awaited us at customs, something the city will definitely want to have addressed before the arrival of the Olympic Games.

Monterrey, situated picturesquely at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountains in the heart of what’s now reputedly Mexico’s most dangerous state (Nuevo Leon), is paradoxically also known as the economic juggernaut of Mexico.

Well-rested from our February foray into Iraq, Peter Ford and I are once again converging on a site in the Mid-East—not for a Country Council this time--but rather a large gathering of more than 225 Regional Security Officers, OSAC analysts, and Private-Sector Security Representatives...

 We arose before dawn to meet our Security Detail for the ride back to the airport. Although there appeared to be more than just a few large commercial craft parked at the gates of the International terminal, including a large 747, our selected mode of travel this morning was a C-130 managed by what‘s affectionately known as “State Air”. 

The number of Private Security Companies operating in Baghdad is surprising and gives way to an appreciation of the magnitude of the mission. Meeting with all of them would have proven infeasible, so we advanced the next best thing by meeting with the President of the PSCAI (Private Security Company Association of Iraq).

Of the more than 7,000 OSAC constituent representatives, a growing number are non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith-based institutions, or members of academia.