The news that RA International, a security contracting firm working as a subcontractor to Armor Group, has been running a brothel in Kabul is sure to raise the temperature of the anti-contractor crowd.

But the reality is that it has been well known that brothels are being run in Kabul. They are euphemistically referred to as 'Chinese restaurants' and some are run with the knowledge and support of the Chinese embassy in Kabul, various sources have told me. When I arrived in Kabul just one day after the May 2006 riots, several of these 'Chinese restaurants' were torched, sparking outrage from the Chinese embassy. Apparently the 'Chinese restaurants' are quite profitable.

The heat should definitely be raised on RA International and Armor Group for their irresponsible activities. These firms work for the US, and by default represent the US in Afghanistan. Their failures are our failures. It just would be nice to see the righteous indignation be spread around a bit to other governments responsible for promoting prostitution.