Mercenaries to airdrop 360s into Afghanistan

July 28th, 2008, 21:09 Posted By: Shrygue

via Computer and Video Games


Blackwater Worldwide, a group that provides "paid contractors" (mercenaries to me and you) for the US Army, is to airdrop Xbox 360s and Guitar Hero to US troops in Afghanistan.

The company is looking to pack an Xbox 360, modem, TV projector and Guitar Hero into a kit than can be kicked out of a cargo plain and dropped down to troops below.

These aren't the evil, blood-thirsty mercenaries we know from Splinter Cell and the like, are they?

The company hopes the console will spread good will amongst the American troops, who apparently have no love lost for the military contractors.

Speaking to the Associated Press (via Game Politics), Blackwater recruiter James Overton said: "When I was in Baghdad, we'd bring soldiers over to our camp over there, and we'd play this thing for hours on end.

"Every (military) place I've ever been to overseas, they've got like backgammon and Parcheesi and chess, and they're all gathering dust. But this is the stuff they play at home. And any semblance of home we can give them is best."

Let's hope the Xbox doesn't smash one of the squadies on the head, or worse - red ring when they turn it on.

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