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There is no set piece more emblematic of the tragic farce that is the American involvement in Iraq than the grotesque episode of Blackwater USA and the killing of civilians in Baghdad-at least nine and as many as 28-on Sunday.
Everyone has reacted on cue with the usual expressions of outrage or, at minimum, grave diplomatic concern over the fusillade of gunfire that was unleashed against Iraqis who apparently were bystanders to the passing of an American convoy that was being escorted by heavily armed Blackwater security guards.
The Iraqi government said it was pulling the private security firm's license to operate in the country, and has asked that its contract be severed. But it seems there may not be a license, or if there was, it would have been granted by that wonderment of bureaucratic dysfunction and sectarian passion, the Iraqi Interior Ministry. The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, says it hasn't been informed that Iraq has "lifted, suspended or terminated" any permit.
No matter. American diplomats now are sequestered in their Green Zone fortress, unable to motor around Iraq without their mercenary guards who have, in the interest of cooling tempers, been temporarily sidelined as investigations proceed. Yet it's almost without question that, soon enough, some private security contractors will be back in action. They are as crucial to sustaining the American military occupation of Iraq as is the president's unrepentant refusal to end it.
All the essential elements of governance in the Bush era come together in the Blackwater episode.
The heavy use of private armies-"corporate warriors" is the term used by Brookings Institution expert Peter Singer-helps to hide the initial and catastrophic decision to limit the number of American troops deployed far below what many military experts said was necessary to pacify post-invasion Iraq. Secrecy, another administration hallmark, prevented even the Congressional Research Service from getting a definitive count of the number of private contractors taxpayers support. "The executive branch either has not kept sufficient records to produce or has been unwilling to present basic, accurate information on the companies employed under U.S. government contracts and subcontracts in Iraq," the researchers reported in July.
Add the odor of political cronyism: Blackwater's founder, Erik Prince, has deep ties to the Republican Party and conservative religious organizations. He was a Republican congressional aide and briefly an intern in the White House of President George H.W. Bush, according to The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. When four Blackwater employees were murdered in Fallujah in 2004, the company turned for public relations and lobbying advice to the Alexander Strategy Group, a now-defunct Republican lobbying firm that was closely linked to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
Meanwhile, the zone of lawlessness the Bush administration created for detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for its global network of secret prisons and in its domestic surveillance program extended, as well, to private contractors. Under an order issued by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the American occupation bureaucracy that governed Iraq in the initial months after the invasion, private security contractors are immune from any legal action, including prosecution, that arises from their work. Nor are they subject to U.S. military law as are regular American forces. A law enacted in 2000 that conceivably could cover them hasn't been tested. Nor, Singer says, has a 2006 effort to bring the private forces under the military justice system been implemented.
And no one-not the White House nor the Pentagon nor, apparently, the State Department-heeded repeated reports of abuse and flagrant violence against Iraqis that have dogged the private security guards for years. "Everybody has known about these problems," Singer told me in an interview. "They've been widely reported."
The Army's investigation of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal identified private contractors as responsible for more than a third of abuses and identified six employees as culpable, Singer says. Yet, unlike soldiers who were court-martialed for their crimes at Abu Ghraib, no private contractor has been prosecuted. There even was a "trophy video"-of contractors for one security company shooting at Iraqi civilians-that the guards themselves posted on the Internet.
We have reached the inevitable moment of anger and recrimination. In keeping with the administration's overarching philosophy that private business is always better-at everything-than government, we have privatized the most elemental government function of waging war. Now we will pay dearly for this folly.
Marie Cocco's e-mail address is mariecocco(at)washpost.com.
© 2007, Washington Post Writers Group
46 Comments so far
Show AllOK folks, I read starislon2 post above, and it got me thinking.
I think Blackwater needs to go, but that should go without saying.
I am with him/her on this, I support people. The Iraqi people for a start. I want to know what we here think is going to happen to them after a US withdrawal? Who has even considered that? I have been against the war from the get-go, and for a pullout since it was clear we were going in.
I don't think we can improve the situation there much, if at all. But, I heard an interview on NPR from an Iraqi journalist who stated that while the people he knows generally fear US troops, they take comfort in the fact that they are generally not inclined to genocide. I look at Dafur, how many years later, and I wonder how long it will be before a UN Mission gets approved in Iraq, how many Sunnis or Shia will die before we realize that it was we who killed them. I for one will not stand for the United States to pull our soldiers out and leave those we have brought this upon to reap the harvests of a broken nation. Has Clinton, Obama, Richardson or Edwards (or Dennis) mentioned what they plan to do for the Iraqis after they (have promised... which we should know to be worth jack) get all of the sailors and soldiers out? Will any have the gall to approach the organization that ruled against this war with the argument of "it was the other guy?" Senators who voted against the UN seeking their help in the end? This is treason at its worse, and I do not think we should even consider a UN mission in Iraq without US troops involved (under UN command). And I don't think we should mention another work about "Out of Iraq" without a consideration of the Iraqis themselves... and what will happen when we allow the militias and murder squads to rule the country.
A dark day for the United States. We have had darker, and overcome. It is time for the United States to take the course of truth, honesty, and duty. If that road leads our troops out of Iraq without a glance back tomorrow, so be it. I, for one, do not feel that is right, nor correct for those of Iraq we condemn to decades of death.
mickm:
Yes. To start, you and the like-minded can start writing letters to the International Court of Justice, with copies to Congress.
Some lawyers, like lawyers without borders, can contact Iraqis whose family members have been killed as a direct result of this war and can present cases on their behalf.
Since the reason for this war was not to protect the U.S. from imminent attack, the families of the U.S. soldiers would also have a good case since their loved ones have been sent to their death on a bunch of lies.
Wherever the US/Americans go, shit is sure to follow. Go home and stay home Yankee, you have plenty of clean-up to do in your own backyard.
That's for sure, Vera. Have been wondering about the International Criminal Court and how much more tragedy will need to occur before they step in.
Does anyone know what triggers action from this Court?
The whole war on Iraq is a war crime. It was justified by the false flag attack of 9/11. If we could get a thorough and honest investigation of that event we could start to undo the myriad of other crimes that have resulted from it. We should concentrate on the main things first [9/11] instead of trying to deal with all the multitude of crimes that have resulted from it.
Cetainly all the crimes should be adressed at some point. But working from latest crimes backwards wouldn't be productive.
I saw something a few months back that alarmed me.
I was watching 'The View' back when Barbara Walters had just returned from Venezuela.
They were discussing safety issues there, and Ms. Walters mentioned that she was escorted by American contractors.
What alarmed me was that she mentioned that these 'contractors*' were called 'Pilgrims'. To me that pretty much sums up what this mercenary force is all about. (I assume that they were Blackwater because this organization recruits a lot of right-wing military footsoldiers from Central and South America)
The mercinaries, especially Blackwater, are going to be the force used when the shit hits the holy fan here in America.This organization, Blackwater, is run by Christianists extremists who believe that they are God's army, and I can guarantee that they are just waiting to start 'sending us to Jesus', as they say.
Its an ideal situation for the Christian reich, as by current law, the US military cannot be used against citizens of America, but Private mercenary 'contarctors' have no such prohibition. We have seen what these groups are capable of and we need to put an end to it.
The mercenary Media helped to put us in this war creating the need for Blackwater and other private companies to assist and protect our troops; the President with the support of the Congress and the help of the Media put our troops in Iraq without the training or equipment or numbers they needed; Blackwater was just a start-up company then.
Blackmurder is back at work protecting the convoys of Democracy as they flow through the US's oil rich holdings. Maliki has been told to keep his mouth shut by central command.
The average Iraqi may envision a joy full day when our hapless executive fool is symbolically hauled away hooded and in leg irons, but they need to realize, as we do, the more powerful methods of expunging their lands of terrorists. Let the boys fly their helicopters and guns overhead, it's a temporary situation, and their bullets and machines will eventually rust in the pages of history.
The Bush administration and its congressional lapdogs are always telling us " we'll stand down when Iraqis stand up" but now that Maliki is standing up to the Blackwater thugs , they'll just dismiss him completely. How can you say you want to build a sovereign democratic government while simultaneously undermining it ? The supposed Masters-of-the-Universe are now working against themselves in their hegemonic ambitions. FUBAR!
It is illegal for me to hire a mercenary to kill someone. Do you think the same law should apply to our government?
If being mercenary is a job, shouldn't they get paid by piecework? The more one kills, the more money one gets.
When mercenaries return home and look for decent jobs, would they put their previous occupation on their resumes?
What do you think goes through a mercenary's mind when he shoots someone just for the heck of it?
Would you feel more or less secure if a mercenary lives next to you?
What is the difference between members of volunteer military and mercenaries, considering that they are all volunteers, they get paid, and most mercenaries are also ex-marines, seals, etc?
Please answer very briefly. Thank you.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. What goes around comes around. You get what you give.
What these forces are doing now outside of the United States they are and will on a much larger scale be doing within the "entire United States" in the not to far distant future.
You do not have much time to stop it.
The country i.e. United States of America sits on the precipice of civil war or a Police State which it is in all but name even now.
Home of the free and land of the brave it is no more...
American soldiers are mercenaries too. They just don't get paid as much.
Grousefeather and others--
"Support the Troops" is the most misused phrase. That said, yes, we as liberals need to support the troops by 1. Helping them get home soon to their families 2. Demanding they have good pay and health care 3. Demanding they have proper rest between deployments and when republicans vote against this--make sure everyone on the planet knows REPUBLICANS DO NOT SUPPORT THE TROOPS.
And FINALLY, we need to reclaim the term SUPPORT THE TROOPS so it means just what I said above and so it is totally divorced from this or any president's shitty foreign policy.
Seriously folks, memorize this. I'm the liberal Karl Rove. You need me.
Grousefeather -
Are you playing dumb - or what?
It doesn't take much moral depth for a normal person to separate his/her existential compassion for brainwahsed, misued soldiers from an awareness that 'Victory' is an obscene idea in a war that had no moral justification to begin with.
Would you have predicated your compassion for Germany's brainwashed, misused soldiers on the need for Hitler's 'victorious invasion' of Poland?
Think and feel a little deeper please.
The government should get out of the war business.
"I support the troops so that they are safely withdrawn from Iraq and that they get all the medical and psychiatric help neccessary once they have returned"
I support people. Weshould ALL at least live safe enough to know The US government country won't drop bombs on community, or drag loved ones to torture chambers, or slaughter families in order to gange rape children. Of course those disgusting examples would make any conscious person sick, but they are the norm for the soldiers of Iraq. Our soldiers, acting on orders they CHOOSE to obey, are CHOOSING to put 'war criminal' into action.
Do we feel pity for the soldiers who followed similar philosophy, like the Nazis? Of course not.
Life before nation!
There is no set piece more emblematic of the tragic farce that is the American involvement in Iraq than the media's continuous finger-pointing at everyone but themselves. America is in this war because its media failed it.
oh no,i was just visiting the blog spot at msnbc and they were posting about blackwater and 91/2 out of ten..were singing the praises of blackwater and how great they are and how things would be better with them runnin the show(war)...oh my god..this poor country is insanely divided!!and it is their half that is insane and dangerous to other living things..mercenaries are discompassionate hardened killers,that dont give a damn about the issues or the right or wrong of it,and find motivation, by greed and personal power over life and death..
ilovelife. Yes, that is what I typed but I wasn't clear on what I meant by supporting the troops. I support the troops so that they are safely withdrawn from Iraq and that they get all the medical and psychiatric help neccessary once they have returned - the same kind of care our "elected representatives" receive and not the present type of care they are given. That's how I wish the troops would be supported upon return.
I'm sure there's a large number of soldiers who are happily going about killing and destroying. But I believe there's a larger number who want to get the hell out of there ASAP and who are completely disillusioned. Let's get them home and when they're home, let's get them rapid access to quality health care.
Remember that mercinaries were killing blacks during Katrina. It is part of the race war.
The Blackwater issue needs our close attention since it seems Iraqi govt people are backing away from their initial tough talk. GW called him, I suppose.
Erik Prince was born and raised in the same west Michigan town I was and I even worked at the same company as his father, when he was fresh out of college. Such a nice, good-looking friendly guy! Years later I learned out boss was suspicious of him from the start, and he was right. The father, Edgar, was also unscrupulous and did whatever it took for amassing a great fortune.
Follow this one very closely, especially in light of what's happening in New Orleans. This is scary!
Hey you guys, just remember the USA is a nation engaged in a War Crime. A nation which harbours terrorists, terrorizes it's own citizenry and is belligerent to it's neighbors. A nation run by racketeers and hired thugs. A nation so fearful of it's leadership that they will sit on their asses and watch while one of their own get assaulted and tasered for asking the wrong question and perhaps being a little rude to one of the übermenschen.
One million murdered, two million displaced, is no joke.
I agree with frank1569 and the constitutional lawyer (milesofmusic). As american citizens we must first eliminate the blight of 'private secirity' contractors from the homeland. By doing this we will have built a foundation for removing them from theaters of war.
"can I support our troops and a United States victory without being immoral myself?"
Not in my opinion.
"it is not right to support an illegal war but I wouldn't abandon the men and woman who are already there. I think we can all agree on that."
I don't. I don't support men and women who kill people. 4+ years after the invasion, and I'm supposed to support men and women who are still signing up to murder, torture, destroy, and steal from people? Get real! NO WAY!
"But but but, they're just doingtheir job!"
Ya, a job they CHOSE to do. In reality, 'No I won't' is a choice any free human being can choose. Any soldier who refuses to fight joins a large group of people who, if their numbers become large enough, have the power to end this war right now. Why don't they refuse to murder people? Jail? HA! I'd rather spend the rest of my life in prison, or be killed, for doing the humane thing, than live out my life knowing I deliberately robbed totally innocent people the right to their life.
it is time to investigate the deaths of tillman and numerous other 'regular'soldiers(who spoke out against the war)under a new light...(death by)mercenaries on the bush payroll(the payroll bush has stolen from the american people).
blackwater is now in an important transition back home boys and girls. they are in the process of a major american deployment.
they are determined to set up shop from coast to coast and will therefore be conveniently available when the time comes to fill up the 600 fully operational fema prisons.
they were in new orleans disarming the citizens in their own homes and though i'm not a constitutional lawyer, i always thought that kind of stuff was illegal.
prince (the owner of blackwater, not the artist formerly known as) is an ultra right wing fundamentalist christian in league with ted (i am no longer queer) haggerty, larry ( i am not now or ever was queer) craig,, the (we never were queer either) republican party, falwell and such. he is married to the amway family fortune.
this is the kind of guy i want driving tanks through my town i tell you.
sober and wise choice.
lets hope that blackwater doesn't get out of hand and start to shoot amway competitors.
What happens when China hires some of these multinational mercenaries to kill Americans?
Remember, these guys work for the highest bidder.
I totally agree with JH
The mercenary army is larger and better paid than the GIs. Why don't we let the free market take care of this war? Pull our US troops (the one's our taxes pay for) and let these mercenary troops handle all of it. I'm sure those capitalists will find a way to run W's war more efficiently and with a much better result. Don't they keep telling us how the government can't do anything right?
The article states:
When four Blackwater employees were murdered in Fallujah in 2004, the company turned for public relations and lobbying advice to the Alexander Strategy Group, a now-defunct Republican lobbying firm that was closely linked to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
How can mercenaries be murdered? They are paid soldiers in a combat zone. How is it that Iraqi civilians are collateral damage but mercernaries are murdered? That is ridiculous.
cedross
Everybody is seriously missing the important part.
Sept, 2005:
"Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal force."
That's not Iraq, people. The precedent has been set - mercenaries patrolling our streets, loyal not to our Constitution, God and country, but to whomever is signing the check - a loyalbushie, accountable to no one...
"I believe that the war in Iraq is immoral and illegal, and all the dealths and injuries resulting are because of an illadvised foreign policy and our immoral leadership. That being the case, can I support our troops and a United States victory without being immoral myself?"
No.
Legally speaking, all in Iraq are subject to Iraqi law, including mercenaries and regular troops. Similarly, all in the US are subject to US law as well as state and local laws; no exceptions for foreigners. Those who commit crimes and refuse to submit to the justice system in Iraq are properly described as outlaws and fugitives. The US military code of justice is designed to enforce internal discipline, and to pretend to the US and world public (as well as themselves) that the US military is behaving lawfully.
While the US never had enough troops in Iraq to deal with the counterinsurgency, the real problem is that both tactics and strategy were designed to stir it up. Some of this is due to incompetence, some due to cowardice, but I can't help but think a lot of this is deliberate. After all, if you are a military officer, combat service and medals look great on your resume.
The scary thing is that, mercenary or military, most of these people will spend most of their lives in the US. With access to guns.
No, it is not right to support an illegal war but I wouldn't abandon the men and woman who are already there. I think we can all agree on that. The real problem is why they were sent there to begin with. And I think we can all site oil as the main - if not the only - reason the armed forces and National Guard have been thrown into this nightmare. After all, "You go to war with the army that you have," as one of our former brave leaders pointed out so clearly to all of those who dared question his wisdom.
Beginning with Reagan and Thatcher, we began to privitize services which do not belong in the control of people looking to make a lot of money. I believe most people with any knowledge of good government would disagree that public needs such as energy and healthcare should be run by people with a motive to maximize their profits. I don't know who first said it, but it is one of the duties of government to ensure the safety and well being of all of its citizens. This approach to governing helps to avoid civic unrest and even possible rebellion. It just makes sense that a coutry would want to share fairly and live together in a way that avoids unrest. You know, things like Tazering a student for wanting to kick up some dust wouldn't be neccesssay. However,it has continued and will continue. I like a line fom Bob Dylan's song "Union Sundown" in which he sings, "I can see the day commin' where you can't even grow vegetables in your backyard." But I'm drifting again. However, I'm difting in the same sea of a completely coporate owned, contoled and, managed world.
And this brings me to the reason I'm writing. Mercenaries have beeen used throughout history. In the not so distant past, their pay came with the plundering, pillaging, raping and destruction of the unfortunate village that had the bad fotune of being in their path. But no need to worry about that just yet. At the moment, we are paying them salaries shamefully higher than the members of the US army - whatever the branch. Someone pointed out ealier that these hired guns are a tough, brave, expeienced force who can carry out difficult missions that some hapless, unfortunate Gaurdsman was never trained to do. Even if they did recieve some training in carrying out dangerous missions, I'm sure these mecenaries know how to carry out these missions with a far greater chance of success.
And so now we have virtually decided that the private sector can take care of our wars. With no draft to worry about ruining our weekends glued to the tube, the vast Anerican herd grazes away contentedly.
And now, my question. Where does the loyalty if these private arrnies rest? To the commander in chief or the USA? Or to their corporate paymasters? And with religion creeping into our armies, how long will it be before we have an army of religious fanatics on our hands? Aren't we supposed to be fighting against these same types of armies? How long will it be before some crazed mercenary walks into a library or one of our numerous progressive professers classrooms wih C-4 explosive wapped aound his/her torso?
They way things are shaping up these days, probably about the time when there's a completely ice-free artic in the Summer, or basically in the next generation.
Oh, and I forgot one thing. As a privately owned armed force - but still paid for by you and me, what motive would there be to stop war?
It looks like we the people are the de facto "share holders" of this private company or companies . We certainly aren't seeing our value increace. Isn't it about time for a share holder's meeting, and let some headss roll, so to speak?
We should not be too harsh on these mercenaries. They are doing a damn good job. By definition, mercenaries are paid killers, and that's what they're hired to do. Besides, everything should fit together: A lying president, an accomplice congress, a corporate-owned cheerleader media, and mercenaries. You see anything wrong with that? It's a perfect marriage.
It maybe that presently no international justice system has the power to bring justice to the perpetrators of these crimes, but when you mess up too many people, chances are good that some of them may come looking for you, like Israelis who got every one of those Palestinians that had killed their athletes several years go. The world is too small to hide in. As Mr Bush has said," You can run, but you can't hide." There are quite a few people who should heed that advice. It may save their lives.
The war is privatized, it's only a matter of time before the government is privatized, primarily due to the liberals fear of actually fighting for their constitution, hopefully a few generals still hold allegience to America and will be fighting for those afraid to fight for their rights
Grousefeather--the only way to support the troops in an immoral and illegal war is to bring them home.
Canuchuck said:
"Next the Presidency and government will be privatized."
Might be the best idea yet, as long as We the People Inc. were its private owners and had the equal shares of stock in our public resources and accrued dividends from them.
Canuckchuck: Wishful thinking about congress and non-existance, since their entire raison d'etre is to keep their (filthy) lucre in perpetuity. And (am I wrong?), the President (Corporate Emperor) is already selected by CEOs. Have we already sealed our doom? Is there any viable action to take? Elections are rigged, politicians are bought, citizens are ignorant or indifferent, and revolution (if an apathetic public would even have interest in one) would merely result in many deaths by Blackwater or gestapo du jour. Help.
Okay one more time: Is it the right to support victory (and the troops) in an immoral and illegal war?
Next the Presidency and government will be privatized.
Congress will be "downsized" into non-existence, and the new Corporate Emperor of the USA will be selected by the CEO's of the Fortune 500. This change will be enforced by the Blackwaters of the country, unopposed by the US Military, which will be too busy bombing and invading IRAN & PAKISTAN
It has never occurred to me that the United States military could be seen as anything other than the police force for the corporations that 'elect' its 'managers'.
So, it is interesting to read comments that describe another layer of policing that appears to be privatized.
Another view is that this layer is a way of providing security that is not controlled (but is condoned) by the sanctioned military. This is a harbinger of something terrible.
There are many examples of these 'under-layers' work—Central America, Iran, Africa. But in wishing for something else I can only think, "I better be careful what I wish for."
It's a free market.
Corporations have limited liability.
Maybe we should outsource the "war" to China. Russia may be interested too, I heard they have a problem with unemployment.
It seems Bush knows what he's doing after all.
I believe that the war in Iraq is immoral and illegal, and all the dealths and injuries resulting are because of an illadvised foreign policy and our immoral leadership. That being the case, can I support our troops and a United States victory without being immoral myself?
Hey, if our Congress is willing to spend billions of dollars of our tax money for these guys, we shouldn't bitch if they do the job they were trained to do. They are truly tough guys when armed with automatic firing weapons, they'd make Rambo or the Hells Angels prould.
To all you folks who say that liberals dont support the troops just think about the priorities that the repubs have for Iraq.Contractors 1st and troops last. Tony