When Blackwater Kills, No Questions Asked
BAGHDAD - The recent attacks by Blackwater USA mercenaries in Baghdad are far from the first — and many believe they will not be the last.
Seventeen Iraqis were killed Sep. 16, and another 27 wounded at Nisoor square in western Baghdad when mercenaries from the company opened fire on them. Dozens of witnesses said that, contrary to Blackwater claims, the mercenaries had not come under attack.
Several Kurds who were at the scene said they saw no one firing at the mercenaries at any time, an observation corroborated by forensic evidence. Kurds are one ethnic group that has been supportive of the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. The Kurd witnesses work for a political party whose building looks directly down on the square where the bloodshed occurred.
“I call it a massacre,” Omar H. Waso, a senior official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan told reporters. “It is illegal. They used the law of the jungle.”
“Some of the victims were Iraqis who were close to the government,” an eyewitness speaking on condition of anonymity told IPS. “There was a notable fuss about five or six bodies in particular when the ministry of interior’s inspectors arrived on the scene.”
The history of western mercenary companies, often referred to as “security contractors”, is full of such stories.
“They killed my young neighbour Sinan in cold blood,” a 32-year-old using the name Ibrahim Obeidy told IPS. “They have killed so many Iraqis, and no one can even ask them why.”
“Iraqis in Anbar province (to the west of Baghdad) have always said that strange-looking forces have conducted executions in cold blood,” Abdul-Sattar Ahmed, a lawyer from province capital Ramadi told IPS. “Groups of men in civilian outfits, but in armoured vehicles and sometimes helicopters, have carried out the most mysterious executions. They seldom arrest, they prefer to kill.”
Salih Aziz who works with the Iraqi Group for Human Rights, an NGO in Baghdad, told IPS that Blackwater convoys, which usually comprise several large, white SUVs, have proven deadly for Iraqi civilians since the early months of the occupation in March 2003.
“Since the very beginning of the U.S. occupation of Iraq, Baghdad streets have seen peculiar looking groups of men in armoured cars with black glasses, killing anyone who approached them,” said Aziz. “They were the first to be hated by Iraqis.”
Blackwater USA came to international attention when four of their mercenaries were killed in Fallujah Mar. 31, 2004. The incident led to two brutal U.S. military sieges of the city.
The November siege of that year left approximately 70 percent of the city destroyed. Tens of thousands of residents remain refugees to this day.
“It is all about business and money making,” Malik Nizar, a 50-year-old businessman in Baghdad told IPS. “Top corporate officials, like the CEO of Blackwater, Erik Prince, are making billions of dollars out of security contracts in Iraq, and they would not give it up for the world.”
Independent journalist Jeremy Scahill is author of the best-selling book, ‘Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army’. “From documents I obtained, it is clear that Blackwater has been contracted for some 750 million dollars in private armed security services for the U.S. State Department alone,” Scahill told IPS in a telephone interview.
“The extent of its total U.S. contracts worldwide in unknown, as Blackwater also does covert work for the government, and its overt work is shrouded in secrecy and layers of bureaucratic protection.”
Scahill said that while Blackwater is now under increased scrutiny, it is continuing to win lucrative contracts in Washington.
“These include a recent 92 million dollar Pentagon contract to operate flights in Central Asia, as well as a share of a whopping 15 billion dollar contract to fight the so-called war on drugs,” Scahill told IPS. “Even if Blackwater loses its overt Iraq contract, this company will continue to make a killing off the U.S. taxpayers.”
The political fallout from the incident in Baghdad last month has led the Iraqi government to accept the findings of an Iraqi investigative committee that Blackwater guards are guilty of the killings, and that they acted without provocation.
The Iraqi investigators said Blackwater should be expelled from the country, and demanded eight million dollars compensation for the family of each victim. Officials decided last week to establish a committee to find ways to repeal a 2004 directive issued by L. Paul Bremer, head of the former U.S. occupation government in Iraq, which placed private security companies outside Iraqi law, making them immune to prosecution.
Many Iraqis are angry that Blackwater enjoys special rights.
“I was shot at while driving my car in Baghdad in December 2004,” Saad Mohammad Saed, an NGO worker in Baghdad told IPS. “I recognised the vehicles to be with a private security company. My car was destroyed and my survival was a miracle, but when I went to court to file charges, they told me they could not question those people.” While it could not be verified that this incident involved Blackwater personnel, there is deep public anger with the company.
Such incidents continue. Two Iraqi women were killed in Baghdad last week. Maro Bougos and Jenna Jalal were driving in a white Oldsmobile when they were shot dead by men from a private security convoy. Three children in the back seat survived.
“Will (U.S. President George) Bush or (Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri) al-Maliki or any politician look after my sister’s children after bringing death to their mother?” said Bougos’s brother, who was at the scene of the attack.
Ali, our correspondent in Baghdad, works in close collaboration with Dahr Jamail, our U.S.-based specialist writer on Iraq who travels extensively in the region
© 2007 Inter Press Service
And the administration is blocking legislation to place controls on State Department mecenaries that would match those in place on Pentagon hired mecenaries.
I pledge allegiance to the star spangled butcher’s apron of the United States of Atrocities, and to the theocracy for which it stands, one homeland under surveillance, with oppression and injustice for all.
“These include a recent 92 million dollar Pentagon contract to operate flights in Central Asia, as well as a share of a whopping 15 billion dollar contract to fight the so-called war on drugs,” Scahill told IPS. “Even if Blackwater loses its overt Iraq contract, this company will continue to make a killing off the U.S. taxpayers.”
How will Blackwater fight the “war on drugs?” It is bad enough that these mercenaries are walking the streets of Iraq. I wonder how many Americans know they are also walking our streets and that they were used in New Orleans during and after Katrina. Who knows how many unprovoked incidents happened there.
Sad times for our country - the terrorists are walking our streets and they are not muslims of any sect. They are our own.
Our government pays these men to kill at will, so why should anyone question it? We are the most powerful nation on Earth, spreaing demoocracy and Christianity throughout the world. If we have to kill a few innocent people in the process, that’s life, ___ shit happens.
We also have some terrific new bunker buster bomsbs that hod up to 2,000 pound of depleted uranium, when we hit Iran we will open some eyes. Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead, kill for oil, kill for Christianity and for fun I guess.
Why can’t we get Blackwater to support our local police forces, I bet the crime rate in large metro areas would go way down in a hurry. It isn’t safe to be on the streets at night in our nation’s capitol, and we worry about Baghdad. Let’s support a president who knows how to deal with terrorism and crime and put these well trained killers to work for us. Blackwater troops could take care of the thousands of prison inmates who are currently on death rows too, that would solve a lot of problems.
Eric Prince is another damned good argument for instituting higher estate taxes to prevent dynasties in America. War profiteer, warmonger, theocratic fascist. The list just goes on and on. In another, more saner time, Prince would be reviled. In today’s rethuglican America, a child-murdering mercenary is an honored businessman. Eric Prince belongs in front of war crimes tribunal. God willing.
We haven’t seen anything yet. Wait until Blackwater starts conducting more “protection missions” within the United States. Kent State will look small compared to what these morons can do.
Is he Ollie North’s son?
BLACKWATER IS A WELFARE PROGRAM FOR THE RAMBO
PROTECTOR FETISH
Privatized combatants provide nothing not already possessed by the military.
The myth is that privatization provides flexible, fast start-up operations easily shut down for specialized, one-time operations for which the military cannot gear up. Another myth is that privatization provides a cost-effective substitute for military combatants in general.
The cost of the Iraq war by any criteria of program or unit cost is already absurdly high. But even these numbers do not justify Blackwater because it is a pile-on to them and does not in any way act as a substitute for them.
Blackwater is financed by government and military procurement officials who use it to avoid responsibility and accountabilty with the highest cost solutions possible.
Blackwater is subsidized by using the government to do most of its training, which should reduce, not increase the outrageous prices paid for its services.
Blackwater and government officials at high levels are interchangeable through a revolving door of employment and contract negotiations.
Blackwater has incentives to kill civilians accidentally even higher than military soldiers because it has private, high-value clients for which the loss would be a substantial business loss. (The high incentive to kill the wrong people exist among soldiers and Blackwater because there is a high benefit - avoiding getting killed - and little or no personal cost for errors in assuring that benefit.)
Blackwater has incentives to accelerate huge write-offs of its equipment with absurdly high depreciation rates in no-bid, cost-plus contracts, which encourages risk-taking conduct associated with destroying equipment.
Many Blackwater employees already come from high-risk, thrill-seeking employment who receive far more than necessary to solicit similar services employed by the voluntary military and related domestic civilian services.
Blackwater is undergoing a public relations overhaul in an attempt to reduce its Rambo image. But behind its disgraceful patriotic image lies a welfare glutton that makes SCHIP health insurance for children look like a venture capital start-up on Wall Street.
I do not own a TV by choice but I am aware of the ongoing popularity of shows like 24. Let’s face it folks. Companies like Blackwater USA are, in many respects, us. We are a violent nation, and although as individuals we may say, “well that’s not ME,” we swim in a sea of violence every minute of our lives. Violence toward ” the other” whoever we perceive as different, and a threat, economic violence, violence toward the Mother Earth. Blackwater is our spawn. Until we begin to acknowledge our communal responsibility, until we realize that our way of life is built on the oppression and corpses of billions of other human beings on this planet, we should not be so outraged when we see the natural consequences that mirror so clearly for us, what we have created. The clarity with which we can identify the “evil” of the mercenaries of our times, provide an opportunity to start clearing out the many veils that have distorted our vision as people and as a nation. We are not exceptional: we are not the good guys, we struggle with all the human frailties that every human being has ever struggled with; our only exceptionalism is that we have so much to tempt us to look the other way rather than risk llsing our own goodies.
re angelahelwig 10:57 am
“how will blackwater fight the ‘war on drugs’”?
the same way the cia used to fight it—by importing drugs paid for with guns, in unmarked flights with the knowledge and approval of congress and the white house— except with a 20% markup.
What happens when we get hit by the terrorists in 2008? Who will keep the peace (like they did in New Orleans)? Blackwater. Who will uphold martial law when it is declared and elections are indefinitely postponed? Blackwater. Who will vow loyalty to the president and vice president when the citizens revolt? Blackwater. Who has a CEO beholden to the idea that if he begins Armageddon in the Middle East, Jesus will come, and he might as well make a few million bucks in the meantime because every one knows that God showed his favor one by enriching him, and he will be lifted up and escape the fate of the rest of the poor sinners who will suffer the wrath of God? …….Blackwater
Planes were highjacked on 9/11 by so called ‘terrorists.’ Since 9/11 our entire country has been highjacked. Who are the real terrorists now??
HEY KEM PATRICK
up to your usual ambiguous self i see. wow, we missed you. hope you had a good trip. i don´t have access to internet like before but will be in touch.
The administration is the entity that hires and fires mercenaries. Want rid of Blackwater? Get a president who doesn’t believe in as much outsourcing. Obama, Edwards, Clinton would be fine. Kucinich better.
starofthesea, you are no dummy. I wish everybody had your insight.
No questions asked?!
39th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION / EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 008 / Thursday, October 25, 2007
Mr. Gilles Duceppe (Laurier—Sainte-Marie, BQ): Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister did not have much to say in response to questions about Saladin and Blackwater, the security firms his government has hired. But some disturbing facts are known. For example, according to Colonel Oliver North, Saladin was involved in the Irangate scandal in Nicaragua. Saladin mercenaries also allegedly took part in the civil war in Sri Lanka. And Saladin mercenaries allegedly trained mujahedeen in Afghanistan, including members of the Taliban.
Knowing what he does about Saladin’s past, does the Prime Minister really believe that these officers can serve the government and the people effectively?
Hon. Peter Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform, CPC): Mr. Speaker, these are contracts under which local security officers are hired for basic security duties. This is a long-standing practice. We take the security of our personnel very seriously. Perhaps it is the leader of the Bloc Québécois who is not taking this issue seriously.
Mr. Gilles Duceppe (Laurier—Sainte-Marie, BQ): Mr. Speaker, I take basic security duties seriously.
Last December, a drunken Blackwater security officer killed the Iraqi vice-president’s bodyguard while the firm was under contract in Iraq to protect various public figures.
Does the government believe that this is the sort of exemplary conduct that should be taken seriously, that these people should be hired, as this government has done? Does the minister, who says we are not taking things seriously, believe that this is safe behaviour? That is the question.
Hon. Peter Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the armed forces have sent personnel to the facilities solely for training in very specific areas, such as defensive driving. We have used training services in this area since 2003, because the armed forces do not offer this training. We want the best training for our troops. I believe that all the members of this House want that as well. We take the security of our forces seriously.
Mr. Claude Bachand (Saint-Jean, BQ): Mr. Speaker, not only are Saladin Security and Blackwater not recommendable, but the competence of the personnel employed by these companies is very questionable.
It is so bad that, last year, Blackwater was forced to dismiss 122 employees, mainly because of inappropriate use of their weapon. The American lieutenant colonel who spoke to the Washington Post said that these sad individuals shoot first and ask questions later.
Does the minister not find it scandalous and unethical to have Canadian soldiers trained by such mercenaries?
Hon. Maxime Bernier (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, for the embassy in Kabul, we hired security officers who conduct their operations like all security officers. These are not military-style operations.
That being said, we care about our diplomats and the Canadians who visit the embassy in Kabul, and we want to ensure their safety. Those people are well trained and perform the duties of security officers.
Mr. Claude Bachand (Saint-Jean, BQ): Mr. Speaker, those agencies are unsafe, not only for the protection of our diplomats, but also for training our soldiers.
Given all these allegations, is the minister not left with only one choice here this afternoon, which is to immediately cancel the Blackwater and Saladin Security contracts? The minister must promise to table them in this House, so that we can examine them. Will he have the courage to do so?
Hon. Maxime Bernier (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, by asking me to table security contracts in the House, my hon. colleague is asking me to jeopardize the safety of our diplomats at the embassy in Kabul.
This is from the day before. Strange how they always seem to ask questions that they already partially know the answer to:
39th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION / EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 007 / Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Mr. Gilles Duceppe (Laurier—Sainte-Marie, BQ): Mr. Speaker, the federal government has awarded contracts to Blackwater, a private security company, to train soldiers who are currently in Afghanistan. This company, which employs former soldiers and police officers who have been compared to mercenaries, has been embroiled in controversy since its officers killed 17 Iraqis, including several civilians, under circumstances that remain unclear.
How does the Prime Minister explain that his government has contracted with a private company with highly questionable methods to train soldiers serving in Afghanistan?
Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC): Mr. Speaker, these are contracts for security guard services. We frequently use such services in many federal buildings in Canada and abroad.
The contracts are for security guard services. These people are not engaging in military activities.
Mr. Gilles Duceppe (Laurier—Sainte-Marie, BQ): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is constantly going on about transparency. Yet the hiring of these private security firms is shrouded in secrecy.
What is the international status of these mercenaries? Whom do they report to, because they have neither civilian nor military status? Do they have the right to take prisoners? Can the Prime Minister clarify the status of these mercenaries his government has hired?
Hon. Maxime Bernier (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the facts are simple. We have hired security guards for the Canadian embassy in Kabul. That is very clear. These people are ensuring the security of the ambassador’s invited guests and they are conducting security operations. They are traditional security guards, not military guards.
Mr. Claude Bachand (Saint-Jean, BQ): Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of mystery and secrecy surrounding companies like Saladin and Blackwater. Many of them are suspected of being involved in civil wars and even supporting dictatorships.
Did the government do a background check on Saladin to find out whether it was involved in civil wars in the past or whether it supported dictatorial regimes anywhere in the world? We want an answer.
Hon. Maxime Bernier (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, as I was saying yesterday in the House, these contracts were awarded through a very clear public tendering process, a comprehensive process that respects the rules and legislation.
It is important to point out that these people perform non military duties as security guards. They greet visitors to our embassy in Kabul.
next intervention previous intervention [Table of Contents]
Mr. Claude Bachand (Saint-Jean, BQ): Mr. Speaker, I would like the minister to try again because he did not answer my question. My question is on the mercenaries hired by these companies.
Did he do a background check on these mercenaries? Can he tell us whether any of them were involved in civil wars or supported dictatorial regimes? We have the right to know the answers to these questions. The government has to be transparent and put an end to this secrecy.
Hon. Maxime Bernier (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has forgotten about the last election campaign. We are a government that is in favour of transparency and transparency rules. We have acted accordingly. The first bill we tabled in this House was on accountability.
We believe in transparency and democracy and we respect the rule of law. These contracts were awarded properly through a call for tenders.
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Hon. Denis Coderre (Bourassa, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I did not see these people. Our military should be asked, for instance, what they think about the hiring of mercenaries. Our general here will tell you that it is unacceptable.
Now, what is also unacceptable is that Blackwater was hired to train DND special forces.
Does anyone find it acceptable that security firms like Blackwater be hired to protect our troops and show them how they should be training? I am just back from Wainwright. We are quite capable of training them ourselves. What do we need mercenaries for, and why associate with them?
Hon. Maxime Bernier (Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague’s question comes as a big surprise to me, since the Liberals themselves, when in government, hired security firms. They should know. In addition, Bob Rae was recently quoted in the Globe and Mail as saying that he was not about to say that the security services provides by private contractors should not be used.
There is therefore two positions within the Liberal Party: that of its official critic and that of the member opposite.
Blackwater is a disgrace to the United States! Blackwater needs to be charged for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. The United States has no business in any country doing anything unless and until they clean up their own backyard first!
Hang the bastards.
Burn that nest of a demented city by the Potomac that gives birth to the dementia that has poisoned our nation.
Immunity there …and here? When do these mercenaries with a license to kill end? Never? Won’t that be fun.
It’s time to defund the federal government. Let’s all reduce our federal taxes to zero. Start talking in the only language the beast understands.
starofthesea says: I do not own a TV by choice but I am aware of the ongoing popularity of shows like 24. Let’s face it folks.
At least Keifer Sutherland visited the American troops in West Point, on the invitation of Patrick Finnegan and told them not to do this in real life.
Naomi Klien’s husband comments on the whole issue of 24 and Terrorism:
http://www.cbc.ca/onthemap/fullpage.php?id=97
The bush administration has continually blocked congressional investigations. bush himself has pardoned convicted felons. Immunity to Blackwater and interfering with the investigations of the murders they committed is no suprise. We really need a Congress.
See http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barbarajordanjudiciarystatement.htm to see how it used to be.
“When Blackwater kills, no questions asked?” - Are you surprised?
deepa October 30th, 2007 3:23 pm
Business as usual for the Bush admin.
It started with “Robocop” it continued with “Terminator” etc. Starofthesea is right. American culture is VIOLENCE VIOLENCE VIOLENCE.
And the big white people with black sunglassess have always been allowed to shoot, lynche,drive over the little brown,black people of the world.
That’s also part of our culture.
I’m just glad I’m not American.
And not bombing people to the stone ages.
Ever noticed the correlation….Prince….Blackwater….Prince/Darkness…spooky.
There is something seriously wrong with a government who allows murder by choice or random by mercs. Call them security forces….they are what they are…mercs without law or oversight.
Just think….when the admin declares martial law in this country…guess who will be policing it?
This is a country of laws…not that the Bush admin pays heed to that (nor does it seem the Democrats in Congress). The people have to follow the law…not them or such entities as Blackwater. They swore to uphold the Constitution…not to ignore or change it to suit illicit or evil, murderous purposes.
REVOLUTION IS NIGH!
rtdrury is right on the “money”. Taxes support terrorism. Will you help pay for terrorism and war crimes next March?
http://wartaxboycott.org/
This administration has gone from fraudulently elected, to dishonest, to incompetent, to absolutely disgusting, to immoral. What’s next?
Blackwater = Brownshirts
“What’s next?” Satanic rituals on the White House lawn.
starofthesea - I couldn’t agree more! cactuspie - thanks for the link, I’ll be spreading it around. As for my thoughts:
here’s a questions to pose to the presidential candidate of your choice (except for Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul, both of whom vow to bring the troops home IMMEDIATELY upon their election): if elected president, would you keep us safe from Blackwater by barring any previous hires to enlist with any branch of the military/national guard?
I believe it’s reasonable to think that they are trained a certain (inhumane) way and would pose too much of a risk to let them loose in the streets of our cities and towns. I read enough about police brutality as it is.
Until we begin to acknowledge our communal responsibility
As my dad recently said “Who put Blackwater into power? We did which means…” Margaret Bryant-Gainer
Why on earth would an American Administration run by a nerdowell, malcontent, little rich kid who went to school everday with the stench of hyper-fear-pee-pee-britch and money enough to hire the class bully for protection, ever think to come up with the likes of (knightstemplar) Blackwater security???????????????????????????????????????
‘STARFISH’ Bush didn’t think of it, his brains Cheney and Rove did. They are following the Script Hitler wrote.
Starfish are very descrutive creatures and believe it or not, do not have a brain.
These Blackwater murders are a legal matter for the IRAQ GOVERNMENT. I don’t quite understand the immense arrogance of the USA people. First they scream the government must be handed back to Iraqis, they must be allowed as a Sovereign entity and Sovereign Citzens of the world to decide their own matters and not have a puppet USA government installed.
Then, after the “installation” is obviously not tightly controlled, we heard another change in the whine of the winds. The Iraqi government will NEVER get down to business, will never get along, and is on the brink of total civil war… the US Congress, on the eve of their gigantic month long vacation, third for the year, shriekd the Iraq parlaiment/government cannot function and proved it since they took a month off. POT KETTLE BLACK.
Now, we have this gigantic raging cry that “blackwater” murderers live in some sort of vaccuum outside the law…
Ahh, well my friends, that vaccuum is the free and Sovereign IRAQ so many DEMANDED become an IMMEDIATE REALITY so many years ago.
So, we have these comical “show trials” in the Congress. They have zero jurisdiction, and they know it, but everyone can pretend in crybaby rage land that they can “embarrass” the murderous outlaws and declare them… well… something or another…
I suppose we had better re-arrange things to the “proper” form that our dear beloved powr hungry holier than thou know it all Congress so desires…
We had better declare all of IRAQ proper, under the auhority and committee watched Law of the Land of the United States of America CONGRESS.
Congress can begin their administration of laws over the 24 million or so left Iraqis beginning immediately, and inform Maliki or whomever they think is not in charge of their newly demoted status as “observer”.
no surprise. we live under a right-wing christian dictatorship, and the blackwater gang are right-wing christians supporting bush’s dictatorship. when will this congress and this country have the guts to stop this madness. we did it in the 60’s, and we can do it now. but, there needs to be courage, which is lacking with the democrats.
Two things to consider. Prince says that his people shouldn’t be tried in Iraq because they couldn’t get a fair trial there. That brings into question whether or not Saddam Hussein got a fair trial then. And if someone claims that Hussein was just bad, the response would be to ask what he did that Blackwater hasn’t done on a smaller scale since they haven’t been there as long as Hussein was.
The second thing is that “Blackwater” translates into Spanish as “aguas negras” = “sewage.” Most appropriate, don’t you think?
One can’t help but notice how eerily Erik Prince resembles Reinhard ( Hangman ) Heydrich. Right down to the blond hair and the icy gaze.
The man’s (Heydrich’s) cruelty was legendary - and unsurpassed even in the annals of Nazi brutality. Small wonder then , that when he was killed in 1942 , many top Nazis ( including ,it is said, Himmler ) heaved a secret sigh of relief.
Seeing Mr. Prince there in full (cold-blooded )cry - should turn even the most implacable and obdurate reincarnation-sceptic into a terror-stricken ,incoherently babbling true believer.
Reinhard Heydrich has risen .
So has Hitler.
Eric Prince only looks good upside down, hanging from his heels in the town square. As went Mussolini, so one may pray will go Eric Prince.
eshu, good point.
But we should not forget that Prince is on a holy mission to spread US-centered corporate capitalism throughout the world. It is the Iraqis’ fault if they resist, because they should understand that the US government and patriotic organizations like Blackwater only want what is best for them, i.e. a life of happiness as worker bees for the empire, with the opportunity to stay just above the poverty level if they are prudent and diligent, as long as they keep their heads down and do not question authority or question the foreigners who come to corrupt their culture and bully them into submission.
Pretty easy problem to solve for the Iraqis. They just took the first step today, pulling their immunity. Next, declare all mercinaries “unlawful combatants” Then all Iraqis and militias, even Iraqi civilians can and should attack them whenever and wherever they are found. When they became mercinaries they gave up any moral imperitive. They have no names and their lives are worth nothing. The American people should have no issue with hunting these vermin down and exterminating them. Hundreds of thousands of Shite militia and brigades of Iraqi soldier could be turned loose on these guys. They only have SUV’s, maybe Humvees and un-armoured helicopters. They would be much easier to kill than American soldiers. It won’t take long to dry up recruiting. Look how they reacted when 4 of then, justifibly got turned into crispy critters in Falluja in 04. Like all thugs they are cowards. When they see life expectancies in theater of a week or so there won’t be enough money to attract them. They’ll go back their trailers in crotch rot Texas and arm pit Arkansas looking for Jesus and Iraq will be rid of them.
Iraq will prevail and get their country back by ridding themselves of one seeping pusstule at a time..
Fred…
I agree with one of the previous posts: the clowns from Blackwater are not doing anything to forward progress in Iraq (they are doing quite the opposite, in fact), nor are they doing anything to assist in the United States’ overall mission there, nor are they doing anything positive for the U.S. taxpayer. The bush administration did a fine job of privatizing war, and creating a burgeoning (and unchecked) business for mercenaries; that they did this intentionally is not surprising. When those four merc’s were strung up, crispy-style on the bridge the U.S. should have just left things alone; those guys merely got what they deserved (you play the games by the rules). Instead, flattening the city just to avenge the deaths of those four jokers in large part triggered the mess that we are in today. There will be a new administration in fourteen months, and that is our best hope to put an end to the cancer that is this private “security” industry. Once there is again adult supervision in the White House we can at least hope (if not expect) better decision making in Washington. As for the merc’s, let the locals deal with ‘em (and frankly, if I saw a Blackwater blimp flying over me, I would shoot at it).
spkatz, I’ve been watching the 5:20:31 hrs Waxman Committee investigating “Blackwater”, and have learned plenty. There are 173 “blackwaters” in Iraq - controlled by many different powers - Prince’s Blackwater is merely the one employed by the US State Department, who otherwise would use their own hired employee guards.
Some strange things I learned. ALL US Diplomats, and ALL US Congresspersons, are protected by BLACKWATER wheh they have on many,. many occassions travelled to Iraq.
Blackwaters’s PROTECTION RECORD for their “congressional packages” ( that means Congresspersons and Senators ) and diplomatic state department people - is 100%.
There have been ZERO deaths of their protected elite special persons, and they have run 16,000 “transport the elite” missions. The worst injury any elite person they were transporting has suffered has been a broken eardrum from a bomb shockwave. HOWEVER, Blackwater has had 30 some employees DIE while protecting our governments congress and dogooders travelling in Iraq… and 144 with massive injuries.
Don’t expect CONGRESS to change a thing. They LOVE the 100% perfect protection record. It’s their buttinski on the line when they travel there pro or con, for or against the war.
The Justice Department, who can charge Blackwater with crimes, is unlikely to do anything either. They cannot go to the area where Blackwater FLEES any enemy fire with their “package” ( the elite people ).
Blackwater doesn’t stick around and fight. They get the heck out of there- firing while leaving. The “investigation” is a near empty pot. US Justice is not going to take Blackwater backin to protect them while they ask local witnesses questions…word is the FBI does some kind of investigation…probably most from the Green Zone.
The Iraq Government isn’t going to screw around with Blackwater much, it’s the protection that butters the giant US $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ loaf of bread.
You see on the latest BW killing of the #2 Iraq security guard - they have “banned” Blackwater until further notice…
No biggie - there are 172 OTHER PSD’s ( Personnel Security Details) to do the work in the mean time.
Anyone hear ANY OTHER NAME of the other 172 “blackwaters” engaged in Iraq? They kept mentioning how many… but NONE of the congresspeople mentioned a single name…of any of them.. none of the witnesses… I guess mentioning the competition is bad business practice.
The Military cannot do this job, they aren’t trained for it. The US and other nations have used security details for decades, mostly EMPLOYEES of their foreign diplomacy… sometimes PRIVATE like Blackwater…. but now it’s the BIGGEST EVER… 173 total “blackwaters” - we only hear of one though…
They (congress) don’t indeed CAN’T get rid of “blackwater” and the other 172 - or THEY WILL NOT HAVE A SINGLE DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO THE GOVERNMENTS THE DEMOCRATS SAY WE NEED TO TALK TO…
lol
They don’t really want to mention that… so noone does.
SiliconDoc,
There were two parts of your comment I did not understand.
(1) Why would the members of the Iraqi government want to keep the US there for US dollars when they are sitting on $10 trillion+ worth of oil that they cannot take advantage of as long as the US is there?
(2) Why can’t the US military train some of its members to do what Blackwater does, at much less cost, especially since most of the Blackwater Guards learned their most important skills as members of the US military?
1) The Iraq government can’t convert all that to oil $$ in one day or even in decades. Since they can’t control disparate elements with weapons in their nation (and since the USA hasn’t supplied them with the military hardware to do so* because of verified fear of retaliation by the disaparate elements), they welcome someone else doing the job for them, or at least alongside them.
2) That was discussed. With the military, 8-12 support members are required for one front end “security/combat/guard”). So take just the salary of one combat troop, and multiply by 8-12 support personnel. Then the military doctrine is not “flight off the X”, as it is protecting diplomatic attaches and the like. Military code is stay and fight, and worse than that - call in back up - and destroy the enemy and anyone else in the way, oh well. The military would be labelled with a defeat at each encounter, something they cannot stand.
Blackwater and the like do a protect and FLEE the scene(laying down fire only to get their “package” (person(s)) out of the target zone. Military is in uniform - the State Dept. requires a BLEND IN UNIT, not a military colored vehicle and open weaponry.
So there are many reasons the military doesn’t do this shared in the hearing.
Curently the State Dept., when using it’s own Gov. employees (instead of private contractors like Blackwater), claim a $500,000.00 cost per year for one individual + training. State Dept. said it takes them 2 years to train one person. They couldn’t wait after the Iraq invasion.
There are also costs for continuing the military people or State Dept. employees after a large mission (such as Iraq) - on the military side - lifelong healthcare, GI bill, pension, family care - etc. On the State Dept. side- government employment packages and continued employment- likely not available (large investment small return).
So despite the compliants about Personnel Security Details, the costs and the practicality are out of bounds for permanent State Dept. employees and Military proper, besides the other issues on military appearance.
With Blackwater, the day the requirement to guard is gone, the payments stop. Blackwater and others “subcontract” - by the day to employees - so without a daily detail, the employee is not paid.
Finally, yes MANY in Blackwater and the other 172 security companies have former military as their main employees, but also domestic police and sheriff - and swat team people - often those who have left the same, and are in private business or other work. The GAO did a study and found noone was fleeing for Blackwater at any higher rate than in years prior to it’s (and others like it) existence.
So part of the truth is these PSD’s are employing former military and law enforcement.
Military have pension and education and other benefits that the “subcontractor” method of PSD’s do not offer ( they do have a thing like a 401k - and life insurance and health insurance for on duty days) - so the military is not that enticed.
Prince stated his in field employees make about $500 a day, on a month 15k, on 6 months 90k. The higher costs of $1,000k a day often cited include comany overheads - SUV’s - food supplies, in field housings, flares, water, protective gear, a few helicopters, communicatons, training grounds, weaponry, etc.
Of the 16,000 point A to point B missions cited in the hearing, Blackwater had a pefect package record (no dead congresscritters/diplomats) with something like 173 incidents of the 16,000 trips where they fired a weapon and fled the area. ( also a problem for “investigating” what happened at the scene - where for instance Military stays and fights )
Hope that helped.
PS to kivals. Something else I missed. The Iraq government is not in the business of protecting US Congresspersons and US State dept. Diplomats, and US Aid workers and US Halliburton infrastructure ( sewer and electric etc.) employees. Indeed the US State Dept. all over the world, just like other governments have their own protective services for their own people. ( I’m sure there are cooperative endeavors - and for instance UN Peacekeepers or stuff like that for UN personnnel ).
So part of the problem is you have US State Dept. and their agencies and US Congresspersons in a foreign nation in the middle of a war zone, and Iraq Government is not internationally responsible for their safety. That is “the invaders” problem.
The Committee Investigation also pointed out that there was an AGREEMENT between the US gov and Iraq gov concerning PSD’s as Paul Bremmer left and the “rebuilding” was moved from US MIlitary to US State Deptartment, whereby PSD’s like Blackwater would not fall under IRAQ legal control, but under US Justice Department.
So their ” no controllnig authority” status is a misnomer, EXCEPT for the FACT that US Justice Department has only prosecuted a very FEW of the PSD’s personnel.
Since FBI and CIA are also involved, I’m sure there is pressure to “back off” or minimize prosecutions, or as usual drag them out for years.
Blackwater fires their personnel, reports to the State Department the offending incident(actually ALL incidents when a weapon is discharged by a Blackwater employee are reported to State Dept. - in the case of misconduct they report the firing as well as the “pay penalty”.), and then their hands are tied. They cannot HOLD or DETAIN any of their employees, it is against the law for them to do so. They make them pay for an airline ticket back to the USA, and dock their bonus pay, take their last check. That’s about it. Then it’s up to US Justice Deptartment to do something further.
One thing to remember is there is a Congressperson or US Diplomat whose life was “saved” by the “gun and run” procedure of Blackwater or other PSD’s, so there is an “official” who is witness to the incident. ( Can’t say they aren’t severly biased pro Blackwater who “saved their life” - but nonetheless, the non Blackwater employee holds sway in the investigation. Can you imagine ? ” A saw a group of men dressed in black headbands step forward and begin firing, then I heard a big explosion, bullets hitting the SUV, we started speeding off and they were shooting out the back, a window was shot out, I was ducking… thank God they got me out of there I thought I was going to die!”… )
So “investigations” behind the scenes usually have a CONGRESSPERSON or some bigshot stuffy diplomat in SUPPORT of the PSD…
Yes, it’s a very “sticky” (stinky?) situation.
Ok, I have another thing stuck in mind. The investigations against Blackwater are about killing innocents, opening fire when they weren’t fired at, etc.
Well, the oft cited thing is “they give the US Military a bad reputation”.
I have to surmise that the standard operating procedure of Blackwater and those like them is not to fight and win and hold and control the area, but to shoot and scoot - flee the area - if any reputation is ascribed to the US MIlitary from Blackwater - it would be “chicken” and “surrenderer” and “routed from the area!”
I’d also like to point out that the other 172 PSD’s like Blackwater - only two of whom I’ve heard the name of as of yet ( Dynacorp is one of them ) can be doing things that when reported in Iraq- are asbribed to guess who ? That’s right, Blackwater - since that’s the only name anyone ever hears about.
In the Committee Hearing, it was testified to that Blackwater gets calls from Military in Iraq about this or that incident, and many times has to report it wasn’t them, they had no missions “within 100 miles” of the area. This is easily checked with the Congress and State Deptartment “travel” schedule - what diplomatic meetings are going on - etc.
So what is actually occurring besides Blackwater getting blamed for more than it’s own actions - is the OTHER 172 entities scuttling about wreaking on occassion havoc - are off nearly 100% scott free…
What are the names of these other entities? Who here has even a clue ?
I believe Blackwater testified they have about 40%? (maybe it was 20%) of all the “transport” PSD missions in Iraq.
That means the OTHER 60% - those companies doing it that we never hear a word about - are getting away with it …. with absolutely no public awareness or pressure through representatives - etc.