Fully Loaded: Drunken Blackwater Guard Who Killed Iraqi Is Back In Iraq Thanks To State Dept.

The Gavel:

On Tuesday the Oversight Committee held a hearing on Blackwater, examining several incidents in Iraq involving the private security firm. One such incident involved a Blackwater employee who shot a guard of the Iraqi Vice President, apparently while drunk, and whether the Justice Department has truly been investigating as the State Department claims. The Blackwater employee was flown out of the Iraq within two days of the incident before a proper investigation could be conducted:

Today Chairman Henry Waxman wrote to Secretary of State Rice following reports that this Blackwater contractor, who was fired at the time, was hired by another private contractor to work in the region two months later. As Chairman Waxman writes in the letter, "Serious questions now exist about whether the State Department may have withheld from the U.S. Defense Department facts about this Blackwater contractor's shooting of the Iraqi guard that should have prevented his hiring to work on another contract in support of the Iraq War."

Read the whole story: The Gavel

Comments

[Mike169]

As with so much that is wrong with this administration they turn the "oversight" to the same people who were supposed to do the oversight in the first place and failed. Having a mercenary army will come to haunt us when these chickens come home to roost.

[booker52]

Whats wrong with this picture? He gets fired from Blackwater, then gets hired with the Military??? Hello???

[VOTER]

All Blackwater contracts came from the Bush Administration during Bush's Illegal War of Choice.

The head of Blackwater told Congress, he has made $100 million in profits.

We have 160,000 American soliders in the Middle East.

There are 160,000 mercenaries, paid with our tax dollars, in the Middle East.

Wake up America! Bush sold us out long ago. When and how are we going to get justice from him and his friends, all made wealthier through his illegal war?

It is time to stop spilling our soldiers blood. Bring them home and let Bu$h'$ Mercenarie$ stay in Iraq.

[Captain EdwardGraham]

Another Surge?

Camp Pendleton readying 11,000 troops for Iraq assignment at year's end
North County Times - Oct 06 8:14 PM CAMP PENDLETON -- When an estimated 11,000 Camp Pendleton troops head to Iraq soon, they'll be taking a host of new equipment with them such as lighter helmets, better flak jackets and more heavily armored vehicles.

[LindaSmart50]

Erik Prince the head of Blackwater is a first class Grade A cocksucking monster.

This same bastard claims to be a born again Christian.

[godlessclif]

Clarence Thomas pulled a Cheney and stayed in college until the Vietnam was ended, so he is irrelevant to any discussion of the military.
Thomas graduate from high school in 1966, went to
a seminary for two years and then Holy Cross for four years getting an AB degree in 1971. By 1971 the war was winding down and the lottery was in effect.

Just to be sure Thomas got his affirmative action Yale Law school ticket taking him to 1974 and 27 years old, over the 26 years that is the army cut-off for draftees.

[Plowboy]

Onward Christian Soldier.
Blackwater's friends takes care of Blackwater's own.
But we don't torture.
BHush said that we don't.
And we must believe Bush, the hero of the Alabama bottle battles while being served with TANG.

[Captain EdwardGraham]

These died so that Bu$hs super rich friends could get at the OIL:



10/06/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Avealalo Milo, 23, of Hayward, Calif., died Oct. 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team

10/06/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Rachael L. Hugo, 24, of Madison, Wis., died Oct. 5 in Bayji, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked her unit using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. She was assigned to the 303rd Military Police Company...

10/06/07 MNF: Bomb blast targets MND-B patrol - 1 killed, 2 wounded
A Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldier was killed and three others were wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations in the southern region of the Iraqi capital Oct. 6.

10/06/07 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Sgt. Ricardo X. Rodriguez, 23, of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, died Oct. 4 near Bayji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion...

[ajax2]

The leading warmonger in the U.S. Senate is Joe Lieberman. He wakes up every morning wanting to spill blood. The leading Blackwater supporter in Congress is Chris Shays. He gives them a 100% job performance because he places no value on Iraqi lives, women or children. Connecticut, was is this horrible brew you mixed?

[abbiehoffmansghost]

Loved the picture of the ass monkeys in the helicopter. I can just imagine hitting it with and RPG or a SAM. Oh what joy to take out mercenaries.

[Ramirez]

An instant HuffPo Classic!

[LindaSmart50]

How is your stint going in the NSA cubicle, comrade??

Sieg Heil!!

[LindaSmart50]

Yep, shooting down Nazi aircraft is a joy to behold.

Actually, perhaps some benevolent insurgent will roll a couple of canisters of Sarin into the Green Zone.

[researcher]

we need more mercenaries not less. great for imperialism. canada's next with their oil hidden in slates under ground.

they will be a pushover with those guys in red suits riding on horses. like shooting red ducks or santa clauses.

capitalism and imperialism forever baby its our american birth right. might makes right always has always will.

we can have guns and butter as LBJ stated.

loved that man managed to kill millions of nonchristians with his warmongering and we could not make helicopters fast enough in california during that war. now it is humvees. $$$$$$$ darn and I did not buy stock in humvees.

the company I have stocks in gets 30 bucks a meal for hamburgers and hotdogs and if the GI takes a plate to cover his plate we make 60 bucks as we charge by the paper plate not the meal. brillant on our part. $$$$$

god I love the american taxpayer and the chinese credit card they just keep on giving.

wars for profits; is there any other way? ike told us this might happen well he was right: go ike.$$$$$$$$$
signed
evangel neo con stockholder

[LindaSmart50]

Who is trying to delete the Operation Mockingbird article from Wikipedia?
Posted Oct 6, 2007 01:23 PM PST
Category: COVER-UP/DECEPTIONS

Mockingbird is the CIA operation to control the media. So, who would want to erase it from the public awareness?

[LindaSmart50]

We have no plans to attack Iran: Bush
George Bush has denied on Arab television that the United States is gearing up to attack Iran.

In an hour-long interview with Al Arabiya, he said he remained committed to working diplomatically to resolve the stand-off with Tehran over its nuclear program. He reiterated his pledge to negotiate with Iran once it gave up its nuclear program.
Posted Oct 6, 2007 08:59 AM PST
Category: IRAN

We know when this man is lying: his lips move, and he speaks.

Admadinejad has made very clear that his country will not give up its nuclear program, and Bush knows this.

Whether he is better able to "sell" Iran's nuclear program, or the accusation of Iran aiding insurgents in Iraq as the reason for the attacks doesn't matter: it's a question of how, and when.

And also a question of how the world will respond (particularly China and Russia) when an attack against Iran happens.

[LindaSmart50]

http://www.counterpunch.org/cook10052007.html

"It Doesn't Get Any Worse Than That, Ray"
Unmasking AIPAC

By WILLIAM A. COOK

VRay Suarez (PBS News Hour Reporter, October 2, 2007): "You're saying that the national legislature of this country, rather than doing the will of the citizens of the United States, passed that Iran resolution, sanctioning the Republican Guard, because of the American-Israeli Political Action Committee?"

Mike Gravel (Democratic Presidential Candidate): "Wait a second. They'll (sic) be some information coming out about how this thing was drafted. So the answer is yes, the short answer. ... This is what's at stake with this resolution. And it's the height of immorality, irresponsibility, and the United States Senate, with the Democrats in charge, voted for the passage of this resolution. It doesn't get any worse than that, Ray.".

In asking his question, Ray Suarez implies that our Senators capitulated to the desires of AIPAC, knowing their vote negated the expressed will of the American people. Gravel, once a Senator from Alaska during the Vietnam War period, answers unhesitatingly, "yes," the short answer is yes. The obvious follow-up question would appear to be: "Why do you think that our Senators would vote against the expressed wishes of their constituents in favor of a special interest lobby?" It was never asked. Fortunately, Sy Hersh, in an interview with Amy Goodman that same day, responded to a question posed by Goodman, a question drawn from a Gravel criticism of Hillary Clinton for having voted for this resolution. Goodman pointed to the 76 votes in favor, both Republican and Democrat, asking Hersh to respond to Gravel's critique: "This is fantasy land," Gravel commented, "We're talking about ending the war. My god, we're just starting a war right today. There was a vote in the Senate today. Joe Lieberman, who authored the Iraq resolution, has authored another resolution, and it is essentially a fig leaf to let George Bush go to war with Iran. And I want to congratulate Biden for voting against it, Dodd f

[kellygrrrl]

in a related story:
Secretary Rice thanked Chairman Waxman for his letter as she was in dire need of new bird cage lining. She discarded the copy of The Constitution she had been using and replaced it promptly with the unread paper she received from Waxman.

[JaneC]

That would be so funny if it weren't most likely true. ;)

[ContraEgoiste]

Now trolls, you say you respect the troops. You do realize that this is an affront to them don't you? You do realize that these men do not swear allegiance to the US, but to the highest bidder, and this could even be to any of the Saudi billionaires. Pay close attention trolls there is no US flag on their uniform yet you are paying for their salary and so will your children.

You are aware that privately owned armies and a democratic government are diametrical opposed?


The march to fascism continues. People said that what happen in Germany could never happen again and certainly not in the US, yet here we are, Corporate owned armies. All of it supported by the brain dead 25%-ers.

[reece5309]

HILLARY: There is a very easy way to prevent anyone from being put into harm's way and that is for Saddam Hussein to disarm. And I have absolutely no belief that he will. I have to say that this is something that I have followed for more than a decade. If he is serious about disarming, he would have been much more forthcoming. I ended up voting for the resolution after carefully reviewing the information and intelligence that I had available, talking to people whose opinions I trusted, trying to discount political or other factors that I didn't believe should be in any way a part of this decision. I would love to agree with you, but I can't based on my own understanding and assessment of the situation. With respect to whose responsibility it is to disarm Saddam Hussein, I just do not believe that, given the attitudes of many people in the world community today, that there would be a willingness to take on very difficult problems were it not the United States leadership, and I'm talking specifically about what had to be done in Bosnia and Kosovo, where my husband could not get a Security Council resolution to save the Kosovar Albanians from ethnic cleansing, and we did it alone as the United States, and we had to do it alone. And so I see it somewhat differently. So forgive me for my experience and perspective.

[LindaSmart50]

They are actually killing Americans with their actions of fomenting strife between Shiites and Sunnis. Thats their true mission....anything to keep the USA in Iraq.

They are evil scum and so is anyone who supports that.

[reece5309]

you need help

[allwarisbad]

I would like you to look at this hypothesis which has been brewing in my mind of late. There seems to be an alliance built between the Bushes and the Clintons. All the joint campaigning for Katrina victims by Bush Sr. and Bill has brought them close. With the present state in the country it is pretty obvious that a Rebublican cannot win the next election. So who is the best to carry on the legacy, Hillary of course and Bill himself is liable on Iraq, as the first resolutions were passed during his time. Thus the deal. Hillary will see to it that the pro-war policy goes on and no war crimes/etc. items are ever brought up against Bush. Hillary/Bill are also very pro AIPAC/lobbies/big-business. This represents a win-win situation for both these families. Hillary can go on bashing Bush in her speeches, which can be attributed to pure politics. And you will also see Bush talking positively of Hillary.
You will recall the Bushes met at KENNEBUNKPORT in August with French PM. That is the time I think this deal was hatched. If someone could reseach a bit on this it would be very useful in unravalling a great deceit being played on the American people...

[LindaSmart50]

I agree with you on this.

[ContraEgoiste]

.
Pentagon: Iraq Intel Manipulated For White House

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802387_pf.html


Official's Key Report On Iraq Is Faulted
'Dubious' Intelligence Fueled Push for War

By Walter Pincus and R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, February 9, 2007; A01


Intelligence provided by former undersecretary of defense Douglas J. Feith to buttress the White House case for invading Iraq included "reporting of dubious quality or reliability" that supported the political views of senior administration officials rather than the conclusions of the intelligence community, according to a report by the Pentagon's inspector general.

-snip-


An unclassified summary of the full document is scheduled for release today in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which Levin chairs. In that summary, a copy of which was obtained from another source by The Washington Post, the inspector general concluded that Feith's assessment in 2002 that Iraq and al-Qaeda had a "mature symbiotic relationship" was not fully supported by available intelligence but was nonetheless used by policymakers.

- snip -

It stated that the office produced intelligence assessments "inconsistent" with the U.S. intelligence community consensus, calling those actions "inappropriate" because the assessments purported to be "intelligence products" but were far more conclusive than the consensus view.
.

[ContraEgoiste]

.
The unclassified summary of the report by the Pentagon's inspector general to the Senate Armed Services Committee

DODIG_execsummary_020907[2].pdf

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/documents/DODIG_execsummary_020907.pdf

==========================================

Office of Special Plans

===============================================

CIA Analysts: Over 50% Of Bush's Iraq War Justifications Untrue
Los Angeles Times | Posted February 10, 2007 05:32 PM

As the Bush administration began assembling its case for war, analysts across the U.S. intelligence community were disturbed by the report of a secretive Pentagon team that concluded Iraq had significant ties to Al Qaeda.

Analysts from the CIA and other agencies "disagreed with more than 50%" of 26 findings the Pentagon team laid out in a controversial paper, according to testimony Friday from Thomas F. Gimble, acting inspector general of the Pentagon.

===========================================================

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-feith10feb10,1,1206376.story?coll=la-news-a_section&ctrack=1&cset=true

CIA doubts didn't deter Feith's team
Intelligence agencies disagreed with many of its prewar findings.
By Greg Miller and Julian E. Barnes, Times Staff Writers
February 10, 2007

WASHINGTON " As the Bush administration began assembling its case for war, analysts across the U.S. intelligence community were disturbed by the report of a secretive Pentagon team that concluded Iraq had significant ties to Al Qaeda.

Analysts from the CIA and other agencies "disagreed with more than 50%" of 26 findings the Pentagon team laid out in a controversial paper, according to testimony Friday from Thomas F. Gimble, acting inspector general of the Pentagon.
.

[ContraEgoiste]

from: DODIG_execsummary_020907[2].pdf

Background. On July 7, 2004, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released a classifed report, "Report on the U.S. Intelligence Community's Pre-War Intelligence Assesments on Iraq" that was critical of the Intelligence Community assesments on Iraq, further concluding that the "Intelligence Community analyst lacked a consistent post-September 11th approach to analysing and reporting on terrorism threats."

-snip-

On September 9, 2005, Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, requested that the Office of Inspector General, Department of Defense, review whether the Office Of Special Plans, "at any time, conducted unauthorized, unlawful or inappropiate intelligence activities.". The term Office Of Special Plans has become generic terminology for the activities of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Policy, including the Policy Counter Terrorism Evaluation Group and Policy Support Office. The actual Office of Special Plans had no responsibility for and did not perform any of the activities examined in this review.
(Appendix C).

[esquire07]

Iraqi's that kill Blackwater personnel should be considered heros. Becuase one day, as the American Econmy collapses becuase of the War, Blackwater will be used to kill rioting Americans.

[LindaSmart50]

Agreed,,,but the little Nazi fuck Reece doesn't.

[Ramirez]

Looks like doing that hour as "MaryMullins" put you in a bad mood, Dutch.

Boring, wasn't it?

[reece5309]

fool