Blackwater's Iraq Contract Renewed For At Least Another Year

Last fall, Blackwater Worldwide was in deep peril.

Guards for the security company were involved in a shooting in September that left at least 17 Iraqis dead at a Baghdad intersection. Outrage over the killings prompted the Iraqi government to demand Blackwater's ouster from the country, and led to a criminal investigation by the F.B.I., a series of internal investigations by the State Department and the Pentagon, and high-profile Congressional hearings.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[shanghaislim]

It is about unethical contracts as much as it is about unethical tactics!

No rules of engagement and No accountability "sends the wrong message" to the Iraqis and the rest of the world.

[rollingdivision]

The Democratic congress has complete ultimate control over all funding and could have banned Blackwater from all federal contracts, they chose not to act. Blackwater just like any other company is in the business to make money and strives to do their job as best they can. No question in a war zone with thousands of alarmed enemies there have been screw-ups, but overall Blackwater is being vilified over a few unrepresentative incidents. Today, Blackwater is on the official hated by the left list.

[RENREVARD]

YOU THANK MARK PENN OF THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN FOR THIS. BLACKWATER IS ONE OF HIS CLIENTS!

[mari2JJ]

How silly, it is many years since Clinton was President. You mean Bush is such an ineffective leader that he cannot go against what the Clinton Administration did. And do not forget, this PRESENT administration, JUST NOW, resigned Blackwater for another year. IF you were correct, are you saying that this administration is so dumb they keep making deals with the same Company that one of Clinton's best friends controls? Hmmm, never thought I would meet another Republican backer who refuses to hold this Administration responsible for all THEIR own blunders. Either that, or you believe that Bush is so clueless he just goes on using the same old crooks. Or, they are so dull they must not even know what you claim to know about Penn's deal with Blackwater, eh? How like Republicans (and I am one) to blame someone else. If Republicans do not get the facts about this corrupt Administration and then insist that BUSH and his corrupt cronies clean up their act, we can expect to be out of power for years to come. And that, my dear, will NOT be the Democrats problem. Get real, we are 7 plus years in to the BUSH administration and BUSH is totally responsible for who is contracted to do stuff in Iraq. I really suspect the idea of our Party's blaming someone else for what THEY are doing ended about 7 1/2 years ago. Let's clean up our own mess.

[NoSillyName]

"You're doing a heck of a job, Blackie!" quoth the Bush. Nevermore.

[IowaKid]

Blackwater was started in the Clinton administration even before the Iraq war. None the less Blackwater has some bad eggs that are above just like a bunch of them in the Bush Administration. What are you going to clean up first??????

[Billar]

Blackwater was never started in the Clinton Administration. US Marines provided security at our embassies around the globe. Black water is an offshoot of the Bush crime family.

[mari2JJ]

Actually Blackwater was started in 1998 but had nothing to do with the Clinton Administration. Besides, that is just a dodge that Republicans are using now. Go to any precinct meeting and it is one of their talking points. How like folks in the Republican party to change the subject like that. It is now 10 years later than 1998 and Bush is on the last year of his 8 yrs. in the Presidency. Blackwater today is his baby, has nothing to do with the Clintons and unless one thinks the Clintons are in bed with GW, then even bringing up that subject is done to change the subject from the horrible contractor this administration has chosen to do business with. I am no Clinton loyalist, but blaming Clinton for stuff 8 years in to this administration is simply childish.

[drkazmd65]

If I were Obama,... day one as President - even before the the evening's parties,... I would sign an executive order to break that contract.

That would be a sign that no Sh*t will be taken by the new administration - setting the tone even before the stink of Bush/Cheney gets bleached out of our White House and the VP Residence.

A guy can dream,...

[usedtowander]

Grow up. The problem is not Blackwater. The problem is the mission.

To complete the mission U.S. interests must have security.
Without an expanded military, that security must be provided by mercenaries.

When there is adequate change in the composition of the Congress, the overall question can be addressed. Until then, we must make the best of it.

Or institute a Draft.

I don't see Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee having hearings on the subject. No matter how much rhetoric we hear about CHANGE - I don't see ANY ACTION from those Senators who are actually supposed to create change. Just a lot of talk. Especially from the junior Senator from Illinois who is making the most noise about CHANGE.

And, Waxman's stupid question - so they could hire another company? So what?
Does anyone believe that the highly-trained individuals - mostly ex-military because they can get more money - are fungible? Even if they fired Blackwater and hired another company the same pool of individuals would be doing the same thing. The Blackwater management is not the problem.

"Management" is the problem. That's POTUS and the spinless, talk-and-do-nothing Congress. The Republicans exist to serve the interestes of the ultra-wealthy, the religious wing-nuts, and support the inherited ruler of the U.S. The Democrat "opposition" is too lazy and self-absorbed to actually do anything.

Talk, talk, talk. No action.

The country should take a note from Forrest Gump, "Stupid is as stupid does."

[mari2JJ]

Actually the opposition is NOT majority enough to stop the feckless Republicans. If you want a real change, elect MORE Democrats to make an unstoppable majority so the Filibuster threat is just noise and silliness. Till we do that we are stuck with immobility in our House and Senate with everyone just left to whine. and we deserve what we get.

[Marlyn]

"To complete the mission U.S. interests must have security." ???

And just what is that mission? to steal Iraqi oil?

[Marlyn]

"The problem is not Blackwater. The problem is the mission." ???

The problem is that Blackwater is beyond the law.

[Tyger79]

Actually pal, Blackwater is a huge problem. They use Gestapo tactics. They have committed countless war crimes in Iraq, and violated the rights of U.S. citizens on American soil. I don't know how anyone who knows anything about that company could say they are not a problem.

If they didn't exist, the mission would be impossible to carry out. That's Bush's people talking, not me. It is because there is a massive shadow force in Iraq that the mission has been able to go on. The mission, no doubt was the initial offense, but if we were to take the thousands of mercinaries out of "theater" our troops would have been home long ago. This is just a fact.

[fact finder]

Money,money will buy so they can kill all they want as long as the money keeps flowing back and forth between them and Congress members.

[jcorrington]

Bikerdude, they didn't BID on the contracts - they were awarded the contract without any kind of competition, free and clear. No cronies left behind, as usual with this admin.


del8300
ie7

[Danny]

Blackwater -- prime example of the looting of our treasury, one no-bid contract (to cronies) at a time. Why are the Dems complicit? Are they on the take, too?

[Tyger79]

Not only are they a threat in Iraq. They are trying to set up "vocational schools" to train deathsquads in this country. Republicans out west are actually fighting them, which shows you how sick this outfit is. Juxtapose this plan for training schools with what Blackwater did while patroling the streets of New Orleans after Katrina, and there's a frightening future to be had with this company in existence.

[Marlyn]

Here in San Diego, we are fighting to keep Blackwater out. Recently the town of Potrero near the Mexican border managed to stop Blackwater from opening a live fire training camp in their town. But now Blackwater has got another spot picked out in San Diego county near the border.

So our fight against them continues.

[fact finder]

Tyger79; I would propose that every one plant a big garden , buy guns and plenty of ammo. Just a thought.

[Tyger79]

This is yet another example of how the Dems are still strangers to the spine. Patrick Kennedy's quotation in the article should floor anyone who actually wants this war to end, as opposed to bearing some empty moral witness as is grinds on. I'll simply agree with Jeremy Scahill, who details Blackwater's corruption and criminality in the definitive book on the subject. Stop Blackwater and end the war. The dems have failed to do that because they want the issue to run on . It's really sick what this political system makes of those who operate within it.

[bikerdude]

This is an outrage! A company like this should not be permitted to bid on federal contracts until these charges are cleared. If the president won't do his duty, then congress and/or the justice department must step in.

[Marlyn]

Yes, yet another outrage from the Bush administration.

[ohiomark]

OOOOHHHHHH BLACKWATER!!!

Another one of those words that send liberals through the roof.

Added to the list of Haliburton, Cheney, Bush, Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Fox News and Wal-Mart, among others. All Arianna has to do is put one of these names in a headline and that feeds red meat to the moonbats for another day.

I know, it's a survival tactic on her part. She has to keep the far left crazies here.

[mari2JJ]

Nah you have no idea what is going on. I am a registered Republican so you are just flat out wrong. You will see what this WH crew has done to ruin the Republican brand. Wall to wall muck for as far as the eye can see. It is humiliating to have Republicans behave like they have in this administration. I lived in Texas for years and could have written a detailed scenario of the behavior of a Bush Administration. Now all Republicans' blowing and puffing will not save us from years and years of Democrats running things and that is only fair. Republicans have allowed the most corrupt modern administration to operate freely for 8 years and pay day is coming. That is God's way and it will be years before Republicans have much say in our National government. And I, a Republican must say, 'Thank you God. Save our country from this stupidity pushed on us by the Bush cabal". Look at the returns on the early elections and tell me if the Democrat or the Republican was elected. Even in heavily Republican areas the Dems win. Nice to know that God is cleaning house!

[ohiomark]

You are preaching to the choir. I also don't like the way the Republican party has gone lately, but putting Democrats in would be much worse, unless, of course, you are looking for the Jimmy Carter effect, which would bring us another Ronald Reagan.

[EspritDeVoltaire]

Not many people are willing to publicly debase themselves for others' amusement. We salute you for bringing the profession of fool into the 21st century.

[bikerdude]

17 people murdered and the company responsible is not only permitted to bid on these contract, but they also get the award. This is where republican oversight and privatization take us. Yes, Bush, Cheney, Blackwater and Rice are responsible and need to be held accountable for their actions.