Blackwater is Still Accountable to No One

We cannot continue to risk the lives of hundreds of thousands of American troops and spend billions of taxpayer dollars on a mission in Iraq while undermining this same mission through the sanctioning of a shadow military of mercenary forces who operate in a vacuum of any kind of law or accountability. The questionable and careless practices of Blackwater USA and other private security firms are endangering the credibility of U.S. troops during a time when cooperation with the Iraqi people and government is critical for our success. The extent of this threat cannot be underscored enough--a senior U.S. military official has even asserted that the impact of the actions of Blackwater on Iraqi attitudes toward our troops will 'hurt us badly.'

During a recent hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I questioned Erik Prince, CEO of Blackwater USA , about his company's policy of 'shoot first--and sometimes kill--and then ask questions later.' I found his responses to my questions, as well as to those posed by my colleagues, to be very unsettling. At that same hearing, I called upon officials of the State Department to start holding these private security firms accountable.

I was initially encouraged by the actions taken by the State Department in response to the controversy surrounding the shooting of 17 Iraqi civilians last month by Blackwater employees, including inviting the FBI to investigate the shooting and enacting new policies--such as installing cameras on vehicles--to help ensure responsible behavior.

It is unfortunate that these actions now appear to be nothing more than thinly-veiled steps to avoid a PR scandal, rather than the substantive actions needed to ensure the safety of U.S. troops and the integrity of our mission. I sincerely hope that this is not the case. It has come to light that the State Department granted limited immunity to the Blackwater guards involved in the September 16 th shooting, complicating any possibility that the guards will be subjected to prosecution under U.S. law or--once again--any kind of accountability.

II am deeply concerned that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who appeared before the Committee last week, did not mention that Blackwater personnel were refusing to speak with the FBI under the immunity deal offered by the State Department. It does not bode well that in such a high-profile case, the Secretary of State would omit these details, implying that she was either unaware of the circumstances or was intentionally withholding this information from Congress.

I once again call upon the State Department to enact real standards of accountability for private security contractors in Iraq. For the sake of the lives of our troops and of Iraqi civilians, we cannot continue to allow these companies to slip through the cracks of Justice.

Comments

[motamanx]

Those who favor impeachment to stop the manifold illegalities of this administration are right. It's the only way.

Somehow, however, Bush has a hold over them and they always vote with him instead of to curtail him. Strange.

If Bush/Cheney are not impeached forthwith, the country is in bad trouble--because it has lost its courage to combat its own terror mongers.

[MAGLATINA]

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME... WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO STOP THIS MADNESS???

[jwod]

The only way around this utter privatization of warfare is a return to the draft. That that is so unpalatable to most Americans may be an indicator that we, as a people, are not ready to undertake the use of force unless attacked. Our isolationism, so deeply ingrained, and as we saw in the runups to WWI and WWII, perhaps uncharitably selfish/foolish, may be the only way to keep our boobalicious Presidents' (e.g. LBJ, Reagan, Carter, Bush 43) hands off the trigger.

[VoteOrDie]

Doesn't anyone remember the wining in the 90's over the base closures, Bill was gutting our military....well where the hell is our military today? Hired killers like Blackwater, more bases closed under Shrub and Dick, soilders sent to war without proper body armor, vehicles, multiple deployments....who is gutting our military?

And as for Mr Cummings questioning whether or not Rice know about Blackwater or was just covering up, look no further than the 911 hearings when she said noone knew about Oshma's intent, and she was shown the DPB stated the full intent of Bin Liden to strike inside the US using planes, and her dumb blank stare says it all.

[Weafer]

Whole mess is a bizarre philosophical nightmare of deluded belief and action, full of unearned optimism and eyes wide shut behaviour. Situation is increasingly becoming a commercial glom and not an ideological or even military initiative. It looks like the financiers have stepped up in the vacuum that has come out of the lack of progress and are taking full advantage of this quagmire while they can. Things like providing for the defense, health care and utilities (Water, Electricity, Sewage.) should be things the occupiers and sitting government are in charge of. If the people you are trying to win over can't even get a glass of water, why should they even care ?

[pmprescott]

Why should anyone in the executive branc take Congress seriously? You can't even override a veto that would give health care to children. When Congress starts doing its job again then Secs of State will fear and tremble again.

[lgillooly]

Please start Impeachment proceedings ASAP.Blogs are nice,but we need to DO something.

[LoriAnn]

You want to see a cathartic response from the majority of US citizens... you do the right thing and uphold what this Country stood for before the last six years of this on going rediculous sitcom "Georgies World"!! Uphold the constitution and the law that pertain to the rest of us mortals. The laws and constitution that others have fought, died, and legislated 200 years for. This administration is feeding on the indecisiveness of the legislative branches and the fractured citizenry. The "Bushies" thrive on the chaos and confusion! Make it
easy ...abide by the basic road map that the fore fathers provided...no one is above the law ...to destroy the constitutional structure is to commit treason. Why muddy the water...call a spade a spade and bring the full judgement of this country down on those who seek to destroy it from with in!!!!

[bushlies]

Ever wonder WHEN Bush/Cheney is going to turn Blackwater on us? Isn't this just Bush's (and corporate America's) version of the SS? They sure act like it!

[Shortyfuse]

I thought my just posting Brown Shirts would just say it all. Since you did not post my comment I have to guess that you did not know the Brown Shirts were the thugs that Hitler used to dispose of his political enemies. They were his soliders outside of the military and police. His own personal malitia. Later to become Storm Troopers.

[TwilightZoneResident]

Rep. Cummings, if you have any real concern about what is happening to our country, why don't you initiate impeachment charges? Please someone stand up and stop being more concerned about winning elections and campaign money contributions than with upholding their oath of office of protecting the constitution and our citizens. Until you, or someone does this, any and everything you and the rest of your ilk say means absolutely nothing! TZR

[wrabbitt]

this should come as no surprise. because congress is not accountable to any one, not even to the people that elected them so why should this be any different its too bad our troops can't fight the way Blackwater does i see no guilt in fighting fire with fire if americans die does Iraq give a shit? they went on vacation just as our congress people did they learn quick!

[wrabbitt]

the government does not want change and the people can jump up and down and hold their breath until we turn blue its not going to make any difference. the next election? thats not going to be any different either. they will just throw two losers at us and expect us to vote for the lesser of two evils. thats the unamerican way is anyone paying attention to the people we are just herded in one direction or another i'm tired of voting for mickey mouse but, he's the only one I trust

[MAGLATINA]

WELL PUT. UNTIL YOU DO SOMETHING... DO NOT EXPRESS LAMENTATIONS... IMPEACH!!!

[splashy]

Just stop funding the mercenaries and other corporatization schemes run by the scammers called the Republic party, and pull the military out of Iraq.

Problem solved.

[TankerRat]

For Sure splashy. Now all you have to do is elect Hillary and it'll be at minimum 2013 and at perhaps maximum 2013 before that happens.

BTW: State department has it's head up it's ass again and is now saying that there will no immunity. Well, "The Donald" always told you that Condi Rice can't close a deal for a glass of beer and a sandwich. Here's another shining example.

[gardenbookie]

Mair1
Hear, Hear!
It's high time for the government 'of the people, by the people and for the people' ... to be returned to the people!

...to be TAKEN BACK BY THE PEOPLE!

[StanleyArcieri]

The FBI is already locked out from investigating Blackwater and Dark Lord Dick Cheney's Halliburton militias in Iraq. That's today! We must stop outsourcing the US Army military to private militias or our crippled democracy will never be allowed to investigate private corporate militias in the future. As for a government of the people, what if any candidate was to run on a platform of "People before Money". That would be a real shockeroo, something like real democracy!

[wrabbitt]

i'm in whats the first thing we have to do? everyone talks about it but, no one wants to get involved i'm a vet i love my country but, hate the government it seems like its we the corporations,insurance companys,drug companys are going to bleed the people untill we revolt.

[PatA]

"We cannot continue to risk the lives of hundreds of thousands of American troops and spend billions of taxpayer dollars on a mission in Iraq while undermining this same mission through the sanctioning of a shadow military of mercenary forces who operate in a vacuum of any kind of law or accountability."

It really saddens me to tell you this, there is no "we" in government anymore. It is called "them"......

[isis]

People don't want to enlist for the pay we offer so we hire a mercinary Army for 10-100 times more. Makes no sense.

[Gileo30]

You got that right. $1000 a day with a big portion going to the Evangelical Church (Eric Prince and his boss James Dobson)