Want Private Armies in America? Say Yes to Blackwater
The Iraqi government, no paragon of legal niceties, demanded that Blackwater leave the "sovereign" territory of Iraq. Why? Well, as Cliff Shecter points out, while the Iraqi government is already engaged in its own civil war, they seem not to want the US to start another one. And that's precisely what started to happen yesterday when Blackwater security guards fired at and killed somewhere between eight and thirteen civilians. And this time the Blackwater boys were not protecting supplies. They were protecting the American government. That's right. Blackwater killed Iraqi civilians while careening through Baghdad in a convoy of black SUVs containing US embassy officials.
I for one want those embassy personnel to be safe. The Foreign Service is staffed largely by professionals intent upon doing their best to further America's aims via peaceful means. Joe Wilson was one of them and fortunately there are many others like him out there. With a real government in Washington that understands that diplomacy is not the logical extension of war (to paraphrase Metternich), those professionals might even be able to end the war and build a peace. But not now. Not with Blackwater, a shadowy private army owned and operated by right wing Republican billionaire donor Erik Prince, providing "security" to our professionals.
But why Blackwater? Why not the US military? Last I checked, Marines guard embassies all over the world, but apparently not in Iraq. Instead, we have a band of unregulated thugs loose on the streets willing and able to kill with impunity, at least partially because they know there is no "higher authority." They answer to no law, not Iraqi, not US, not military and not international. And this is certainly not the first time that Blackwater has become the problem, not the solution, in Iraq.
The good news is that something like this could never happen in the US, right? Think again. Blackwater has a 7,000 acre training facility in Mayok, North Carolina. It has a large facility outside of Chicago that is being opposed by our friends at Clearwater. But that's not enough: Blackwater is trying to open an 824 acre facility in east San Diego County that will have as many as 700 people there at any given time. And they are bidding for work to guard the border between the US and Mexico. Imgaine the international incident when the gun down unarmed civilians on the border. Or when they "show up" for an emergency in LA or San Franciso, armed to the teeth as they did in New Orleans, and offer their services? Will they go away quietly? Will we have to call in our own National Guard to get them to leave just as happened in Iraq?
This nation can no longer afford to support mercenaries on our soil or off. We certainly cannot allow Blackwater to open in California. More than 4,000 people have joined Courage Campaign in asking Senators Boxer and Feinstein and Governor Schwarzenegger to stop Blackwater. Will you?
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The scariest part of this thing is his strong ties to christian fundamentalism. His father is in on FRC and he donates to the wackiest of fundy organizations. Look it up.
That all christian town being built in Florida is a family venture.
The combination of radical religion and an army is a time bomb. You watch and see.
GWW
This episode just disgusts me. This is where we get when we elect people who have no interest in separation of powers, make no distinction between power and good, and the only guidance they acknowledge is a sort of messianic apocryphal arrogance. I love Maliki's move. Power to the puppet!
"Power to the Puppet!"
George Bush against Maliki... That's a Puppet power paddle battle.
Perhaps their strings have become a tangled web by accident.
:)
God forbid they should fall into a Persian petro puddle, while the puppets paddle battle in THAT particular place...
That's also why BushCo. have not tried to suppress the news about troops stretched thin, not enough bodies and equipment to keep this war going, the military unable to maintain the levels, or presence, or supplies..
Yeah, but the military is stretched thin not just because of the war, but because bushco (notice the lack of a capital) has done everything possible to make sure that the military does not have the equipment, training, or personell to do the job, anywhere.
It's almost as if they hate the Government troops, the way they favor the privateers
It's alot like how Republicans seem to look at public schools (down their noses), as if they are communist breeding grounds. Maybe that's why the college republicans won't enlist.
Funnel the public tax money to the privatization forces. Welcome to the "Ownership Society."
The way to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqui people, as if they didn't have enough death squads, now they got ours too.
What happens if we were pull out the Military, would Blackwater still be there????
Bingo.
As long as someone is paying them to be there, they will be wherever the hell they want. Iraq, Iran, New Orleans, California
BA,
BW made $73 MILLION in NOLA.
Think what that much could have done after the storm.
Working with Blackwater must be like being in a Madmax movie, you ride around shooting at who you want and then return to the base. All in a day's work!
Mr. Jacob's states above that 'diplomacy is not the logical extension of war.' I am afraid it is to the Bush administration. To Bush, war is a goal in itself. It is 'war at all costs', and 'war for the sake of war.' We will see no end to it. Endless warfare...
Imagine your in the United States Military, fighting in Iraq and your just barely able to support your family financially (many military families end up on welfare) and the guy next to you from Blackwater is not only taking in hundreds of thousands of dollars every year but has better equipment. I just watched a documentary about Blackwater from the perspective of U.S. Military personnel in Iraq and they are pissed. Not only is Blackwater making 10 times more money but the military has to train contractors from Blackwater to KBR to do the jobs they were trained for and could be doing themselves (everything from fixing radios to laundry)and then they make the troops pay the contractors for the services. It's total bullshit. They rip off the troops and then make billions from the idiotic American taxpayer! That's the disgrace.
The dangerous part is there is NO oversight. What you don't hear much about is their role in Abu Graib. My nephew was in Iraq and was responsible for transporting detainees to prisons. He told me horror stories when he came back about the abuse, the both physical and psycological torture of these prisoners and said many were just swept off the streets or out of cars or taxis for no particular reason. Just to terrify people.
Now they want to set up shop all over this country and once again it's not the U.S. Congress that's asking questions (with the exception of Barack Obama and Jan Schakowsky) but it's local officials and citizens having to do all the work. Diane Feinstein, right, her husband is making a killing off the war. Arnold? He's probably excited it will look like one of his movie sets.
Imagine if the troops were paid $1000 a day like Blackwater or New Orleans cops made $900 a day like Blackwater
The US military wouldn't ever have to fight them (knock on wood). However, were they to have to, our military could take them, even with their better equipment, but the military would be hurt, way too badly.
It makes me sick to think of a Blackwater employee spooning food on a Soldiers plate making $50,000 a month when the Soldiers only make between $18,000 to $25,000 a year.
Well, Rick, it is rather simple.
The United States Marines are sworn to defend the Constitution of the United States.
Blackwater is NOT.
All the best
Knute (Neo-LIB)
Exactly.
When it comes down to it, do I want someone fighting for the country who believes in the country OR someone who believes in whatever the highest bidder says to believe in.
are these goon squads "illegal combatants"?
No they are on the payroll, but would you believe it costs them $20,000 for the "right" to kill
Granny get your gun, there are foxes in the hen house.
Uh...AS IF WE GOT TO ASK?
You are seeing the culmination of Oliver North and his 'buds' with waaaay too much time on their hands, and waaaay too much on everybody at 'the top'.
Boy, to be a fly in the middle of a foursome in the course, cooking this stuff up......*!
Looking at the photo of those three massive thugs with Saddam's crossed swordsoff in the distance behind them filled me with dread.
As I was reading the piece, a name jumped out at me. Joe Wilson? The same Joe Wilson who 'outed' Bu$hitCo for their phoney Nigerian yellowcake story that helped get us into this gawdawful mess? Has Condi buckled and sent Joe Wilson to negotiate? If so, that's something of a milestone in my book.
Back then, Blackwater would have been better known as the Hell's Angels.
Only the Hell's Angels
The Yellowcake turned out to be the normal stuff used by DENTIST FOR XRAYS of teeth a regular order than had been filled many times over the years. Not weapons grade material. Yeah now there is a reason to go to war.
STOP ALL DENTIST FROM USING XRAY MATERIAL.
With all most of the U.S. Troops out of the country what is to stop a COUP?
They have Blackwater to support their take over of the Government.
dad,
Millions of armed citizens.
That's the purpose of the second amendment.
Feel better now?
(Blackwater would go to the highest bidder. You think that will necessarily be our government?)
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