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- inactive, on 11/01/2007, -11/+159Wow.
So if you own your own company you can just refuse to accept responsibility? Just like that?
This ***** needs to spend a couple years in a cell. - inactive, on 11/01/2007, -69/+200All Blackwater "security" killers should be shot and pissed on. They are nothing more than a bunch of mad dogs who need to be put down.
- jacquesm, on 11/01/2007, -10/+125what's good enough for Saddam should be good enough for Blackwater and anybody else that commits crimes on Iraqi soil. They *are* a sovereign nation right ? Or are we finally ready to call this an occupation ?
- nardami, on 11/01/2007, -8/+101I guess Sadam Hussien got the last fair trial in Iraq? Even if Blackwater gets booted out (with large cancellation penalty if done so before their contract runs out in May 08), the BW personnel will just join other private contractors (Dyncorp and Triple Canopy) and the same bad apples will still run free in Iraq. Call it three card Monte.
- DirtySnachez, on 10/19/2007, -6/+81Why doesn't this surprise me.
Now, wait for the 7-9 days of outrage, then watch the population go back to sleep. - nardami, on 10/31/2007, -10/+71According to the waynemadsenreport.com artcile in 04, Blackwater comes off as boyscouts compared to some other operators in Iraq.
January 14, 2006 -- Serious questions remain concerning Col. Westhusing's "suicide" in Iraq
publication date: Apr 15, 2007
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January 14, 2006 -- Serious questions remain concerning Col. Westhusing's "suicide" in Iraq. Army's chief ethics expert was murdered, according to Carlyle Group insider.
According an informed source within The Carlyle Group business consortium, Col. Ted Westhusing, the Army's top military ethicist and professor at West Point, did not commit suicide in a Baghdad trailer in June 2005 as was widely reported in the mainstream media five months later. At the time of his death, Westhusing was investigating contract violations and human rights abuses by US Investigations Services (USIS), formerly a federal agency, the Office of Federal Investigations (OFI), which operated under the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
In 1996, OFI, which conducted background investigations for civil service personnel, was privatized. The 700 government employees of OFI became employee-owners as part of USIS. In January 2003, the New York investment firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe, described by a Carlyle insider as a virtual shadow operation for The Carlyle Group, bought USIS for $545 million. With 5000 current and former employees of USIS sharing $500 million, the deal made them wealthy with the stroke of a pen. However, upper management within USIS became much wealthier than the rank-and-file. Insiders report that the twelve top managers at USIS became multimillionaires as a result of their cashing in of their Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Many of these instant millionaires already had a close relationship with The Carlyle Group.
Carlyle had been a shareholder in USIS since 1999 and with the buy-out deal via the Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe deal, Carlyle became the major shareholder.
USIS continues to have a virtual exclusivity deal to perform background security investigations for OPM. The company bills itself as "one of the largest Intelligence and Security Services companies in North America.”
With the Iraq invasion, USIS obtained lucrative Pentagon private security contracts in Iraq. At a 2004 job fair in Falls Church, Virginia, USIS was advertising for "interrogators" and "protection specialists" for "overseas assignments." While he was in Iraq training Iraqi police and overseeing the USIS contract to train police as part of the Pentagon's Civilian Police Assistance Training Team, Westhusing received an anonymous letter that reported USIS's Private Services Division (PSD) was engaged in fraudulent activities in Iraq, including over-billing the government. In addition, the letter reported that USIS security personnel had murdered innocent Iraqis. After demanding answers from USIS, Westhusing reported the problems up the chain of command. After an "investigation," the Army found no evidence of wrongdoing by USIS.
That decision signed Col. Westhusing's death sentence. USIS and Carlyle have powerful allies in the administration, including Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the Princeton roommate of Carlyle Chairman Emeritus and former Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci. Former President George H. W. Bush, former Secretary of State James Baker, and former British Prime Minister John Major are Carlyle international advisers. George W. Bush was formerly employed by a Carlyle subsidiary and the Bin Laden business cartel was a one-time investor in the firm.
Westhusing, who, according to friends and colleagues, showed no signs of depression, left a suicide note the Army concluded was in his handwriting. However, Westhusing's family and friends have thrown cold water on the Army's investigation.
Col. Ted Westhusing: Chalk up another victim of the Bush crime family
WMR can report that based on information obtained from Carlyle insiders, Col. Westhusing's death was not caused by suicide. The fact that Westhusing was investigating one of the most politically and financially powerful firms in the world resulted in higher-ups wanting him out of the way. According to the Los Angeles Times, all of the witnesses who claimed Westhusing shot himself were USIS employees. In addition, a USIS manager interfered with the crime scene, including handling Westhusing's service revolver. The USIS manager was not tested for gunpowder residue on his hands.
Westhusing's investigation threatened to unearth a network of fraudsters looting the US Treasury that included the Bush family and some of their closest financial partners. After Westhusing's murder, USIS management sent a vaguely-worded memo to employees about how to respond to derogatory information in the media or rumors about USIS. Management's attention, described as "psychotic" in nature, was on USIS's upcoming IPO (initial public offering), according to a well-placed source.
USIS also owns Total Information Services of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a commercial personal data mining operation. - Truzseeker, on 10/19/2007, -5/+64Another prime example that there is no justice, only "just us" privileged folks that can commit no wrong even if its murder. How the rest of the world must be looking at us now through pathetic eyes.
- ChristPissed, on 10/19/2007, -15/+72Apparently the Blackwater Zionista Mercenaries fit the U.S. definition for enemy combatants. If the definition is good enough for the U.S., it is good enough for Iraq. Toss them into pens at Abu Garib, or toss them into pens at Gauntanamo. No cakewalk for terrorists, christain or muslim.
- madwurm, on 10/19/2007, -5/+46If the Iraqi government wants them out of the country immediately and they are refusing to do what the government asks, wouldn't this make them "insurgents"?
- flyingcatcircus, on 10/19/2007, -4/+41I agree with you (mostly), in principle. However, I would add that BOTH the employers and the employee should be tried.
I also think that the Iraqis should have a say in the matter. If another country sent mercenaries here I would want to have some input into the punishment. - moxley, on 10/18/2007, -1/+33People don't quite get it that what is happening here in the US with the propaganda, the corporatism (fascism really), cronyism, manipulation of the public via a completely controlled and corrupt mainstream media, the reinterpretation or disregard of laws which protect the rights of the individual which are rooted in common law going back to the Magna Carta and the undermining of the constitution, the surviellance of innocent groups for political purposes, the "suiciding" or murder of insidiers or whistleblowers is very similar to what happened in Germany in the early 30s.
This doesn't end well. We're headed into a very dark place.
As far as Blackwater is concerned, the individual members who work for this company are individuals - just like cops, you have good cops and you have bad cops. I am sure that there are some very honorable and professional people working for that company, but the fact that they are a private army operating in an extralegal capacity run by a religious fundamentalist with close ties to the Bushes among others is very scary. - InetRoadkill, on 10/19/2007, -6/+33Blackwater has some gall to call the Iraqi justice system faulty considering the US has abandoned habeus corpus, the right to a defense, and the right to a trial.
I like the the idea of classifying Blackwater as illegal combatants. Let's make everyone play be the same rules. - reuscel, on 10/19/2007, -8/+35Erik Prince is a war profiteer and another in the long list of hypocritical "Christians." In a just world, he'd be hanging from a tree on the White House lawn.
- TecHeavy, on 10/19/2007, -2/+28Can any of you guys see in the near future Blackwater being used against people in this country. God forbid we ever get the balls to start a revolution, because I def. see Blackwater being used against us.
- Murdats, on 10/19/2007, -4/+29so hitman shouldnt be jailed because they are only doing what they were hired to do?
everyone involved in these terrible deeds should be punished, from the muscle to the brain and everyone in between. - MostNutsEver, on 10/19/2007, -6/+30You can do that? Next time I'm caught committing a crime I'll just cite this as my Get Out of Jail Free card.
- AllYourBase3, on 10/19/2007, -3/+27You are clearly a balanced, clear thinking individual.
- inactive, on 10/19/2007, -2/+25Welcome to American business.
- senorcool, on 10/19/2007, -6/+27So Blackwater is refusing arrest. Shooting people for whatever reasons they seem fit. Disarming American soldiers. Killing mercilessly. Aren't we trying to STOP terrorism? Why don't we go to war with Blackwater?
- fractalman, on 10/19/2007, -3/+22Black water was not hired by America, it was hired by the federal government, there is a difference. I am America, and I was not consulted in the negotiations for their contract. If they committed crimes in Iraq, then Iraq has the right to try them over there. Any foreigner breaking the law in America is tried here in America.
- inactive, on 10/19/2007, -1/+19Pretty much, yeah... I swear, at this point, Bush could sodomize a puppy on national TV, and it'd eventually just blow over.
- blackmage439, on 10/19/2007, -3/+21What does this defiance tell you about the [lack of] respect for the innocent civilians they gunned down?
- r00t3d0ut, on 10/19/2007, -2/+19i find it interesting how blackwater is trying to play both sides; on the one hand, they don't want to be labeled as part of the military because then there would be oversight by congress but they don't want to be called civilians either because then they would be held accountable by iraqi law.
- delafere, on 10/19/2007, -1/+18Congress did not HIRE the contractors or give them marching orders. The executive branch did. That's the Commander in Chieft and his advisors like Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld and Cheney, and members of his cabinet, including the Joint Chiefs.
If you're going to spread blame based on partisan motivations, at least show a little energy. Blaming Congress FIRST was just lazy, man. Try harder. - positron, on 10/19/2007, -2/+19Give a good man unchecked authority and he will wield it like a club.
- inactive, on 10/19/2007, -4/+20I don't think it's fair to say that the members of the organization are the problem. I don't doubt you regarding the member of Blackwater that you know. The problem here is that you have this rogue group, operating completely outside the jurisdiction of the military, which basically has free reign to do whatever the hell it wants. They could all be saints, for all I know, but you send a group of people with guns to a foreign country to do security without any oversight or anything, and eventually, something's gonna happen, it's just human nature.
- jambox, on 10/19/2007, -2/+17Lots of people don't get a fair trial in Iraq. That's the sort of place it is.
They decided to go there to make bucks, they knew what it was like and they shot a load of people for no reason.
Let them take their chances, I won't help them. - revo764, on 10/19/2007, -1/+16If you haven't bought an assult rifle yet and lotsa ammo I suggest you put that in you budget as an urgent matter. You can see what blackwater types do to unarmed civillians anytime you want on youtube!
If you can't shoot back you are *****! - KnightWhoSaysNi, on 10/19/2007, -2/+17That shouldn't get them off the hook. Individuals are still responsible for their actions.
- LordMonboddo, on 10/19/2007, -3/+17"Mr. Prince, a 38-year-old former Navy SEAL, said if there was any evidence of wrongdoing, his employees could be tried in the United States by a jury of their peers under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He said the hostility toward Blackwater was partly driven by partisan politics from the Democrat-led Congress and the news media."
Jesus, when are these lame-ass wussies going to stand up to this sh*t?? - DirtySnachez, on 10/19/2007, -1/+14He prolly has already. We just forgot about it.
- moxley, on 10/19/2007, -1/+147 to 9 days? If only.... I think you have too much faith in the brainwashed/braindead TV controlled general masses.
It'll be a milestone if this gets 7 to 9 seconds of mainstream coverage and anyone who isn't already interested thinks about it for more than 7 to 9 minutes. - revo764, on 10/19/2007, -0/+13The insurgents want thier country back from murdering ***** that have occupied thier country. Go on to youtube and watch Blackwater driving down a highway randomly killing people that are just going about thier lives and laughing about it.
you make me sick! - chicoer2001, on 10/19/2007, -4/+16I'm sure the War Crimes Tribunal would be willing to try them.
- shroominbal, on 10/19/2007, -3/+15and the ss are marching on - heil to the Bush - the Nazis are here - and soon at your homes and schools too.
- scorchedearth, on 10/19/2007, -3/+15Accountability means nothing to Bush or any of his cronies.
- jambox, on 10/19/2007, -1/+13I agree. If a foreign hitman came to the US, killed for money and got caught, where would he be tried?
Would it make a difference if the government that sent him considered US justice 'unfair'? - morningmatters, on 10/19/2007, -2/+14What happened to Personal Accountability, the end-all-arguments buzzword for all conservatives?
- Frei, on 10/19/2007, -0/+12They had blackwater in New Orleans after Katrina.
- rothbard77, on 10/18/2007, -0/+11Blackwater is not "the free market" - They are a government agent, pure and simple. Further only congress is supposed to be able to hire mercenaries (see letters of marque and reprisal). That way congress could regulate them. as it stands, their funding comes from the state department budget, and there is no congressional over-site - they are the state departments military wing (which it is not allowed to have) .
If blackwater was a free market group, they would be subject to local laws, and not be protected and subsidized by a government. BTW, private security generally does a very effective job, particularly when they follow regulations, and are not colluding with the government. - blubberlump, on 10/19/2007, -0/+11Fascism, it's good for business!
- nopointinnames, on 10/19/2007, -1/+12woah, you need to lay off the right wing radio for a while.
- jambox, on 10/18/2007, -4/+14"A number of Blackwater contractors, most of whom come from military and law-enforcement backgrounds, have been killed in action or grievously wounded in Iraq"
Oh, boooo hoooo.
Come on, I've got sympathy for US soldiers, because it's their job and while I don't think they should be there, it's not their choice because the military can't pick and choose which jobs it does.
But Blackwater thugs - they're there to make quick cash. No one forced them to go there, so they can get on with it, or preferably, go home. - inactive, on 10/19/2007, -3/+13It's things like this that make me ashamed to be an American. It's not the incident itself, but the three-ring-circus surrounding it. I mean, nobody takes responsibility for their actions, nobody seems to have any concept of right and wrong, they just do whatever the hell they feel like doing. And when it's not people just being outright selfish pricks, everybody has this attitude of "the ends justify the means." It's just sickening, and I'm tired of this *****.
It's as if no one has any pride anymore. It's always, "Oh, but I didn't do anything wrong," or they change the definitions of right and wrong, or they say that sometimes, we must do something that we know is wrong for the greater good. - TecHeavy, on 10/19/2007, -0/+9That's right they did didn't they. I remember seeing there truck far off in the background when CNN was doing a report.
- Frei, on 10/19/2007, -1/+10Except there is no evidence they were attacked and everything speaks to the contrary.
- radial, on 10/19/2007, -5/+14You guys need to watch Iraq for Sale to see how private contractors including Blackwater in Iraq really operate - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7914117733 ...
- DirtySnachez, on 10/19/2007, -3/+12hmm both sides.
One one hand, there's Contractors who shoot and kill civilians, on the other theres CEO's of said contractors who are protecting war-criminals. Tough call there.
If this was an Iranian company, with the exact same circumstances, what would your opinion be ? Honestly plz ? - blackmage439, on 10/19/2007, -2/+10Ah, so the innocent civilians they slaughtered, and the video footage proving they were unprovoked, aren't enough proof of wrongdoing? If we liberals make you puke, I hope you're lying face-up and unconscious when you do.
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