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Blackwater by the numbers
[link=http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2007/10/02/blackwater_memorandum/]http://www.salon.com/news/primary_sources/2007/10/02/blackwater_memorandum/[/link]
I am in the wrong field.
Talk about unbeleiveable growth… these guys put Google and microsoft to shame…
Look at the chart regarding revenue growth in 5 years. Its good to have friends in government.
It sickens me that we the taxpayer are funding these mercenary thugs. -
18 Replies
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I think I’ll wait until less biased report comes out. The liberals have shown to be not so honest in their dealings.
I do agree they need more oversight tho. It seems they are not controlled by any entity of authority and that can’t happen. But, the Gov’t of Iraq is in authority so if they want these guys out then they have to go as far as I am concerned.
As for the presence of contractors, I don’t think the military should be using troops to provide bodyguard services. The troops are there for one reason only and I for one, will be glad when that job is done. And that job will be done when Iraqi Gov’t says it is.-
I love how people are so easy to call former Marines and Rangers mercenary thugs, once they stop getting paid 25,000 a year from the government.
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” [i]I love how people are so easy to call former Marines and Rangers mercenary thugs, once they stop getting paid 25,000 a year from the government.[/i]” – Mistrad
You’re misrepresenting. That’s not the issue at all. It’s not even close.
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Um, yes, it kind of is.
Look, I think Blackwater is in a sucky position. There people are in the same position that active military is over there; having pot shots taken at them, IEDs, etc. Additionally, they are under the same mental pressures as our soldiers. So why would you expect something different? You don’t think we have soldiers that are drunk? And we know we have soldiers that have killed innocents, unfortunately.
And these guys in Blackwater, all of them, are Marines, Navy SEALS, and army rangers. That is a fact.
So does the rules for Blackwater et. al. need to be redefined, so it is clear what there parameters are? Absolutely. I think the Iraqis should lead on this, and make it clear what can and cannot be acceptable. But there are people out there that really are making an issue out of this, instead of really understanding the complexities.-
One other thing: I thought the CEO of Blackwater was really honest. He said they are not perfect, but they are trying their best. And he told the Senators straight out, if you don’t want us there, tell us so and we will go make money doing something else. I don’t think he was trying to evade or dodge; he admits there is an issue. That is more honesty than we get from many of our official leaders.
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OK, but I didn’t see Eric Prince that way. The most generous thing I can say about him is that he’s got a business and he’s “protective”. Regarding comparing the honesty of our leaders and him, that’s a low bar to set. I think there’s a whole lot of back-scratching going on.
As far as Blackwater staff, too many reports have been out and are coming out now about how they are less than professional and seem to engage in drive-bys. Maybe they’re protecting “the package” but woe to anyone nearby in the line of fire or who happens to be at an intersection that doesn’t clear fast enough when they drive in.
Besides, doesn’t this just underline the whole issue of overextending our military & substituting high paid contractors (or mercenaries, however you prefer)? It used to be marines who did this duty & now we’re paying these private security guards at rates multiples what we pay our soldiers? Too many reports in the past about “contractors” being involved in these episodes regarding Abu Ghraib & drive-bys & Iraqi govt bodyguards being shot dead, etc. They sound like a lot of loose cannons running around with automatic weapons, high salaries & bonuses.
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ORIGINAL: Hero of Reason
But, the Gov’t of Iraq is in authority so if they want these guys out then they have to go as far as I am concerned.
No, the government of Iraq has no jurisdiction or authority over these guys, regardless of crimes committed by these thugs on their civilians…
These guys also are not covered by standard military rules of engagement…
Basically these are Rambo wannabes, highly paid by you and me, to run around and wreak havoc without any penalty.-
yes, Master of Pee.. I was saying the Iraqi gov’t SHOULD be in control of their laws.
Like I said though, what with all the misinformation that comes out from that side I’ll wait until the investigationis done. After all we wouldn’t want another Hadditha on our hands would we? Where John (Abscam) Murtha gets up blustering about the evil soldiers only to find out what he said was all lies.
It seems there are people chasing John (Abscam) Murtha around now looking for apologies that will never come. But we have all the time in the world for resolutions against a radio talk show host.
The fiscal year of the Gov’t ended midnight Sept 30. As of yet today there are no appropiations bills ready to be sent to the President to be signed. But, it seems the Democratic congress has time to introduce 4 resolutions against something said on the radio.
I knew putting these liberals in power would be the downfall but did you listen to me? No.
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Iraq has every right to pass laws to govern these guys. Hell, they could pass laws to cover our soldiers as well; technically we are there only at the blessing of the Iraqi government.
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V
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Thugs….no. Overpaid trigger happy former spec ops guys who shoot first and avoid answering questions later yes. There are ROE (rules of engagement for soldiers) if not followed they lead to courts martial under UCMJ–this is why there have been few if any similar incidents perpetuated by the actual army folks in convoys all over Iraq. If Blackwater had a set of ROE maybe this wouldn’t have happenend.
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Totally agree. They should have to follow the military ROE as well as the code of conduct.
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Quote from OutpatientRadRules
Thugs….no. Overpaid trigger happy former spec ops guys who shoot first and avoid answering questions later yes.
[link=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-2803653/Jury-convicts-ex-Blackwater-guards-2007-Baghdad-killings.html]http://www.dailymail.co.u…-Baghdad-killings.html[/link]
7 years down the road …
[b]U.S. jury convicts ex-Blackwater guards in 2007 Baghdad killings[/b]
A U.S. federal jury found three American former Blackwater guards guilty of manslaughter and weapons charges on Wednesday and a fourth of murder in connection with the 2007 killing of 14 unarmed Iraqis at a Baghdad traffic circle.
The decision closes an emotional chapter in a case that outraged Iraqis, inflamed anti-American sentiment across the globe and touched off debate over the role of private security contractors working for the U.S. government in war zones.
A court clerk read the jury’s verdict to a packed courtroom after a two-month trial and more than seven weeks of deliberations. The defendants sat and listened silently.
Paul Slough, 35, Dustin Heard, 33, and Evan Liberty, 32, were convicted of voluntary manslaughter in connection with at least 12 deaths at Nisur Square, where the heavily armed four-truck Blackwater Worldwide convoy had been trying to clear a path for U.S. d
The Washington jury also found the three guilty of attempted manslaughter in connection with the wounding of at least 11 Iraqis. They face at least 30 years in prison.
A fourth guard, Nicholas Slatten, 30, was convicted of murder in connection with the first death at the circle and faces a life sentence.-
Oh yeah … and this
North Carolina-based Blackwater was sold and renamed several times. It is now called Academi, based in Mclean, Virginia. In June, Academi merged with another security contractor, Triple Canopy, which now has the same State Department contract to protect officials in Iraq that Blackwater had in 2007.
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the post implies the defense was stunned/ hello meet DC jury they convicted scooter/ 14 people died
Quote from dergon
Quote from OutpatientRadRules
Thugs….no. Overpaid trigger happy former spec ops guys who shoot first and avoid answering questions later yes.
[link=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-2803653/Jury-convicts-ex-Blackwater-guards-2007-Baghdad-killings.html]http://www.dailymail.co.u…-Baghdad-killings.html[/link]
7 years down the road …
[b]U.S. jury convicts ex-Blackwater guards in 2007 Baghdad killings[/b]
A U.S. federal jury found three American former Blackwater guards guilty of manslaughter and weapons charges on Wednesday and a fourth of murder in connection with the 2007 killing of 14 unarmed Iraqis at a Baghdad traffic circle.
The decision closes an emotional chapter in a case that outraged Iraqis, inflamed anti-American sentiment across the globe and touched off debate over the role of private security contractors working for the U.S. government in war zones.
A court clerk read the jury’s verdict to a packed courtroom after a two-month trial and more than seven weeks of deliberations. The defendants sat and listened silently.
Paul Slough, 35, Dustin Heard, 33, and Evan Liberty, 32, were convicted of voluntary manslaughter in connection with at least 12 deaths at Nisur Square, where the heavily armed four-truck Blackwater Worldwide convoy had been trying to clear a path for U.S. d
The Washington jury also found the three guilty of attempted manslaughter in connection with the wounding of at least 11 Iraqis. They face at least 30 years in prison.A fourth guard, Nicholas Slatten, 30, was convicted of murder in connection with the first death at the circle and faces a life sentence.
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Trump pardons Blackwater guards convicted of Iraqi killings.
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Biden should ship them to The Hague.
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Quote from DICOM_Dan
Biden should ship them to The Hague.
Give them different names, like Mohammed something or other & send them to Guantanamo as high level prisoners. & then see if they could be deported “back” to their countries, like Iraq for instance.
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