Pentagon Issues Blackwater New $92 Million Contract
Pentagon Issues Blackwater New $92 Million Contract
Earlier this month, Blackwater USA was involved in the fatal shooting of 11 Iraqi civilians. While the Iraqi government swiftly condemned the contractor, the Bush administration has continued to back Blackwater’s story that it was “defensive fire.”
Last Thursday, Gen. Peter Pace told reporters, “Blackwater has been a contractor in the past with the department and could certainly be in the future.” The next day, that future was already here. The Pentagon had issued a new list of contracts, including one worth $92 million to Presidential Airways, the “aviation unit of parent company Blackwater.” From the release:
Presidential Airways, Inc., an aviation Worldwide Services company (d/b/a Blackwater Aviation), Moyock, N.C., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) type contract for $92,000,000.00. The contractor is to provide all fixed-wing aircraft, personnel, equipment, tools, material, maintenance and supervision necessary to perform passenger, cargo and combi Short Take-Off and Landing air transportation services between locations in the Area of Responsibility of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. This contract was competitively procured and two timely offers were received. The performance period is from 1 Oct. 2007 to 30 September 2011.
Government officials have repeatedly ignored Blackwater’s transgressions. Senior Iraqi officials “repeatedly complained to U.S. officials” about Blackwater’s “alleged involvement in the deaths of numerous Iraqis, but the Americans took little action to regulate the private security firm.”
Next week. Rep. David Price (D-NC) plans to introduce legislation “to extend the reach of U.S. civil courts to include security contractors in Iraq.”
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51 Responses to “Pentagon Issues Blackwater New $92 Million Contract”
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Good to see the US is still paying murders it’s makes since with this Christian Values of the GOP and the White House. With the Grand Wizard sitting in the Oval Office nothing will surprise me as the KKK is in the White House.
September 30th, 2007 at 6:41 pmNPR did a good report about Blackwater.
They want to be a World Wide Peace Keeping/Humanitarian Relief force.
It’s founder also founded Focus on the Family.
I think it’s unconstitutional for my money to go to them.
September 30th, 2007 at 6:45 pmMaybe we will just withdraw all the US military and beef up the US Foreign Legion, er, Darth’s Raiders. Then we won’t have to follow any stupid Rules of Engagement, or any of that antiquated Geneva Convention stuff.
Then BushCo can make Iraq the 51st state of the Fascist States of America.
September 30th, 2007 at 6:46 pmDoesn’t Congress have to approve these contracts? If not, they should. How about passing a law that says that if a contractor has been involved in anything controversial (their involvement in 56 similar incidents is certainly controversial), then their contracts have to be approved by Congress. There is something wrong with this situation where Bush can give no-bid contracts to the FOB’s (Friends of Bush) without any input from Congress and next to no oversight.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:22 pmSounds like Rendition Airlines!
September 30th, 2007 at 7:24 pmHow can this be anything but positive proof that Iraq is not a sovereign nation but only a sock puppet ?
And we say we want them to make political reconciliations within the country. But who can respect them ?
September 30th, 2007 at 7:33 pmNPR did a good report about Blackwater.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:36 pmThey want to be a World Wide Peace Keeping/Humanitarian Relief force.
- - Trey Parker and Matt Stone made a movie about them in 2004; Team America: World Police.
LOL - I love how you mamby pamby libs are getting stiffed armed by the Reps. Your prez candidates are running away from Iraqi withdrawal promises, and you are being shut out of any discussion of how to prosecute a war.
Why don’t you women and children just stay inside while the men handle this, OK?
September 30th, 2007 at 7:46 pmWhy don’t you women and children just stay inside while the men handle this, OK?
Comment by Jason M. Hendler — September 30, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
Fine, just don’t expect to be let back in.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:49 pmYou can starve, and freeze your asses off in a nuclear winter.
Good and then they all can join the Bush Cabal criminals in prison for their “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity”.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:54 pm92 Million for “hired murderers” but Bush can’t take care of our children. What a sick bastard.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:55 pmHow come Iraq isn’t listed in the contract?
September 30th, 2007 at 7:55 pmnice way to take paychecks out of the pockets of our citizens in uniform, multiply them by powers of ten, and hand them over to politically-connected hustlers.
i guess that’s how righty “supports the troops”
once again, does some righty want to explain, using real math (not the idiot kind) how private business is more efficient than government?
note: in this example, efficiency doesn’t mean how quickly can the money be made to disappear.
disgraceful.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:08 pmhendler - nice “support the troops” message there. I’m sure lots of Air Force families are really stoked to be put out of jobs in favor of some “highest dollar” mercs. real proud stuff, buddy.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:10 pmMoney before honor, right Hendler??
September 30th, 2007 at 8:11 pmThey want to be a World Wide Peace Keeping/Humanitarian Relief force.
Peace keeping? Humanitarian Relief? WTF. These guys are mercenaries. What does that have to do with peace keeping and humanitarian relief. Blackwater is nothing but Bush’s private army and without them, we would have been out of Iraq a long time ago. That’s why I think that Congress needs to defund Blackwater and all the other “private security firms” and fund the troops. That will put Bush in a real pickle.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:11 pmWhy don’t you women and children just stay inside while the men handle this, OK?
Comment by Jason M. Hendler
Right Wing Loon Jason Hendler is a real man. He is all for death and destruction. It gets his blood moving. Peace is namby pamby to him. Real men know how to fight and how to kill. Funny thing is, he thinks he’s a “real man” but where is he? Is he in Iraq? No? He will tell you he is too old. Well if he’s too old for the regular military then why doesn’t he join Blackwater. They will allow him to be a manly man and prove his stuff. But, alas, it is not to be. He is willing to let other people fight for him because he’s scared to death he may get killed.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:15 pmFrederick Douglass
September 30th, 2007 at 8:19 pmHow come Iraq isn’t listed in the contract?
Comment by Syd
Good catch! It sounds like Bush is positioning them to be ready to invade Iran, doesn’t it. Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan are all on the other side of Iran from where Iraq shares their border. Sounds an awful lot like Bush is planning something, doesn’t it. Why does he need to fly people into Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan?
This is getting really scary.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:23 pmJust payback, form the Bush Junta, for using Blackwater as a scapegoat for a couple of weeks, in order to take the heat off of themselves.
This is known as “good” capitalism.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:30 pmI dont think congress has much control over DOD contracts as that comes out of the DOD budget.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:32 pmI wonder why McCain and Obama abstained from the vote on the Kyle-Lieberman amendment. Plausible deniability anyone?
September 30th, 2007 at 8:46 pmLOL
“Presidential Airways, Inc.”
Very apropo, as our current resident of the executive mansion is little more than a mercenary himself.
September 30th, 2007 at 8:55 pmWhat’s new! This is typical practice for this out of control administration. This is the most criminal administration since the Nixon administration. The difference is the Congress back then had guts and wasn’t headed by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Both leaders are cowards and afraid to Impeach this President for openly breaking US Laws, like spying on us and illegal wiretapping, Obstruction of Justice, lying to Congress, etc, etc, etc…
It’s time we stopped playing games with the COWARD democrats and started demanding so action like Impeachment. For example if they had any guts they could start by Impeaching Darth Vadar first as a warning to his boss. But that would require balls which I out of a hundred democrats in Congress might and I emphasis the word, “Might”. If the republicans had power and Dubya was a democrat he’d be removed from office so fast, he wouldn’t know what happened.
So take my advice stop hating republicans and start pushing the COWARDS to act!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 30th, 2007 at 9:02 pmThank you David Price, but, could I ask: “What took so long?” Why do I doubt that Pelosi will allow this one to come forward?
September 30th, 2007 at 9:03 pm“…and colonize the entire middle east with Christians!”
Comment by Rovian Stormtrooper Commander
Error.
Unnecessary populations of any religious persuasion will not be tolerated.
Security personnel, oil company technicians, drill crews, maintenance workers, clerical staff and their dependents only.
September 30th, 2007 at 9:04 pm“Why don’t you women and children just stay inside while the men handle this, OK?”
Actually, I was going to strongly suggest that Jason Hendler get off his butt and enlist in the endless wars he seems so fond of.
Has he polled all the Iraqi and Iranian women and children on his opinion? No? Didn’t think so.
September 30th, 2007 at 9:08 pmGestapo, SS=Blackwater. They murdered 11 Iraqi citizens and who knows how many more and they get a new contract worth millions of our dollars. I guess that’s the way you get ahead in Iraq. I’ll bet those dead Iraqis dont give a shit about buyin in to the democracy King George is sellin’. ‘Nuff said.
September 30th, 2007 at 9:33 pmYeah, sure it was competitive. The only time we’ve seen Condi emerge into the sunlight in the past few months is when she made that hurried trip to Baghdad to stiff arm Maliki, who was getting a little too big for his sovereign britches. Blackwater is so important it took the top person at State to personally intervene. I take none of these contract details at face value. There’s more there there.
September 30th, 2007 at 9:49 pmin a larger scheme to eventually control and colonize the entire middle east with Christians!
Comment by Rovian Stormtrooper Commander
So Israel is full of Xtians? Oh, Lordy…
September 30th, 2007 at 10:28 pmThe contractor is to provide all fixed-wing aircraft, personnel, equipment, tools, material, maintenance and supervision…
so, what is being taught at air force training?
it’s like the reverse of the “illegal immigrants taking jobs” syndrome…
the contractors are taking jobs normally performed by the military,
and are getting paid MORE to do so…
i don’t get it…
September 30th, 2007 at 10:30 pm…
it’s like the reverse of the “illegal immigrants taking jobs†syndrome…
the contractors are taking jobs normally performed by the military,
and are getting paid MORE to do so…
i don’t get it…
…
Comment by katy
It’s most simple name these days is Conflict Capitalism
September 30th, 2007 at 10:35 pmWar as a business.
They had to hurry up and renew Blackwater’s contract before all of the Real Truth comes out and the public outcry becomes too great against them…
And you’re right…the US will ‘need’ them to help fight our next war against Iran, being planned right now, against most American citizens’ intentions, using OUR TAX MONEY.
It’s like this country is locked onto a steeply declining trajectory, and all the people who COULD do something about it are voluntarily mute, and deaf, and dumb, and BLIND.
The US has become the ‘black sheep’ of the international community…our once proud nation has become that crazy nutcase uncle that everyone feels uncomfortable around because what he says and does makes no sense, but he’s potentially dangerous enough to make you careful of what you say.
Sadly, my spouse and I are seriously considering a permanent move to another country. I never thought we would have EVER gotten to that point, EVER.
September 30th, 2007 at 11:07 pmI never thought we would have EVER gotten to that point, EVER.
Comment by MWG — September 30, 2007 @ 11:07 pm
I suggest the Southern Hemisphere. I think there’s just too good of a chance the nothern half of the planet will get so contaminated w/ nuclear fallout in the next 3 to 5 yrs that it might not be inhabitable for a long time to come.
September 30th, 2007 at 11:11 pmDont you at least want to write a few letters or organize a few marches before you tuck tail and run?
Comment by Rovian Stormtrooper Commander — September 30, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
ZING!!!! Wow!!! You really have been to Vegas! Yer clearly a Real Swinger.
I had a friend who once worked in there. She said the girls LOVED guys like you. You’d blow in to town flashin’ yer cash, and they’d take every cent they could, and laught at you every step of the way, and you were too DUMB to get it.
October 1st, 2007 at 12:00 amThe shame of it is that even if they wanted to, they probably could not pull the plug on blackwater right now.
They take care of things that troops used to do, but the US is not set up to do in Iraq presently. Also there is no back up plan (who would take over duties if Blackwater were farced to step down).
It’s all part of the cold war dividend.
Privatization has not made the military more efficient, just more expensive.
October 1st, 2007 at 12:40 amOh yeah. AND privatization makes war harder to control.
(What rules does Blacksater follow again?)
October 1st, 2007 at 12:42 amWhen was the Constitution amended to allow the Executive Branch “to raise and support armies”? Last I checked, only the Congress could do that. It’s long past time to end the use of private armies in the routine protection service of our country’s officials. That’s what our military and Secret Service are for.
October 1st, 2007 at 1:03 amThat’s what our military and Secret Service are for.
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider — October 1, 2007 @ 1:03 am
Unfortunately, our military’s been destroyed and the Secret Service corrupted. We’re in a lot of trouble here.
I gotta go. It’s late. Bartlebee is dealin’ w/ a real nasty troll over on the “U.S. coordinates with Gulf nations on possible air strikes” thread right now.
If you feel like it, go give a hand and knock the dirtbag around. We think it’s a paid pro just trying to be as obnoxious as possible. Go to town. It’s a freebee!
October 1st, 2007 at 1:24 amWhen is different any different? Don’t you realize what the US has been doing to the rest of the world in the last 100 years? Time to stop!
October 1st, 2007 at 1:52 am“The contractor is to provide all fixed-wing aircraft, personnel…to perform passenger, cargo and combi Short Take-Off and Landing air transportation…”
Sounds like the same job my dad did with Air America from 1966-1972 out of Saigon.
October 1st, 2007 at 3:50 amThis military privatisation thing is going really well—for Blackwater.
∞
October 1st, 2007 at 3:55 am#41 - “Dont you at least want to write a few letters or organize a few marches before you tuck tail and run?” Comment by Rovian Stormtrooper Commander — September 30, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
It doesn’t seem to have worked for you. From what I can tell, you immediately bent over and said “Give it to me, Pres. Bush! I’m your little whore, and will do anything you say! My brain was tuned off the minute I heard you wanted a whore! Here I am! Do me!”
Yup, real strong spine you got there, Stormtrooper. /sarcasm
October 1st, 2007 at 8:23 amWhew! They got that contract in under the wire.
October 1st, 2007 at 9:23 amA most interesting paper about military contractors, written by Peter Singer at the Brookings Institute. It’s a long read, but contains information that is not generally known about Blackwater operations in Iraq.
http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/research/singer200709.pdf
October 1st, 2007 at 9:56 amThis is natural, Blackwater did a good deal of work in Iraq and its stability.
As for them being “murderers” let me ask one thing: What is the difference between a militant and a civilian?
October 1st, 2007 at 10:51 amKaty said:
Actually, YES, you do…
October 1st, 2007 at 11:27 amMUST READ:
The Rip-off in Iraq: You Will Not Believe How Low the War Profiteers Have Gone
Matt Taibbi had been away for a while. Now we know where he went…
Read it and weep, literally…
October 1st, 2007 at 11:32 amThe Brownshirts keep their coffers filled as long as they keep the blood flowing, it seems.
The Bush family legacy of colluding with fascists never really fades, I’m thinking.
October 1st, 2007 at 11:55 amI’d like to offer this option to Mr. Jason Hendler — hey there, tough guy, hope you’re still around when we “libs” finally do get tired of this crap. We’ll be coming for your kind first, sure you’ll enjoy the fight since you’re so damn manly. I’m a meat-eating, gun-owning, pickup truck driving liberal who just loves to humiliate right-wing stooge scumbags like yourself. Your selfish and cynical ways have made a mockery of this country I love, and I for one am not interested in tolerating it any longer. Maybe it’s time we start having some purges, pogroms and executions of our own, since the Repubs seem to want to make us a third-world country, let’s start acting like it and eliminate the corrupt “ruling class”.
October 1st, 2007 at 12:51 pmWhy don’t the Dems start a oversight committee to check against war proffiteering??? It should be a crime.
That’s something that surely needs to be done. They did it in WWII.
October 1st, 2007 at 2:02 pm