The AP reports that a panel commissioned by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice after Blackwater’s infamous September 2007 Baghdad shootout has called for the security firm’s contract not to be renewed next year. Since the shootings, the Bush administration has repeatedly defended the firm, renewing its contract in May. Last October, the State Department granted Blackwater guards immunity after the shootings.
“Shootout” implies actual combat. Nisoor Square was not a “shootout”. It was a slaughter, mass murder.
December 17th, 2008 at 4:21 pmBloodmerchant Princes new business venture, specifically aimed at avoiding all those tricky american laws and american rules by not being an american company:
http://www.greystone-ltd.com/
December 17th, 2008 at 4:23 pmI recommend them dropping Blackwater in Iraq too.
Dropping them from a helicopter, hogtied, right in the center of the neighborhood they slaughtered all those civilians in, that is.
December 17th, 2008 at 4:26 pmGee. The contract won’t be renewed. Prince will have to live off a few billion he stole. Boo F’ing hoo.
December 17th, 2008 at 4:36 pmO/T but this is good.
http://santabush.com/
P.S. Blackwater is evil
December 17th, 2008 at 4:37 pmI receommend dropping Blackwater in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Above-the-law mercenaries doing dirty work for imperialist occupiers are sooo 19th century.
December 17th, 2008 at 4:37 pmWho could have foreseen that Blackwater’s bullets could have done such damage to Iraqi civilians???
December 17th, 2008 at 4:39 pmDon’t just cancel the contract, hang ‘em from a f’n bridge.
R_B
December 17th, 2008 at 4:40 pmWell of course the Bush administration backed BlackwaterUSA, their founder is a wealthy conservative and a big time GOP donor.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:45 pmPrivate armies are not a good thing.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:46 pmGetting rid of Blackwater NOW would not be nearly soon enough.
Private armies are inherently wrong. These Armageddon promoting jerks are the worst of the worst.
They should be sued to shut them down permanently and to recover all possible funds through liquidation of their assets.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:10 pmStay tuned for other Blackwater contracts. Perhaps Somalia. Until I hear that the U.S. government has banned the practice of hiring mercenaries, I will assume that they are being put to work elsewhere.
There are other mercenary companies in Iraq also.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:39 pmI guess that the Nazi Prince has earned anough blood money in Iraq.
December 17th, 2008 at 9:31 pmState Department panel recommends dumping Blackwater in Iraq.»
Why is the Bush’s State Department giving recommendations on environmental policy?
December 18th, 2008 at 12:32 amThe United States should take a strong stand against the hiring of mercenaries. There is absolutely no need whatsoever for mercenaries to be used in Iraq or Afghanistan. The American taxpayer already carries a tremendous burden financing the black-hole budget for the Pentagon. We have a strong military. We have skilled special forces. We don’t need private armies to be built and sent out into the world to slaughter on behalf of our government. Besides, why on earth does it make any sense to pay Blackwater high fees to perform services that our military is perfectly capable of performing for itself?
Add to the list KBR and the other contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each of these contractors should be investigated to determine any culpability in war crimes and especially for intentional neglect to the troops they are hired to support and serve. Remember the contaminated water? Remember the spoiled food? How many of our troops suffered because of the negligence of greedy private contractors who are only out to make a buck?
When the military did it all for itself – right down to digging latrines and cooking meals – there was much less abuse of the system. The military does not need private contractors! Let the military do its job, and leave the private sector out of it.
December 18th, 2008 at 9:26 am