Biden: U.S. to appeal dismissal of Blackwater charges

Biden: U.S. to appeal dismissal of Blackwater charges

www.cnn.com

The United States plans to appeal a federal judge's dismissal of charges against five Blackwater security guards accused of killing 17 people in Baghdad in 2007, Vice President Joe Biden announced Saturday.

Speaking at a joint appearance with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad, Biden said he was "disappointed" with the ruling, and that the Justice Department would file the appeal next week.

"The United States is determined to hold accountable anyone who commits crimes against the Iraqi people," Biden told reporters.

(visit the link for the full news article)

It looks like the US is not going to protect those Blackwater employees after all. The article does get into how this statement from Biden could be politically motivated. In that case instead of saving the blackwater employees, it seem as if they are throwing them under the bus.

Whatever the reason, this news article is going to make a few people out there happy.

www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I find this highly suspicious.

The only reason I could think of that they would pursue a scandal like this is because something bigger and worse is on the horizon.

Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Venezuela.. the Olympics. Keep your eyes peeled, this could get scary.

I'll believe it when I see the actual appeal move forward. I'm sure that Obama is banking on the fact that appeals can take one or two years and people will lose interest and forget all about it by then.

The international community was outraged by this ruling and I'm sure that Obama has received the wrath from many of them. At a time when he is trying to expand our efforts in the Middle East, he needs to be viewed as the "good guy" over there. My guess is that this is nothing more than a PR attempt to show Iraq -- and Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen -- that he will stand by them and bring to justice anybody that wrongs our "partners".

More nonsense rhetoric spewed to get what Obama wants.

I'm sure there will also be a "good faith" aide package sent as an apology as well. You know, to hold them over until the appeal can be filed. It's sickening beyond belief.

hypocrite. instead of charging the soldiers you send there, why dont you look at the last administration and charge them for their war crimes, and crimes against humanity?

PR STUNT! deflection, diversion, from the real criminal actions.

reply to post by ugie1028


Actually the Blackwater employees are NOT soldiers. They are mercs.

If the case has been dismissed, I wonder if it had been dismissed with prejudice. If so, it does not matter how much Biden whines and cries for an appeal.

From the story-

"In their zeal to bring charges against the defendant in this case, the prosecutors and investigators aggressively sought out statements the defendants had been compelled to make to government investigators in the immediate aftermath of the shooting and in the subsequent investigation," Urbina wrote in a 90-page decision.

Does anyone else think this mismanagement by the prosecution sound familiar?

Think back to Alaska. Stevens case.

The same thing happened there. The prosecution was called out for the same things.

Makes me wonder, ooops we screwed up the prosecution. That is what happens when your government becomes so corrupt that ANYTHING can be swept under the rug.

It usually happens when the case will show systemic corruption.

Can't let the cat out of the bag that the government is inherently evil and corrupt.

"The United States is determined to hold accountable anyone who commits crimes against the Iraqi people," Biden told reporters.

Wow so this means the entire US government and military branch and all secret services and all OIL corporations that have oil wells there, of the US are all accountable to the Iraqi people, but that will only happen in another universe as it already has but not in this one yet.