Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans

Source here:

www.truthout.org...

Saturday 10 September 2005

New Orleans - Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal force. Several mercenaries we spoke with said they had served in Iraq on the personal security details of the former head of the US occupation, L. Paul Bremer and the former US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte.

The article goes on the describe these people as some of the most feared professional killers in the world operating without legal consequences.

Notice the last line: If Blackwater's reputation and record in Iraq are any indication of the kind of "services" the company offers, the people of New Orleans have much to fear.

IMHO, this administration has take another step into the dark side.

Does anyone know what these people are doing that would require these big guns to come in and take care of them?

Are they breaking the law somehow? WTF?

If it's about eviction, why is it really necessary for the people to evict? Does anyone really know why it's so important for the government to get every single person out of there?

If the gov't fears they will die if they remain, well... let them stay, let them die in their hmes if they wish. There's more to this than we know, I'm sure of it.

How concrete is this report? I'm not sure what to make of this...

This is getting really really strange and scary...

Another Source

Seems to be true

Rahim’s account confirms this---literally. According to Rahim, mercenaries from Blackwater USA are rumbling through the New Orleans streets, armed to the teeth and in full battle gear.

Washington Post

Interesting Blog on the subject

[edit on 10-9-2005 by Benevolent Heretic]

Seems like this news cooincides with the Media's emphasis on not letting the media phtograph bodies or taking embedded journalists along anymore. Any time armed troops are running around, suspending the Posse Comitatus Act through Private Contracts, and Journalists are being shut out is always, IMO, a great moment for Democracy.

Sending in Blackwater is like basically sending in the Delta Force, Rangers, SF, and Seals into New Orleans.

[edit on 103030p://666 by LiquidationOfDiscrepancy]

Thanks BH! Been trying to get more on this.
I am impressed with the Washington Post article.

Here is the site on Blackwater:

www.blackwaterusa.com...

Another one:

electromagnet.us...

States: Slipping through loopholes with help from the Dept. of Interior, US defense contractors in Iraq enjoy impunity. American soldiers overseas are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Professional soldiers, i.e. contractors are not.

Oh, a just a note on their reputation:

fsnews.findlaw.com...

They have been known to cut corners that lead to death?

This is an interesting turn of events by far.
As has already been mentioned it is a option to keep media out of the way so major cleanup can continue. We bring in professional killers, take away guns, and tell the media okay? Something tells me this is a sleeper story here.






[edit on 10-9-2005 by garyo1954]

.....

I remain speechless, and I am struggling not to let my imagination blossom with the the implications of this development. I found their website: blackwaterusa.com... and it seemds they "joined" the relief effort on 09-01-05. I found this to be strange, because a conserted true effort to provide aid and rescue did not occur until, what, 09-03 or 09-04.(please correct me if I am wrong. I am going by the people who were in obvious need of rescue, those trapped in the superdome.) The blackwater site does not state whether or not they were hired or if they volunteered their services. (Although the previous Truthout article states that they were hired.)

I took a look at the schedule of classes and services that they offer. They are mostly weapons training courses with a few protection and driving courses. Here is an Alternet story on them from last year: www.alternet.org...
So the question that keeps running through my head is "Why would we hire mercenaries to help with the relief effort in NO?" The amount of aid offered free of charge from other countries has often been denied, for a variety of red-tape and political reasons. Do we have so many reserve troops called into Iraq and other oversea places that we now need to hire mercenaries to take their place? Are they there to assist with the forced evacuations?

I guess what bothers me is that my whole instinct is yelling that this is a signal that something very wrong is going on, but I have no proof to validate this feeling. Actually, to be honest, the whole NO incident has my instinct screaming foul play, but again, I only have speculation and circumstantial evidence, no absolute trail of proof leading to the truth. It is all VERY frustrating, because so many lives have been lost, ruined, and forever changed because of this. Its all too much at times...

Well here is an answer........

Mercenaries guard homes of the rich in New Orleans

Hundreds of mercenaries have descended on New Orleans to guard the property of the city's millionaires from looters.
The heavily armed men, employed by private military companies including Blackwater and ISI, are part of the militarisation of a city which had a reputation for being one of the most relaxed and easy-going in America.

....more

Everyone everywhere needs to watch this video, if you have seen it, I apologize for the repeat post, but I found it very well done and important, it's about 57 minutes long and worth every minute of it, in here will explain the blackwater paramilitary force and why it is important in closing down a democracy.

If you don't have the time right now, please book mark it and watch it later, also send it to everyone you know along with a message to VOTE RON PAUL.

Thank you.

www.youtube.com...

reply to post by CuriousSkeptic




[edit on 4-1-2008 by matt2112]