State Dept. May Phase Out Blackwater

State Dept. May Phase Out Blackwater

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The State Department may phase out or limit the use of private security guards in Iraq, which could mean canceling Blackwater USA's contract or awarding it to another company in line with an Iraqi government demand, The Associated Press has learned.

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Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Iraq demands Blackwater ouster
Blackwater security firm banned from Iraq
Blackwater Security Outlawed in Iraq

Could this spell the beginning of the end for PC's in Iraq? As dependent as the US remains on private contractors for security in Iraq, and as well connected as the Blackwater hierarchy is, it's hard imagine the company leaving Iraq en masse. On the other hand, given the state of US/Iraqi relations, they may have no choice. In any event, it appears that the Maliki government is serious about canceling immunity for PC's.

For anyone who lost track of Kenneth Starr, former Independent Council (Whitewater scandal, Vince Foster murder, Clinton Impeachment) he's now listed as Blackwater Attorney-of-Record. Looks like he'll be busy.

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About time. I personally don't understand why they are even there, in the case of U.S. dignitaries and Embassy officials. Isn't the military, or more specifically, the Marines, responsible for this? Also, I still don't understand why they were given complete immunity from all Iraqi/Us law in the first place.

-Warlo

Originally posted by Warlo
About time. I personally don't understand why they are even there, in the case of U.S. dignitaries and Embassy officials. Isn't the military, or more specifically, the Marines, responsible for this? Also, I still don't understand why they were given complete immunity from all Iraqi/Us law in the first place.

-Warlo

With immunity comes the lack of oversight. With people breathing down the US militaries back on human rights issues, its better to have a private mercinary army do all the dirty work. There is no mandate for imbedded press within the ranks of PC's. No press means no coverage.

The fact there we are even hearing about atrocities commited by blackwater is shocking to me. But i guess its alot harder to achive a total media blackout on such a hotbed issue.

Well I will not believe it until I see it, right now is too many private contractors in Iraq and many even from Arab nations like Dubai.

Perhaps the Iraqi government wants to cash out on the money give away that this private mercenaries for hire are making and have their own corrupted variation of it, after all they will be killing their own people rather than having foreigners doing it for them.

I don't see Blackwater being too harshly treated, especially with their political connections. At the most they'll probably have their forces redeployed elsewhere at US taxpayer expense. They are also in the bidding for a lucrative outsourcing contract by the US government in it's "War on Drugs" so still more money to be made

oh puhliiiiiis

i bet they put them in what Rumsfield would call "a penalty box" and if you dont know what that means you only need to google "dynacorp child slavery" and see how it works.
You tube should have a CSPAN video of a press conference where a lady asks Rumsfield about it as well so dont think this changes anything, they will play this old song until media looks away and do their thing again.

business as usual

reply to post by InSpiteOf


Yes. The SS had similar powers and rights. No accountability to those pesky human rights activists. Glad that turned out well.

The fact is that private mercenary companies like this are dangerous to US democracy and they are a danger to a budding democracy such as Iraq's. So long as these rambos roam the streets, the US can not gain credibility in the region.

Originally posted by TruthWithin
Yes. The SS had similar powers and rights. No accountability to those pesky human rights activists. Glad that turned out well.

Exactly

The fact is that private mercenary companies like this are dangerous to US democracy and they are a danger to a budding democracy such as Iraq's. So long as these rambos roam the streets, the US can not gain credibility in the region.

your right about the threat to democracy. However, the tone of this passage seems to suggest that you believe the US' actual goals in Iraq were noble (democratic) IMO if by "building a democracy" they ment "building a client state for 'free market' foreign capital to pillage" then i say your on the way to mission accomplished. BUt if they actually ment they want to build a democratic society (both with the process of democracy, and the substance of democracy (both political and economic)) then they missed the mark.

It seems fundamental that a lack of congressional oversight, coupled with immunity from prosecution, will eventually = abuse of privilege/power. Not unlike the dynamic US citizens are facing here at home. PC's have been operating in isolation for years. It wasn't until well after-the-fact that US officials took measures to implement governmental oversight.

Like Marg, I will believe it when I see it. Even this October press release from Rep. Tom Davis of the Oversight Committee, makes him sound a bit like a Blackwater apologist. On the surface, his statement appears to call for a balanced appraisal of PC operating procedures, but he goes-on to suggest that we not single-out Blackwater (the largest PC in Iraq), and that this recent civilian shooting is simply 'one sensational incident'. His fog-of-war rational doesn't sit well with me either. Underneath a fair & balanced veneer, his statement seems more like an attempt to diminish this incident, and Blackwater's leading role in what may be a larger systemic problem with these companies. I suggest that Mr. Davis brush-up on the history of similar Blackwater incidents involving the death of Iraqi civilians.

Thanks for sharing your perspectives

Found this story today. Blackwater accused of seizing 2 Iraqi military aircraft?
It gives no details of the aircraft type (I'm guessing transports) although the disposition of the aircraft is currently unknown.

ap.google.com...

I wonder what, if anything, will come of this. Be interesting to find out what the aircraft were and where they are now.

Personally, I think if BW is phased out, it would only be for public image. The US gov may separate themselves from the group to look good in the public eye, but I think that would only end up in BW doing the more covert operations that we would never hear about. With the military being stretched thin because of Iraq, and low recruitment numbers, Blackwater will still be needed to handle missions that are labelled top secret.

I could be wrong, but given the way the US gov is, that's what I can expect to happen.

How many private contractors are out there that we do know about, and how many that we don't know about?