Blackwater

[lI1|1!]

of fortune

[Crux]

DY2hNY0pIew

[tvashtarkatena]

Interesting video report in the NY Times online today. Blackwater is now under congressional investigation. It also seems that they are twice as likely to fire their weapons as other security contractors in Iraq. There has been congressional discussion of bringing them under the UCMJ and military chain of command.

 

Looks like this one isn't going to just blow over, as some 'experts' on this forum predicted.

[joblo7]

corporations circumventing the law.

[olyclimber]

I don't know how reliable the numbers that are provided by FedSpending.org here are, but that is a lot of money!

 

According to federal spending data compiled by the independent Web site FedSpending.org, however, the State Department's Blackwater contracts vastly exceed those of the Pentagon. Since 2004, State has paid Blackwater $833,673,316, compared with Defense Department contracts of $101,219,261.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/25/AR2007092502675_pf.html

[canyondweller]

It also seems that they are twice as likely to fire their weapons as other security contractors in Iraq.

 

One also needs to consider that BW provides PSD services for very high-ranking individuals, thus these are higher profile individuals are more likely to draw attacks by terrorists.

[tvashtarkatena]

Exactly twice as likely, by your sound logic. How do the terrorists know who's behind the tinted windows, I wonder? THEY ARE SO SMART.

[joblo7]

It also seems that they are twice as likely to fire their weapons as other security contractors in Iraq.

 

One also needs to consider that BW provides PSD services for very high-ranking individuals, thus these are higher profile individuals are more likely to draw attacks by terrorists.

THE INVADERS ARE THE TERRORISTS.

[Serenity]

BW has never lost a diplomat. I would call that mission accomplishment. The fact that Iraq is a war, that their mission is sensitive, and that they are frequently targeted might account for those types of statistics.

[tvashtarkatena]

BW has never lost a diplomat. I would call that mission accomplishment. The fact that Iraq is a war, that their mission is sensitive, and that they are frequently targeted might account for those types of statistics.

 

Pat, have you ever been in a war? No, I didn't think so. You are a dyed in the wool pacifist with no real perspective.

 

Some would call that lucky. Never been in a war = no real perspective; more sound logic. Unfortunately, that also happens to apply to our Commander in Chief and former secretary of defense, now VP.

 

This from a guy who's advocated everything from going in, staying in and finishing the job, and the latest; withdrawing and letting 'the Hadjis' kill each other.

 

I strongly supported not going in in the first place, so I'll take the 'no real perspective' option, thanks. It produces better outcomes.

[canyondweller]

Post deleted by canyondweller

[tvashtarkatena]

I strongly supported not going in in the first place, so I'll take the 'no real perspective' option, thanks. It produces better outcomes.

 

How loud DO you have to sing 'Kumbaya' to block out the Jihadist screams of "Death to America"?

 

You can't possibly be for real.

[canyondweller]

Keep repeating it; maybe your wish will come true. Doubtful that you have any concept of 'reality', based on your posts.

[Serenity]

http://blackblawg.blogspot.com/2007/09/next-target-of-anti-war-left.html

[SmallShoes]

BW has never lost a diplomat. I would call that mission accomplishment.

So the ends justify the means?

I am pretty sure there is not a single reporter in the world that knows more about this stuff than I do.

Well allow me to ask an expert then. It seems that there's been debate over whether the Blackwater employee's (I can't think of a more neutral term) involved in these incidents justifiably used force.

Legitimate question: Suppose a Blackwater employee actually does murder (i.e. unjustifiably/wrongfully/intentially kills) an Iraqi civilian - would he ever be prosecuted? If so, by whom and under what laws? I think a lot of the concern is over the accountability of Blackwater and these contracted operators in general.

 

[tvashtarkatena]

Keep repeating it; maybe your wish will come true. Doubtful that you have any concept of 'reality', based on your posts.

 

Nah. You're not real. You're either a KKK mini-me or Porter playing a moron. Hard to say; the 'Death to America' post was so perfectly cliche (Porter?), but your last post was pure K Kube; you know, pure eleven year old, not a nit of wit. Hmmmm. Even Porter with a massive head wound, floating on a boxcar full of pain meds could do better. One of Porter's stem cells could do better. His anus, removed and transplanted into Fidel Castro's body, could do better, albeit in spanish.

Edited September 28, 2007 by tvashtarkatena

[No. 13 Baby]

Coulda been Tucker/KKK, based on the smugly superior attitude combined with improper use of punctuation.

[joblo7]

thats cheap trolling shiite

[canyondweller]

It is kind of pleasant to see this:

 

*** You are SO ignoring this loser ***

 

 

[archenemy]

Hey, I want to float on a boxcar of pain meds!

[rob]

it cracks me up how many people pretend to be ignoring Tvash.

[SmallShoes]

Instead of your ignorant, gutless vitriol.

 

You mean like:

How loud DO you have to sing 'Kumbaya' to block out the Jihadist screams of "Death to America"?

and

Keep repeating it; maybe your wish will come true. Doubtful that you have any concept of 'reality', based on your posts.

?

[tvashtarkatena]

it cracks me up how many people pretend to be ignoring Tvash.

 

HEY, TVASH, THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT I'M IGNORING YOU!!!!!!!!!!11111111

 

BTW, according to an article on military.com, Blackwater is now under congressional investigation for trafficking illegal weapons in Iraq.

Edited September 28, 2007 by tvashtarkatena

[ClimbingPanther]

please stay on topic, archy

[SmallShoes]

I'm sure this will all be written off as the classic excuse "politically motivated witch-hunt" but:

NY Times Article re Congressional Blackwater Report

The report, based largely on internal Blackwater e-mail messages and State Department documents, depicts the security contractor as being staffed with reckless, shoot-first guards who were not always sober and did not always stop to see who or what was hit by their bullets.

Link to Congressional Report

 

Innocent until proven guilty - but - to those that would defend Blackwater: What would it take to convince you that Blackwater employees have/are wrongfully killing innocent people?