More Blackwater Dirty Tricks

Stuck in traffic? In a hurry? Next time the busy sidewalks and roads at the Hill Center get you in a tizzy, why not move through the traffic the Blackwater USA way: with teargas!

Suddenly, on that May day in 2005, the copter dropped CS gas, a riot-control substance the American military in Iraq can use only under the strictest conditions and with the approval of top military commanders. An armored vehicle on the ground also released the gas, temporarily blinding drivers, passers-by and at least 10 American soldiers operating the checkpoint.

[ ... ]

Both the helicopter and the vehicle involved in the incident at the Assassins’ Gate checkpoint were not from the United States military, but were part of a convoy operated by Blackwater Worldwide, the private security contractor that is under scrutiny for its role in a series of violent episodes in Iraq, including a September shooting in downtown Baghdad that left 17 Iraqis dead.

[ ... ]

Officers and noncommissioned officers from the Third Infantry Division who were involved in the episode said there were no signs of violence at the checkpoint. Instead, they said, the Blackwater convoy appeared to be stuck in traffic and may have been trying to use the riot-control agent as a way to clear a path.

And we wonder why they hate us.

Meanwhile, over at ThinkProgress comes the news that Blackwater has hired yet another D.C. lobbying firm--their third since October.

You know, maybe if Blackwater didn’t act like such irresponsible bullies, they might not need to spend so much money on lobbyists. Just a thought.

(h/t, Cab Drollery)

How Low Can They Go

I watched a bit of the Blackwater hearings on C-SPAN 3 this morning. There was a considerable amount of what Atrios refers to as “comedy gold.”

I’ve put together a few award-winning moments (I transcribed this myself so I can’t verify that it’s error-free):

• The Recycling Award goes to Darrell Issa (R-CA), who gave his opening statement brandishing the MoveOn.org ad and claiming, "What we're hearing today is a repeat of the MoveOn.org ad .. they've simply switched targets. [...] I’m not here to investigate Blackwater, I’m here to defend General Petraeus."

Dude, that was last week.

• The Atta Boy Award goes to Chris Shays (R-CT), who felt Blackwater CEO Erik Prince deserved a pat on the back for not losing any of the State Dept. personnel under their protection:

“That's a perfect record and you don't get any credit for it for some reason! [..] I just want to be on record for THANKING you for the AMAZING job you do."

Uh, yeah. I don’t think the issue is that they aren’t doing their jobs but rather the excessive force used to get those results.

• Shiny Sparkly Object Award goes to Darrell Issa for interrupting the hearing to ask if Committee Chairman Henry Waxman investigated the crash of an Air Force CT-43 that killed Ron Brown in Croatia back in 1996.

This has been the subject of several tin-foil hat conspiracy theories by the fringe right, since Brown was being investigated for corruption at the time and also, of course, everyone knows Bill Clinton was a serial killer in his spare time from being POTUS and molesting women. So don't be surprised if the fringe-nuts to pick up on this bit of obfuscation.

I’m not sure but I do believe Issa served on the Oversight & Government Reform Committee when the Republicans were in the majority, so I suppose he could have called that investigation himself. If not Issa, then whatever Republican Congressman was in charge would have, had they felt it was warranted. That it didn’t happen should pretty much explain it all.

• The Can’t We Just Go Home Award goes to John Mica (R-FL) for using his opening statement to call for the committee to adjourn. Guess he wishes the “do nothing” Congress was back in power.

• The Misplaced Career Award goes to Blackwater USA CEO Erik Prince, who said he was honored to “speak on behalf of the brave men and women who volunteered to serve their country [...] they answered the call to support our country ...."

Er, no, that would be those brave men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. You’re speaking on behalf of employees who are paid a generous salary to be in your service. They may be brave and they may feel they are answering some call to service, but you can’t gloss over the fact that a large number of them are there because of financial reasons.

The Truth To Power Award goes to William Clay Jr. (D-MO) for this smackdown:

"To the viewers of C-SPAN today, some in this Congress and this Administration seem to be steeped in hypocrisy as far as taking these frequent flies to the Green Zone and Baghdad. When you look they are some of the same ones who would never lift a rifle to defend this country in Vietnam but yet ridicule and criticize those who have not traveled to Baghdad. I just wanted the American public to be aware that some in here are steeped in hypocrisy."

The saddest thing of all is seeing how the Republican Party has been reduced to defending soldiers of fortune. Abraham Lincoln is rolling in his grave.

Wrapped In A Flag, Carrying A Cross (& Gun)

I’m as big a fan of capitalism as the next person, but there are some things I don’t think should be profit-motivated, chief among them the military.

Think about it: if a corporation is making a profit from war and unrest, doesn’t that give them an incentive to create more war and unrest?

This is why Blackwater USA scares me so much. The company has been in the news lately for shooting civilians in Iraq. So I can’t say I’m thrilled to learn they want to bring their business Stateside:

It is that lack of oversight and accountability that has Walker and others concerned about Blackwater's intention to take their private security operation domestic. The company has met with leaders in several states to offer their security services in the event of a natural disaster. In California, they have suggested earthquake relief. In New York, they offered help in case of terrorist attack.

Their thinking is simple. The Iraq war won't last forever, so if the company wants to stick around, it needs an alternate business plan. Work here at home is one solution.

"From a capitalist point of view it is brilliant," said Walker. "You want to diversify your market to diversify your downside risk. But do you really want someone diversifying this service? This is hired gun service. And you are going to diversity this among the 51 jurisdictions in the U.S.? This makes me really nervous. This is not a good thing."

It bears remembering, Blackwater wouldn’t have been needed in New Orleans (or at any other disaster on American soil) if our National Guard were not occupied in Iraq right now.

The more I learn about Blackwater, the scarier it gets. For instance, I did not know that Blackwater founder Eri Prince and Dick Devos are related--Devos (of Amway fame) is Prince’s brother in law. Both men are mega-millionaires involved with conservative Christian organizations and major GOP donors. And Prince owns the world’s largest private army.

Am I the only one bothered by this?

But Wait, I Thought The Surge Was Working?

Right-wing blogger Richard Miniter claims the Iraqi government’s crackdown on Blackwater USA (which I blogged about on Monday) is having a deleterious effect on our glorious operations in Baghdad:

Movements of key CIA station personnel in Baghdad—along with most State department diplomats and teams building police stations and schools—have been frozen for the second day in a row, according to a State department source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Essentially, the CIA, State department and government contractors are stuck inside the International Zone, also known as “the Green Zone,” in Central Baghdad. Even travel inside that walled enclave is somewhat restricted.

How this “save Blackwater” message is supposed to synch with the “our great glorious surge is working and Baghdad is way safer than evah!” message is beyond me.

Breaking: Blackwater Banned From Iraq

Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of thugs and mercenaries:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's Interior Ministry has revoked the license of Blackwater USA, an American security firm whose contractors are blamed for a Sunday gunbattle in Baghdad that left eight civilians dead. The U.S. State Department said it plans to investigate what it calls a "terrible incident."

Earlier this year I attended a workshop with an Iraq War veteran, a National Guardsman. He told me when U.S. troops would get to a street or area they needed “cleared” (his word, not mine), something that the military is forbidden to do, they’d call in the guys from DynCorp and Blackwater and have them do it. I have no way of verifying what he told me, but let me add he was very pro-war, and believed in the mission. He’d be there now if his wife hadn’t told him she’d divorce him if he reenlisted.

In all of this talk about the troop “surge” and numbers of soldiers deployed, no one has ever mentioned all of the private contractors serving in Iraq. This CNN story puts the number at 25,000, but last December the Washington Post reported on a new military census that put the total closer to 100,000:

There are about 100,000 government contractors operating in Iraq, not counting subcontractors, a total that is approaching the size of the U.S. military force there, according to the military's first census of the growing population of civilians operating in the battlefield.

[ ... ]

In addition to about 140,000 U.S. troops, Iraq is now filled with a hodgepodge of contractors. DynCorp International has about 1,500 employees in Iraq, including about 700 helping train the police force. Blackwater USA has more than 1,000 employees in the country, most of them providing private security. Kellogg, Brown and Root, one of the largest contractors in Iraq, said it does not delineate its workforce by country but that it has more than 50,000 employees and subcontractors working in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. MPRI, a unit of L-3 Communications, has about 500 employees working on 12 contracts, including providing mentors to the Iraqi Defense Ministry for strategic planning, budgeting and establishing its public affairs office. Titan, another L-3 division, has 6,500 linguists in the country.

The Pentagon's latest estimate "further demonstrates the need for Congress to finally engage in responsible, serious and aggressive oversight over the questionable and growing U.S. practice of private military contracting," said Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky (D-Ill.), who has been critical of the military's reliance on contractors.

Indeed, for those serious about ending this war, instead of demanding an end to funding, what if we demanded an end to private contractors? Because short of reinstating the draft, I just don’t see how we could make up for the loss of those additional 100,000.

Unless some pro-war conservatives out there want to enlist?

* crickets *