South Park to Feature Eric Cartman in Blackwater

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for pointing out this inevitible story.

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‘South Park’ to Show Eric Cartman Signing, Blackwater-like, for 500 AK-47s




On Feb. 23, I broke a story about how the Senate Armed Services Committee determined that Blackwater employees in Afghanistan signed for hundreds of AK-47s and pistols using the name “Eric Cartman,” evidently a reference to the popular “South Park” character. . .

Read more at: The Independent

South Park Creators Respond to Blackwater Story

Image from source, Huffington Post

I've been a big fan of South Park almost since the beginning. I say "almost" because the first episode--while funny--didn't really grab me at first. For one thing, I had a hard time understanding what the kids were saying. But it's kind of like watching a British sitcom like Absolutely Fabulous. Once you get what the show is, and recognize the speech patterns of the characters, it all comes together.

Part of the fun of South Park is that they go after everybody. If it's ridiculous and it's in the news or in pop culture, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone will skewer it. Every once in a while, they'll cut a little close to the bone and tick me off. But there isn't a viewer of the program who hasn't had that happen to them as well. Much like Family Guy (which Parker & Stone famously lampooned), the whole point is that somebody is going to have their sacred cow gored. Every once in a while it will be yours.

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Matt Stone & Trey Parker Are Not Your Political Allies (No Matter What You Believe)

News broke this week that a Blackwater subsidiary was arming violent drug users in Afghanistan. They took hundreds of weapons intended for the Afghan National Police and at least one of them (probably more) signed for the shipments with the name "Eric Cartman."

When I asked "South Parks"'s creators what they thought of these men co-opting their character they were completely unfazed. "It makes perfect sense. It's the name I would use," Trey Parker said. "Our first reaction to any story is 'How do we put this into the show?' and the second reaction is 'Did Cartman do that?' because he's so real to us it's like 'I bet Cartman did that. . .'"

Read more at: Huffington Post

Blackwater Goes Down to South Park, Has a Good Time

Image from source, The Washington Independent

By way of Stupid Monkey Planet comes this link about the stupid monkeys at Blackwater, and the people who continue to give them military contracts. Screw you guys, I'm going home. . . .

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Blackwater Took Hundreds of Guns From U.S. Military, Afghan Police

Employees of the CIA-connected private security corporation Blackwater diverted hundreds of weapons, including more than 500 AK-47 assault rifles, from a U.S. weapons bunker in Afghanistan intended to equip Afghan policemen, according to an investigation by the Senate Armed Services Committee. On at least one occasion, an individual claiming to work for the company evidently signed for a weapons shipment using the name of a “South Park” cartoon character. And Blackwater has yet to return hundreds of the guns to the military. . .

Read more at: The Washington Independent

Anti-ACORN Law Unconstitutional?

When lawmakers try to enact legislation in a knee-jerk response to some flare-up in faux (or real) outrage, there are often unintended consequences. The attempt to federally defund ACORN may actually either be found un-Constitutional or may have to apply the same rules to countless other government contractors, like Blackwater! Oopsie!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Anti-ACORN Law Could Open Floodgates for Other Organizations

In their zeal to demonize ACORN, Republicans may have crafted a law that could defund any number of organizations. Some, like Blackwater/Xe have been somewhat off-limits for Republicans and the right-wing punditry for some reason. This could get really interesting.

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They Want To Punish ACORN? Two Can Play This Game

. . ."Any organization that has filed a fraudlulent form with any Federal or State regulatory agency" can no longer receive federal funds? (And individuals who've merely been indicted for election law violations, whether or not the charges were proven?) The bill further defines "organization" as including ACORN and its affiliates, but it doesn't say it only includes ACORN-related entities. So, gosh, I imagined, there's a lot of entities that suddenly qualify. . .

Read more at: DailyKos

Juan Williams Shows Some Spine on FOX "News"

I can barely stomach 5 minutes of Hannity, so I don't expect everybody to get through this video. But it is notable for something rare: a "liberal" on FOX "News" asking questions of a host that really needs to be asked. Juan Williams is one of the stable of so-called liberals and "Democratic strategists" proffered up by FOX to maintain an appearance of "balance." I don't think Juan is a bad guy, but he isn't always the best counterpoint to the conservative foghorns preferred by the station.

On a segment pompously called The Great American Panel, the discussion centered around ACORN, the seemingly demonic (according to FOX) organization. Supposedly--according to Sean Hannity--the organization gets billions of federal dollars. Williams points out that it is actually millions, and amounts to a minuscule amount in the scheme of things. He goes on to task Hannity with using his "power" to go after the really big boys, like Blackwater and defense contractors. Excellent point! Of course Hannity swats that away, because it isn't on his agenda, and he is incapable of thinking anywhere near outside the box.

So good on Juan Williams for actually fighting back, though the venue is a hopeless place for it. And who is this Ann Coulter clone, Alice Stewart? Did Coulter spawn or something?

Blackwater to be Fined $ Millions

Wow. Maybe there really is change in the air. . .

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Blackwater likely to be fined millions in Iraq weapons case

The State Department is preparing to slap a multi-million dollar fine on private military contractor Blackwater USA for shipping hundreds of automatic weapons to Iraq without the necessary permits.

Some of the weapons are believed to have ended up on the country's black market, department officials told McClatchy, but no criminal charges have been filed in the case. . .

Read more at: McClatchy

Thank you to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

Blackwater to Open Site in San Diego?

Photo from source, Raw Story

If I didn't have so much trust in our government and the Bush Administration, this might worry me. Fortunately, I know they wouldn't do anything that wasn't in the best interests of all Americans. So any worries about hired mercenaries helping enforce martial law would just be a mad fever-dream of a tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorist. Or something. Where is that hat, anyway?

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Federal judge allows Blackwater to open San Diego facility

A federal judge has ordered the city of San Diego to allow military contractor Blackwater Worldwide to begin using a new counterterrorism training facility. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Blackwater Still Getting Iraq Contracts

Photo from source, TPM Muckraker

I wonder if the press and the Republican pundits are going to cut a Democratic President as much slack as The Decider gets. With all the controversy over military contractors in general, and Blackwater in specific, they're still securing contracts? Well, if they'll pay multi-millions to buy bullets from an 18-year old kid, why not Blackwater I guess. Sheesh.

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Blackwater: Still in Business in Iraq

Why is this man smiling? From the AP:

The State Department says it will renew Blackwater USA's license to protect diplomats in Baghdad for one year, but a final decision about whether the private security company will keep the job is pending. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Blackwater Prices Human Life at $20,000?

Photo from source, ABC News

One of the more disturbing things we've learned about the Iraq War (occupation) is the outsourcing of services once performed by the military itself. "Privatization" of everything from cooking to cleaning are now done--at greater cost--by private firms. I'm not sure how this is justified to be honest, but it gets even worse when they farm out "security." And we've also found out that the contracted security agents (once known as mercenaries) seem to be accountable to no one.

Blackwater, is doing something when they "inadvertently" kill a civilian, to say the least. The very least, as it turns out.

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Exclusive: Blackwater 'Blood Money' Angers Iraqis

At least two Iraqi families of victims killed by Blackwater security guards in September tell ABC News they have refused compensation offered by the company.

The father of a 9-year-old boy, who says his son was one of the 17 civilians killed when Blackwater guards, escorting a diplomatic convoy, opened fire at Baghdad's Nisour Square on Sept. 16, says he is trying to file a lawsuit against the company. He told ABCNews.com that Blackwater offered him $20,000 through an Iraqi prosecutor, but he refused the money. . .

Read more at: ABC News

Hat tip to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

Is Blackwater Dodging Taxes?

Photo from source, TPM Muckraker

Oh, c'mon. Would it surprise anyone if this were to turn out to be 100% true? To me, it seems, the people who tout their patriotism with the most gusto are the ones actually screwing the country. This is just the latest example.

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Waxman Calls for Investigations of Blackwater Tax Dodge

It was a pretty neat trick. Because Blackwater classified its guards in Iraq as independent contractors, the company saved possibly "tens of millions" of dollars in taxes. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Blackwater Dropped Illegal Gas on Troops?

Photo from source, Raw Story

I think one thing a Democratic candidate for President could do to surge in the polls is to promise to eliminate all para-military, mercenary groups like Blackwater from the government payroll. The more that drips out about these organizations, the creepier and less American they seem.

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Blackwater dropped blinding tear gas on Iraqis, US soldiers in 2005

Blackwater security contractors employed in Iraq dropped a blinding riot-control gas on Iraqi civilians and US military personnel on a busy Baghdad street in May 2005, according to the reporter who first broke the NSA wiretapping scandal in the New York Times. [snip]

CS gas -- 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile -- is among the most common tear gases used by law enforcement and militaries in conflict zones. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Conflict of Interest: State Department & Blackwater

Hmmm, this smells pretty bad.

It's a huge story, but I still don't feel quite up to the task of an in-depth opinion piece on the whole Blackwater imbroglio. The story is very dense, and only partially exposed so far, but not much of it looks good. And when a high-ranking State Department official has a brother who is a board member, and seemingly lots of evidence in both directions for preferential treatment. . .I think the administration may have a powder keg on their hands here.

[Excerpt]

State Dept official's brother linked to Blackwater

The State Department's top investigator recused himself on Wednesday from probes into the Blackwater security firm after discovering -- during a break in a congressional hearing -- that his brother was connected with the company.

Howard Krongard, who began a hearing of Rep. Henry Waxman's government oversight committee by denying the "ugly rumors" that his brother "Buzzy" was linked to Blackwater, returned after a recess to say he had just contacted his brother and learned he had attended a Blackwater advisory board meeting. . .

Read more at: Reuters

Did Blackwater Get Immunity or Not?

Image from Blackwater's online store

It's confounding to try figuring out whether or not the US State Department gave Blackwater guards accused of murder immunity. As a reader, I don't know. And as reporters, neither does USA Today. My question is, who the hell is in charge here?

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State Department ties itself in knots over immunity for Blackwater guards

Yesterday, the anonymous sources were saying that State Department investigators granted immunity to the Blackwater bodyguards as part of the investigation into the shooting deaths of Iraqis last month in Baghdad. Today, another anonymous source tells CNN that the men weren't granted immunity. . .

And it only gets more confusing after that.

Read more at: USA Today

Blackwater Guards Granted Immunity?

Photo from source, Think Progress

I didn't see this on the news tonight. Wow.

[Excerpt]

State Dept. Granted Disgraced Blackwater Guards Immunity After Shootings

Following the deadly September shootout in Baghdad involving Blackwater USA, the Bush administration rushed to the security firm’s defense and even awarded the firm a new $92 million contract.

Today, the AP provides further evidence of the administration’s efforts to shield the firm, reporting that the State Department “promised” legal immunity to Blackwater guards after the shooting incident. . .

I'm sure this isn't the last we've heard of this.

Read more at: Think Progress

Blackwater Pro Shop: Dress Like a Mercenary!

Have you ever wanted to dress like a mercenary? Now, not only can you look like a Blackwater contractor, you can dress your baby up too! Hat-tip to The Rachel Maddow Show for the idea. All photos are from the actual Blackwater ProShop website. Check it out.

Raw Story Investigation: Revolving Door Iraq PR

Photo from source, RawStory.com

This investigative report from Raw Story lays out a fascinating timeline of those who have promoted the Iraq war both from the Bush Administration and the private sector. If you think the Administration is too reliant on cronyism, or is prone to war profiteering, you'd be right.

[Excerpt]

All the president's PR men: Raw Story investigation reveals revolving door on Iraq PR

New questions are being raised about political operatives who have promoted President Bush’s Iraq war agenda and their role in spreading “good news” about Iraq, illustrating a public relations revolving door among the Republican Party, the White House and the private sector. . .

Read the whole story at: RawStory.com

Paul Krugman on Blackwater and Other War Contractors

Image from Wikipedia.org

I've wanted to post something on the war contractors, like Blackwater, but I don't feel well-versed enough on the topic to have a solid take on it. It has a nasty vibe, and it's hard to see the upside. And then, I find a story that says they did some good.

Still, the bulk of what I've read has been negative--very negative. I'd like people who read my blog to be aware of the subject, and I wanted to make sure the subject is addressed. So, until I've had time to study a bit more, I'll leave it to the pros. Here's a snippet of what New York Times writer, Paul Krugman has to say, in a recent NYT editorial.

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Hired Gun Fetish

. . . As far as I can tell, America has never fought a war in which mercenaries made up a large part of the armed force. But in Iraq, they are so central to the effort that, as Peter W. Singer of the Brookings Institution points out in a new report, “the private military industry has suffered more losses in Iraq than the rest of the coalition of allied nations combined.”

And, yes, the so-called private security contractors are mercenaries. They’re heavily armed. They carry out military missions, but they’re private employees who don’t answer to military discipline. On the other hand, they don’t seem to be accountable to Iraqi or U.S. law, either. And they behave accordingly. . .

Read the whole piece at: NYTimes.com

Blackwater in Iraq

I have not yet said anything on this blog about Blackwater, the company employing contractors and mercenaries in Iraq. That is mostly because I don't have all my ducks in a row on the issue. Much of what I have heard is disturbing. I'm still reading up on the matter, and hope to have a more comprehensive opinion written soon.

One thing I wonder about is, how many Americans know that there are more American contractors and mercenaries in Iraq than there are military personnel? Before this evening I didn't. I also wasn't aware that they are lobbying in this country to be outside the military code of justice and outside the reach of American courts. This would make them above the law, unless I'm missing something.

Here is a video of White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, attempting to address questions about Blackwater from the press. . .and not doing a particularly good job of it, either.



More about Blackwater is available at this link, which is also where I found the video: TPMMuckraker.com.