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.

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