Blackwater USA »
Posted By jovial 1 year, 8 months ago in NewsA number of Iraqis I know could fill this blog with harrowing tales of their encounters with Blackwater and other security contractors. These are only my recollections:
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jovial
Grew up In Brooklyn. Joined the Navy in 1976 stayed in 10 years. Aircraft Electronics tech. Worked for Major Govt. contractor then settled in California ...
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jovial1 year, 8 months ago
I know there probably are thousands of more unreported incidents that went on in Iraq. What kind of people are these? Absolutely no regard for human life.
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jordan111 year, 8 months ago
What kind of people are these? >>>>
Sociopaths. We used to lock them up for the protection of society. Now they're 'cool.'
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cowboygrandpa1 year, 8 months ago
jovial: Guns for hire with little or no regard for human lives except those who pay them and their own. Mercs. Ones who don't care about shooting people as long as they get paid. Deadly, very deadly people. Self indulged sociopaths whose only fear is laws against their kind. Not the kind of people you would want to party with. Unless you were in the group.
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sumptuousdigs1 year, 8 months ago
Mercenaries. Guns for hire. Soldiers of fortune, and some are just desperate for the cash. The few rules of the game are not applicable to these freelance armed squads. To whom are they accountable? What kind of people are they?
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gamahuche1 year, 8 months ago
The most important thing about them is that they are the ugly face of America which is being burned for a lifetime into the hearts and minds of the many people whom they encounter at the end of a gun barrel. Clearly from this story there were Iraqis who WERE ready to welcome those who brought them freedom from Saddam. But to follow up with the atrocities that were committed both by the US forces and especially by these marauding bozos is a sure guarantee that the hearts and minds have been lost for decades.
Next the planned oil coup will equate American "democracy" with plain old piracy.
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Eagle_Eye1 year, 8 months ago
What I don't understand is the fact that we need a company like "Blackwater", I was under the impression that we had a military with lots of equipment.
I thought soldiers of fortune fought only in illegal wars for big bucks.....oops my mistake I just answered my own question
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Locky121 year, 8 months ago
The truth is Blackwater's employees are not above the law and never were. They are almost always subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and to Iraqi law. Congress could add clarity on how to enforce the rules of private contractors. Heck, Congress could address why our military is too small. Henry Waxman should address these issues instead of bashing Blackwater.
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jovial1 year, 8 months ago
I worked for Dyncorp. I wasn't under the UCMJ. I was under the rules of the country I worked in. In Iraq the government has no authority over Americans.
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mamasan1 year, 8 months ago
sorry lock you are wrong...these mercenaries are NOT
I repeat NOT under the uniform code of military conduct.
They answer to no one... not even /blackwater.
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jordan111 year, 8 months ago
Locky12: It's rude to yell, but you got me mad. IT'S A LIE THAT THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE DO YOU GET THIS NONSENSE????
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ETproductions1 year, 8 months ago
The mercenaries are a big problem for our troops too. Their job now is to win the hearts and minds of ordinary Iraqis. And every time some private contractor smokes an unarmed Iraqi woman or child, that job gets way harder.
The problem is we don't have sufficient forces to transition to an all military force. That's because, as Rummy so eloquently explained, "You start wars with the army you've got, not the one you would actually need to secure the peace." Well, maybe not quite those words, but something like that.
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mamasan1 year, 8 months ago
It is all well and good for something to be done about them NOW, as this horrid "war" is winding down.
These guys have raped
pillaged
and plundered Iraq. This money will turn up in the GOP one way or another.
They will funnel it into shell corporations and then use it to fund the GOP.
This war was nothing more than a big banquet for the Conservative war chest to win/steal elections in the USA.
God save us all.....
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hamy1 year, 8 months ago
Really!? So it's the Iraqi people's own fault that security guards are shooting them? That is what you are saying?
If the innocent people would just stop defending themselves against murderers and rebuild what we have blown up and destroyed, then all would be well in the land.
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PsychoHosebeastComment removed: User banned.
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mr2041 year, 8 months ago
I was in private, armed security in the early 90's. I hate to agree with all you Commies but, if true, the lack of professionalism of the Blackwater crew is unprecedented. It's like they hired some mall rent-a-cops and gave them guns.
I'm hoping it's just media spin. If they really were former Marines and SEALs, whatever they learned in the Corps or the Navy has been forgotten... except for the shooting part.
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mr2041 year, 8 months ago
Does Baghdad have a DA yet who can haul these guys into court? Somebody's gotta go down, especially the employer.
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nikkibabe1 year, 8 months ago
Iraqis got freedom, thanks to Bush. Their homes bombed, their markets destroyed, their schools uprooted, no water, no electricity.
If they stay home, they are killed by US air strikes. If they venture out to get milk or groceries, they are gunned down by Blackwater mercenaries. If they go to pray, they are killed by the other sect. If nothing is happening, Al Qaeda tortures them.
What price freedom? I hope some sympathetic American can answer them. Is that guy out here somewhere?
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