F.B.I. Says Blackwater Killed 14 Iraqis Without Cause »
Posted By Aidenag 1 year, 7 months ago in NewsFederal agents investigating the Sept. 16 episode in which Blackwater security personnel shot and killed 17 Iraqi civilians have found that at least 14 of the shootings were unjustified and violated deadly-force rules in effect for security contractors in Iraq, according to civilian and military officials briefed on the case.
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Aidenag
Photographer by day, news junkie by night. My main areas of interest are politics and the environment.
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gamahuche1 year, 7 months ago
FTA
Representative David E. Price, a North Carolina Democrat who has sponsored legislation to extend American criminal law to contractors serving overseas, said the Justice Department must hold someone accountable for the shootings.
"Just because there are deficiencies in the law, and there certainly are," Mr. Price said, "that can't serve as an excuse for criminal actions like this to be unpunished. I hope the new attorney general makes this case a top priority. He needs to announce to the American people and the world that we uphold the rule of law and we intend to pursue this."
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Investigators found no evidence to support assertions by Blackwater employees that they were fired upon by Iraqi civilians. That finding sharply contradicts initial assertions by Blackwater officials, who said that company employees fired in self-defense and that three company vehicles were damaged by gunfire.
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gamahuche1 year, 7 months ago
This will offer a fascinating opportunity to see the new AG at work and a potential indicator of how the laws of the land will fare during the forseeable future.
On his judgment hangs the international reputation of the US, currently sorely in need of burnishing rather than tarnishing.
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hdthehn1 year, 7 months ago
It is no longer about upholding the law it is about holding up the law.
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gamahuche1 year, 7 months ago
If there is anyone who's willing to predict what his verdict will be and/or who would be willing to make a thoughtful attempt to explain what distinguishes the Blackwater action from terrorism I'd be very interested to hear it.
Seriously! These are not trick questions. You will NOT go to Jail without passing GO.
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GWHayduke1 year, 7 months ago
-"..explain what distinguishes the Blackwater action from terrorism.."-
There is no difference. With the exception that these guys are walking around the streets with assault rifles - LEGALLY - and using them to bully the indigenous people of Iraq with seemingly no consequence.
Now THATS effective terrorism.
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StarLord1 year, 7 months ago
Hmmm... I'll bite.
Unfortunately, I don't expect much from a man who can't decide of waterboarding is torture or not. He will do one of two things, IMO:
1. He will bury the case under a mountain of paperwork and red tape, and hide it from the press.
OR
2. He will state that given the deficiency of criminal-conduct laws in this area, he cannot prosecute. "It's not my job to make the law, it's my job to enforce it." - or words to that effect.
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not2needy1 year, 7 months ago
I saw this on the news! It's pitiful what these people are capable of doing with our govt's blessing!
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gamahuche1 year, 7 months ago
>>it's true gamahuche - they are terrorists!
Ah!
And well-paid too - unless ALL of those millions are going into the boss's back pocket and/or being recycled to the Karl Rove poker fund.
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BuffaloJ1 year, 7 months ago
"recklessly used lethal force" = MURDER
fry those involved and go after those in our countries administration that are trying to protect them.
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tehranchik1 year, 7 months ago
From the article: "Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to seek indictments, and some officials have expressed pessimism that adequate criminal laws exist to enable them to charge any Blackwater employee with criminal wrongdoing."
FBI investigates, finds fault with Blackwater, now they have to make up their little minds about charging or not? OMG!
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Wolfie20071 year, 7 months ago
Now, now don't get too excited little libs. The investigation isn't even over and after all this article did come from the NY Times. You guys are always jumping the shark. lol
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afoaf1 year, 7 months ago
do you even know what 'jump the shark' means?
from your use, it seems that you don't.
2/10 for trying to sound clever and failing miserably.
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aceofspades11 year, 7 months ago
wolfie sockpuppet - I saw it on the Fox cartoon network this AM - guess they are making a left turn-- huh?
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gamahuche1 year, 7 months ago
>>>Wolfie: You guys are always jumping the shark. lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpraJYnbVtE
I guess you're trying to let us know that your voting style indicates that you prefer to stay hidden in the water but you really do have a big bite?
Or are you getting confused with the Little Red Riding Hood story?
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hamy1 year, 7 months ago
Why is Bush hiring mercenaries to do the jobs typically done by the millitary? Is it a private millitary force? Is it because the millitary itself is not capable of protecting dignitaries? Or is it to funnel government money back to his supporters?
Which is it?
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Will13131 year, 7 months ago
not only mrcenaries.. but they are also supplying INTELLIGENCE.. and have access to spy satellites and electronic surveillance...
again they have no oath to uphold the constitution or any other laws of the land....
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BuffaloJ1 year, 7 months ago
so true. The white house wants blackwater in place so they can keep this war going. When they perform random killings like they do it keeps the chaos high. As long as there is "instability" bushco can keep the war going and continue to funnel money.
If anyone doesn't believe me, then look at the stocks for the top 10 defense contractors. General Dynamics(GD) stock has tripled since early '03 - with a nearly straight line upward trend. Look at Exxon Mobile(XOM) stock - also nearly tripled since the same time. bushco setup the market conditions for this to happen and is doing what they can to keep it in place.
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gamahuche1 year, 7 months ago
It wouldn't have been much more interesting even if it had been.
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JohnQPublicComment removed: User banned.
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abntv1 year, 7 months ago
I have provided a link to the use of private security units around the world in an above post.
I will leave this thread with this statement.
The use of private security units is legal and has been used by countries all over the world. Look it up..try a little google..if you do not like the link I gave you.
If you do not like the idea of private security forces guarding U.S. diplomats contact your Senator and tell them to change the law.
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Will13131 year, 7 months ago
no one ever said it was illegal to use them.. but is it legal for them to kill innocent people????
why would ANYONE want to condone building a force such as Blackwater... really..
they will have no constitutional restrictions about using force on American soil if they are hired to do so...
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MonkeyBiz1 year, 7 months ago
I think that if the USA is going to hire private military forces (that is exactly what they are), the personnel in those companies should be subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Right now, their lethal actions in Iraq may have a muddied legal solution in the USA, but gunning down innocent civilians is a war crime. Put them in the cell next to the Serbians who are being tried at the Hague.
BTW - The US Marines have always been in charge of the security of our overseas embassys (including personnel). During the Vietnam conflict, the US Army provided war time security with Military Police.
It is only since the repugs have been in power that outsourcing government responsibilities and functions has become popular. There is no historic precedence for the US government to hire private military forces to protect anyone or anything and our military has never needed any help to fight our wars.
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IanFraigun1 year, 7 months ago
Bottom line to this whole incident.
We forced the Iraqi government to hold our contractors harmless for any actions taken. We also have contracted with them that they would be held harmless for acts outside this country.
We simply built a structure where you can do anything you want and there is no accountability for anything you do of you are a contractor in Iraq.
Is there anyone gulliable enough to think that those contractors would not take advantage of the situation for a little target practice on Iraqi civilians.
Yes the contractors involved should be held accountable, but this administration also needs to be held accountable for defining the rules that allowed such actions to occur without any recourse to accountability or punishment of those involved.
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IanFraigun1 year, 7 months ago
Jaydee,
You missed the main point. Our occupation head (Bremmer) required that they have a law in place that would exempt any of our troops and 'contractors' from punishment for ANY actions under Iraqi laws.
There is no law to handle the situation because the USA demanded that this exemption be placed into their laws. There is no old law because Bremmer in his authority obviated any prior laws that existed in the country.
This is a situation where we allowed the problem to occur and we, as an occupying force, mandated that all our personel and contractors be exempt from their laws.
In this case it is the duty of the USA to see that justice is done as we prevented the Iraqis from handling the situation on their own.
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joeblowe1 year, 7 months ago
Contrary to what GWB would have everyone believe, Iraq is NOT currently a war zone as defined by our Constitution - we are NOT at war with Iraq. As far as I know, there is NO reason for "independent contractors" (read: mercenaries) to be working on our payroll there. The sovereign nation of Iraq has, I presume, laws against killing people. In the absence of ANY justification for self defense here, these armed felons committed murder, plain and simple. I wonder what the penalty is for murder in Iraq? I'll bet it isn't pretty. Say, do they still allow murderers to skate by paying off the families of those they killed?
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xlegultx1 year, 7 months ago
Private army with a CEO who thinks his organization is better than the United States army. Blackwater could stage a Coup d'état and you would have to wake up tomorrow morning worshiping these thugs.
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Dicax_Maximus1 year, 7 months ago
Little question for all....
Were you there ?
Do you KNOW what happened (as opposed to what you saw on CNN or other news media) ???
Given what/where/when, i'd wait until PROOF was supplied.. Yes, before you all shout at me, I've read the same reports, BUT, I also know an ex-special forces person rather well, and that these people, mostly ex-special forces, reacted like a bunch of gunslingers, he found beyond contempt. I'd rather take his word on reactions to situations, than either a PC journalist or a (possibly ???) biased local....
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