Is Anyone Worried About Blackwater Training and Recruiting in San Diego?

[AuntPatsy]

Counter terrorism or an attempt to train them for use closer to home? Rep Bob Filner D-California has been opposed to them since day one and has fought to stop them, why? And why did a federal judge order the city to allow them to train without actually completely viewing the reasons why some were against them?

So now another 400 million dollar contract has been handed out without restraint.

Its headquarters is in Moyock NC, they have already stated quite openly they are expanding their "DOMESTIC" law enforcement training, domestic means here at home right? So exactly who do they believe the terrorists to be?

We should be wondering why the need for a private militia is needed inside our borders? And yet the beat goes on and the training and expanding of blackwater trainees continues even in the face of protest...

San Diego city lawyers state that the company has misled inspectors from day one by applying for permits piecemeal and under the name of affiliated companies instead of making a single application to open a training center with firearms, why all the subterfuge? they have no said whether they will appeal the federal judges ruling that Blackwater be allowed to continue operations...

Where are the protesters?

[ampad]

1. Where are they gonna be?

Out there near Alpine and El Centro?

[HawkerHurricane]

4. Closer to Alpine

Potrero, CA, almost due south of Alpine on the Mexican border.

[ampad]

5. Thanks

I used to live in Alpine and I wonder if maybe that is why there are no protesters out that way. The people out there are not really the protesting type.

[grantcart]

9. The Potrero project was blocked - now they have set up in an urban location

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/san-diego-meets-the-blackwaters/?hp


The new location is close to Otay Mesa - right next to the border

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080606/ap_on_re_us/blackwater_fight

[HawkerHurricane]

10. Oh, great. Right down the block from here.

OK, not really. But we don't need it. I know active duty sailors who want to know why we're hiring these incompetents to train squids when the squids already know more than they do.

(And what the squids don't know, the Marines do.)

[babylonsister]

2. There were protesters a few months ago, and I thought this was shot

down, unless this is in a different part of SoCal.

[AuntPatsy]

3. They tried to shoot it down but like I said a federal judge ordered they

be allowed, it was in todays ap..

[babylonsister]

7. I think this is different: one was thwarted...

Southern California Residents Gear Up for New Fight to Stop Secretive Expansion by Military Firm Blackwater

Just two months after local opposition thwarted its effort to build a massive outdoor training facility near San Diego, the private military company Blackwater USA is being accused of secretly trying to build a new one just blocks from the US-Mexico border. Blackwater received approval for the 61,000 square-foot indoor facility in Otay Mesa, California, by filing for permits using the names of two subsidiaries. {includes rush transcript}


Guests:

Raymond Lutz, Local resident who has fought Blackwater’s expansion into the San Diego region. He runs the websites stopblackwater.net and Citizens Oversight.

Rep. Bob Filner, Democratic Congress member representing California’s 51st congressional district.
Rush Transcript
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AMY GOODMAN: We’re on the road in San Diego. The private security company Blackwater USA is being accused of trying to secretly build a military training facility in San Diego, right here, just blocks from the US-Mexican border. Blackwater received approval for the 61,000 square-foot indoor facility in Otay Mesa, California, by filing for permits using the names of two subsidiaries. It was only last week when San Diego officials learned Blackwater was behind the project.

The news comes just two months after local residents successfully blocked Blackwater from opening an 824-acre military complex known as Blackwater West in the rural hamlet of Potrero, California.
more...

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/5/2/southern_california_residents_gear_up_for

[AuntPatsy]

14. Well according to an article in MSNBC they are training in San Diego

A federal judge allowed them the go ahead though the city is against it.

[windbreeze]

6. we better be concerned...

these are mercenaries on our home soil...and didn't they just buy a fighter plane from some SA country? Brazil?perhaps? wb

[Lint Head]

8. Checkout the Blackwater application form and the training schedule.

You can go to the website and access all kinds of information on Blackwater. Specific types of training etc.
Blackwater needs to be banckrupted. They should be boycotted. Anyone working for these fascist corporate killers should be ashamed.
Their existence is an insult to every soldier in the US military!


http://www.blackwaterusa.com/training/download.asp :dem:

[az chela]

11. bush is getting ready for when they blow up

something he can declare martial law and stay in the white house

[Exilednight]

12. No.....

I'm worried about blackwater training and recruiting anywhere in the world.

Who in the hell do these people answer to?

[AuntPatsy]

15. That is my worry as well, who do they answer to?

[IDemo]

13. Bilgewater coming soon to Idaho, too

Blackwater wants to train Idaho cops

Guess what, Idaho? Blackwater wants to train our cops. Yes, that Blackwater. Marc Stewart of the Coeur d'Alene Press wrote this week:

The North Carolina-based company is negotiating a contract with the Idaho Peace Officer Standards & Training Academy to provide space and instruction to law enforcement personnel. ... Sheriff Rocky Watson expressed concern that Blackwater, which has big military contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense, partnering with Idaho POST will create the wrong impression with the public.

"The perception that our law enforcement officers will be trained by mercenaries is a problem," Watson said. "Our jobs are totally different. We're not paramilitary. The perception is important to our customers."

Blackwater officials strongly maintain that no military training will take place at the facility here. ... The company has faced media scrutiny about its role in Iraq. Blackwater is one of three big contractors providing security services to key U.S. personnel. DynCorp., and Triple Canopy also have employees deployed there.

http://redstaterebels.typepad.com/redstaterebelsnet/2008/05/blackwater-want.html

[AuntPatsy]

16. There really should be louder protests towards this militia group..

I fear it just might be too late to do anything to stop them if not enough people are aware of the danger they do represent to everyday American citizens.