Why Does Blackwater Hate America? - Blackwater wants lawsuit decided under Islamic law

[kpete]

Blackwater wants lawsuit decided under Islamic law
Bringing Sharia law to America
Erik Prince


The private military company Blackwater has cultivated a patriotic reputation, with its staff of retired military and former police officers, and the requirement that most of its workers swear an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution.

Blackwater’s aviation wing recently filed a unique request in federal court, where the widows of three American soldiers are suing the company over a botched flight supporting the U.S. military in Afghanistan.

The company, based in Moyock, doesn’t want the case heard in an American courtroom under American law: it wants the case decided by Shari’a, the Islamic law of Afghanistan.

Erik Prince, Blackwater’s founder and owner, discussed the company's position in a meeting today with editors and reporters at The News & Observer. John Drescher, the editor of The N&O, pressed Prince to justify having the case moved overseas.

more at:
http://www.newsobserver.com/917/story/1112708.html

[elehhhhna]

1. omg!

The crash of Blackwater Flight 61 occurred in the rugged mountains of central Afghanistan in 2004, killing three soldiers and the three-man crew.

The widows of the soldiers sued Presidential Airways, Blackwater’s aviation wing, which was under contract with the U.S. military to fly cargo and personnel around Afghanistan.

The company argued that the lawsuit must be dismissed; legal doctrine holds that soldiers cannot sue the government, and Blackwater’s aviation wing was acting as an agent of the government.

Last year, a series of federal judges dismissed that argument.

In April, Blackwater asked a federal judge in Florida to apply Islamic law, commonly known as Shari’a, to the case. If the judge agreed, the lawsuit would be dismissed. Shari’a law does not hold a company responsible for the actions of employees performed within the course of their work.

[DS1]

2. Ahh yes. I believe one of the surivivors of that crash said it went something like

"Yeeh hawww! This is just like in the arcades!" *CRUNCH*

[ljm2002]

3. I just read that...

...and isn't it just the perfect illustration of where their real allegiances lie: always with the bottom line.

Basically, their lawyers noticed that under current Islamic law in Afghanistan, the case would be thrown out because "Shari’a law does not hold a company responsible for the actions of employees performed within the course of their work." (although I have to wonder if Shari'a law is as monolithic as is implied in the article, or if different countries would have different interpretations).

Well anyway, the only reason for this request is to get the case thrown out and save them money. Good on the newspaper interviewer for pointing out to him how utterly INSULTING this is to Americans.

Too bad most Americans are too numb to be insulted by this kind of thing anymore.