Time to dump Blackwater

[Hannah Bell]

BLACKWATER, THE private mercenary company owned by Erik Prince, has been thrust back into the spotlight by a series of stunning revelations about its role in covert U.S. programs.

Since at least 2002, Blackwater has worked for the CIA in Afghanistan and Pakistan on "black" contracts. On August 19, the New York Times revealed that the company was, in fact, a central part of a secret CIA assassination program that Dick Cheney allegedly ordered concealed from Congress. The paper then reported that Blackwater remains a key player in the widening air war in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where it arms drone aircraft.

These disclosures follow allegations--made under oath by former Blackwater employees--that Prince murdered or facilitated the murder of potential government informants, and that he "views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe."

In addition, Blackwater is being investigated by the Justice Department for possible crimes ranging from weapons smuggling to manslaughter and by the IRS for possible tax evasion. (Hannah: Informant also accused BW of smuggling "illegal substances" - I guess drugs). It is being sued...for alleged war crimes and extrajudicial killings. Two of its men have pleaded guilty to weapons-smuggling charges; another pleaded guilty to the unprovoked manslaughter of an Iraqi civilian, and five others have been indicted on similar counts. The U.S. military is investigating Blackwater's killing of civilians in Afghanistan in May, and reports are emerging that the company may be implicated in the CIA's extraordinary rendition program.

And yet, despite these black marks, the Obama administration continues to keep Blackwater on the government's payroll...The United States now deploys more private forces (74,000) than uniformed soldiers (57,000) in Afghanistan...Blackwater is but one fruit on the poisonous tree of military outsourcing. It is imperative that Congress confront the intimate linking of corporate profits to U.S. wars and lethal, covert operations.

http://socialistworker.org/2009/09/02/time-to-dump-blackwater

[DCKit]

1. The name is now Xe (Christ-y, get it? Like X-mas) n/t

[sabrina 1]

2. Way past time

It never should have been considered. But under Bush, it is not a surprise, but Obama? Are our presidents simply frontmen who have no power at all?

[dipsydoodle]

3. It's called disaster capitalism.

You privatised your military and this is the result. In the absense of that bunch of hooligans doubtless an equally abnoxious company would replace them. You made your bed............and only Obama could now change the status quo. Personally I wouldn't bother watching this space as nothing is likely to change.

[sattahipdeep]

4. Burke O'Neil

Blackwater employees also say -- without citing evidence -- that the company may have conspired to murder witnesses in the criminal probe.

The Blackwater attorneys are also calling on the judge to strike the affidavits from the former employees from the court record, calling them "scandalous and baseless" and designed to get publicity.
....
Ellis has yet to rule on that motion.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/28/AR2009082803782.html

[Enthusiast]

5. Dump Xe! Dump Xe now! nt

[conscious evolution]

6. Time to indict xe

as a criminal organization responsible for the implementation of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Their actions are eerily reminiscent of the activities of the SS during WW2.

[Hannah Bell]

7. kick