Did Goldman Sacks just buy protection by taking over Blackwater??? (or Xi, or whatever...)

[cliffordu]

Apparently a 'Private Equity Consortium" bought it

Now, who the fuck has THAT kind of money laying around????

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141093

[tridim]

1. Is GS a Private equity consortium?

Maybe the Saudi Royal Family bought them?

[cliffordu]

3. I never claimed to know what the hell a private equity consortium is......

dammit.

[tridim]

4. I don't know either, but I've heard the term used before.

I always assumed it meant a group of rich fucks with lots of money to throw around.

[Scuba]

2. Doesn't matter who bought them. They're a threat to democracy. n/t

[aquart]

5. I don't listen to the news for one lousy day...

GOLDMAN BOUGHT BLACKWATER??? Why??? Planning a planetary coup?

[Jackpine Radical]

6. I don't know any more about it than you, but read the above thread to be pure speculation about who

bought Blackwater/Xe/Whatever.

[cliffordu]

7. Welll...If you go read the article you might surmise the other players

have ties to GS...

But then, I dunno nothing from nobody.

[cyberpj]

8. The Carlyle Group, "a private equity firm', was my first guess. Can you say Bush Family?

I knew you could.

If you never heard of them do some Googling, then weep.

The Iron Triangle – The Carlyle Group Exposed

The Bush family, the Saudi Royal family, Osama Bin Laden’s family and Donald Rumsfeld’s inner circle – these are just some of the high profile figures who have played a direct role in the rise of one of the most powerful and influential and secretive firms in Washington. The company is called The Carlyle Group. And in the wake of the events of September 11th and the invasion of Iraq, its power and influence have become significantly stronger. The company operates within the so-called iron-triangle of industry, government and the military. Its list of former and current advisers and associates includes a vast array of some of the most powerful men in America and indeed around the world. This program exposes the history of the Carlyle Group, from it’s inception as [font color=red]a private equity firm[/font color=red] to it’s percent status as one of the largest defense contractors in the world.

I don't know if this is a 'good' site or not but you can find this info and video all over the net.

48min video:
More at EndtheLie.com - http://EndtheLie.com/documentaries-and-informative-videos/the-iron-triangle-the-carlyle-group-exposed/#ixzz1gMu5wKod

[cyberpj]

10. Nope, it appears to still be held by USTC HOLDINGS, LLC

December 12, 2011 08:33 AM Eastern Time

ARLINGTON, Va.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--

USTC Holdings, LLC, the investor consortium that acquired Xe Services, LLC, including its main holding U.S. Training Center, Inc. (USTC) in December 2010, today announced ACADEMI as the new name and brand for Xe Services. The name ACADEMI (pronounced “academy”) was selected to better communicate the new company’s focus on future growth.

[font color=green] Note:
Interesting that when government and military now refer to "the academy" they may not be speaking about the U.S. Military Academy at West Point any longer. Perhaps we are no longer to have a volunteer OR drafted military but a PRIVATIZED military?. Afterall, it will be much safer to fight wars from desktops in Arlington Virginia using drones and robots instead of so many humans. [/font color=green]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Military_Academy

snip-
Upon acquiring Xe Services and its core operating subsidiaries in December 2010, USTC Holdings, LLC indicated that it would form a new Board of Directors, including independent unaffiliated directors, to manage the company and enhance its governance and oversight capabilities. Now complete and led by Chairman Red McCombs, [font color=red]the Board is made up of an exceptional team with diverse backgrounds, including former White House Counsel Jack Quinn and former Attorney General John Ashcroft, to help guide company decisions and operations. [/font color=red]


http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20111212005525/en/Leading-Training-Security-Services-Provider-Xe-Services

[AntiFascist]

9. This is part of what anarcho-capitalism is about...

privatization of most if not all functions of government, including security and defense.

[Remember Me]

12. Doesn't ring true for me

Wikipedia on anarcho-capitalism:

Anarcho-capitalism (also referred to as “libertarian anarchy” by anarcho-capitalists,[1] “market anarchism,”[2] “free market anarchism”[3] or “private-property anarchism”[4]) is a libertarian[5][6] and individualist anarchist[7] political philosophy that advocates the elimination of the state in favour of individual sovereignty in a free market. In an anarcho-capitalist society, law enforcement, courts, and all other security services would be provided by voluntarily funded compertitos rather than through taxation, and money would be privately and competitively provided in an open market. According to anarcho-capitalists, personal and economic activities would be regulated by privately run law rather than through politics. Furthermore, victimless crimes would not be punished.

---------------------

I rather think it's plain ole American-version fascism.

[AntiFascist]

14. I believe anarcho-capitalism is the method being used to achieve (economic) fascism...

if government remains large, but ends up working only for the 1%, then the goal is complete. Are we there already?

[Remember Me]

15. Okay, THAT works for me

Thanks for the clarification.

[JohnnyBoots]

11. Aren't private standing armies banned by the Constitution? Is the

classification of 'Security Consultant' some kind of loop hole?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

13. Depends on context

So long as the armed force in question acknowledges the sovereignty of the US government they would not be illegal by rote as such armed groups would be the intent of issuing letters of marque and reprisal -- http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Letter+of+marque+and+reprisal

LETTER OF MARQUE AND REPRISAL, War. A commission granted by the government to a private individual, to take the property of a foreign state, or of the citizens or subjects of such state, as a reparation for an injury committed by such state, its citizens or subjects. A vessel loaded with merchandise, on a voyage to a friendly port, but armed for its own defence in case of attack by an enemy, is also called a letter of marque. 1 Boulay Paty, tit. 3, s. 2, p. 300.

2. By the constitution, art. 1, s. 8, cl. 11, congress has power to grant letters of marque and reprisal. Vide Chit. Law of Nat. 73; 1 Black. Com. 251; Vin. Ab. Prerogative, N a; Com. Dig. Prerogative, B 4; Molloy, B. 1, c. 2, s. 10; 2 Woodes. 440; 6 Rob. Rep. 9; 5 Id. 360; 2 Rob. Rep. 224. And vide Reprisal.

Basically this means you can have freelance killers running around doing your killing for you so long as you sign their permission slip beforehand.

I would imagine any group based in the US and operating in a foreign country would have to have at least tacit approval of the US government as they could cause an international incident. Imagine if the so-called Minute Men (sounds like a bad date to me) started killing Mexican citizens. If the US didn't want Mexican retaliating with righteous indignation it would have to quash the MM itself.

Obviously any group that violently challenged the sovereignty of the US government would be fair game as well.

[Octafish]

16. Someone has to protect the Vampire Squid from the 99-percent.

Especially to protect the billions in bonuses for the turds at Goldman Sachs, AIG and UBS paid by the US taxpayer.

Send in the Army.

[applegrove]

17. That looks like a buy to meet the needs of some executive's master of the universe fantasy.

The bigger bonus they get, the bigger they dream.