Blackwater's Not-So-Little Steroids Problem (turning to Bud Selig for help?)

[babylonsister]

http://alternet.org/blogs/peek/69102/#more

Blackwater's No-So-Little Steroids Problem

Posted by Steven Reynolds, The All Spin Zone at 5:39 AM on November 28, 2007.

Steven Reynolds: Blackwater has another scandal on its hands, and it is turning to Bud Selig to handle it.


This post, written by Steven Reynolds, originally appeared on the All Spin Zone


Blackwater has another scandal on its hands, and it is turning to Bud Selig to handle it. All praise Blackwater!

In the wake of the latest Blackwater scandal, Erik Prince, CEO of Blackwater USA, is stepping down in favor of Bud Selig. It is clear this new scandal concerning steroid use by Blackwater mercenaries needs the special type of leadership only Mr. Selig can provide. Here's a bit about the scandal from CNN:

A quarter of Blackwater security guards in Iraq use steroids and other "judgment-altering substances," according to a lawsuit filed by the families of several Iraqis killed or wounded in a Baghdad shooting in September.

Blackwater denies the charges.

The suit, filed Monday in Washington, accuses the company of fostering "a culture of lawlessness" among its guards and says the use of excessive force helps the company preserve a key selling point -- the fact that none of its protectees have been killed during the four-year-old war.

"I think there is a whole corporate culture there that essentially rewards the use of excessive force -- shooting first, asking questions later," said Susan Burke, the lead attorney in the case.

The lawsuit accuses Blackwater of war crimes, wrongful death, assault, negligent hiring and emotional distress. The plaintiffs include two wounded survivors of the September 16 shootings around Nusoor Square, in western Baghdad, and the families of five people killed in the incident. Iraqi authorities say the guards killed 17 people in an act of "premeditated murder."

Mr. Selig is not the first choice of the Blackwater Board to succeed Mr. Prince. Barry Bonds, who would have brought his own substantial body armour to the position, has unfortunately been indicted recently, so he was disqualified as a candidate for the position.

[YOY]

1. Shock of shocks...

Not really.

[MikeNearMcChord]

2. Bud Selig is a clown, want to crack down on

'roid rage mercs? How about going to the NFL, or hire an ex-Olympic official?

[meegbear]

3. Ex-cellent stategy ...

First 10 offenses, verbal warning
Next 10 offenses, written warning
Next 10 offenses, demerit on your permanent record
Each subsequent offense, lose 30 minutes of pay

[begin_within]

4. Can that company get any weirder?

[NewJeffCT]

5. That's a joke

If they were really serious, how about the IOC (International Olympic Committee)?

or better, a ton of employers to pre-employment drug screening. I'm sure they could offer better advice than Bud Selig as well.

[KharmaTrain]

6. Drug Use In Iraq...Silence....

I remember this happening in Vietnam...the longer the war dragged on, the more rampant drug use became. Many of us here weren't aware of the scope of this use until most returned home. I've spoken to several Iraqi vets and read a few posts that have addressed a wide-spread drug problem in the military. It's a combination of steroids and other hormone growth drugs to "beef up" to stimulants dependence for those with long deployments to depressants and alcoholism to fight the PTSD. Some mix all three.

War is a numbing experience. How can someone not see all the death and destruction and not be affected by it? Imagine how numbed one must feel after facing this "groundhog's day" on two or three tours? A lot is kept quiet while troops remain engaged, but one day we'll get a better picture of the substance abuse problem.

[ck4829]

7. Kick