Blackwater Is On the Outs

The investigation into Blackwater is unearthing (unsurprising and) disturbing new information.

The colonel was furious. "Can you believe it? They actually drew their weapons on U.S. soldiers." He was describing a 2006 car accident, in which an SUV full of Blackwater operatives had crashed into a U.S. ArmyHumvee on a street in Baghdad's Green Zone. The colonel, who was involved in a follow-up investigation and spoke on the condition he not be named, said the Blackwater guards disarmed the U.S. Army soldiers and made them lie on the ground at gunpoint until they could disentangle the SUV. His account was confirmed by the head of another private security company. Asked to address this and other allegations in this story.

The State Department has stonewalled the FBI. An October 11, 2007 New York Times article reports that the FBI and Iraqi police have not been allowed to talk to Blackwater. The FBI has been asking the Iraqis for information because their own government has not cooperated.

The U.S. military investigators have been given the same treatment.

The senior U.S. military officer said the State Department has also refused to provide details of its ongoing investigation. “We have asked questions,” the officer said. “They have not responded back on those.”

Two Blackwater employees smuggled weapons into Iraq. No one knows who bought the weapons. It is disturbing to think that taxpaid contractors are very likely arming insurgents.

There is the disturbing video of Blackwater shooting at random motorists for no justifiable reason.


Blackwater Shoot People For Sport - Click here for more free videos

Robert Gates is pushing to have Blackwater removed from Iraq. What is sad is there shouldn't even be a debate. The Iraqi people and U.S. military have both had negative experiences with Blackwater. No one likes them. There is the issue of who will provide security for diplomats. The Bush administration constantly told the American public that the Iraq venture could be done on the cheap. Now diplomats are shitting themselves because they may have reservists providing protection.

What kind of deal can the Bush administration cut with the Iraqi government that can keep Blackwater in the country? The President isn't going to threaten to leave Iraq. Prime Minister El Maliki would lose what little credibility he has with Iraqis if he caved to the White House. Bush has never understood that one does not make a democracy by pissing off the country's population.