Blackwater Uses Gas On U.S. Troops

The New York Times reports a disturbing story of Blackwater using gas on U.S. military personal. CS gas can only be used under the orders of senior military commanders. Which makes Blackwater's use of the gas highly questionable.

A Blackwater helicopter and armored vechicle used CS gas at the checkpoint nicknamed Assassins’ Gate. 10 American soldiers and Iraqi civilians were exposed to the gas. Fortunately, none of the soldiers were injured. The Times does not know if civilians needed medical attention.

“This was decidedly uncool and very, very dangerous,” Capt. Kincy Clark of the Army, the senior officer at the scene, wrote later that day. “It’s not a good thing to cause soldiers who are standing guard against car bombs, snipers and suicide bombers to cover their faces, choke, cough and otherwise degrade our awareness.”

Mercenary contractors are not cool. A controversial video of random shootings at Iraqi motorists was allegedly executed by Aegis Defence Services.

Military Contractors Attack Civilians

Posted Nov 28, 2005

Conservative bloggers will say that Blackwater contractors were forced to use gas. Eyewitnesses from the Third Infantry Division tell another story.

Officers and noncommissioned officers from the Third Infantry Division who were involved in the episode said there were no signs of violence at the checkpoint. Instead, they said, the Blackwater convoy appeared to be stuck in traffic and may have been trying to use the riot-control agent as a way to clear a path.

I spoke to a friend whom served in the Army. He said it was normal for convoys to plow through traffic if motorists wouldn't move. The fear was having no exit route from an insurgent attack. That certainly doesn't excuse Blackwater's behavior.

Army officer Robert Bateman wrote about how he was almost killed because of Blackwater's recklessness. A Colonel told Newsweek that Blackwater drew weapons on U.S. soldiers and forced them to lie on the ground. The Colonel was part of the follow-up investigation. No charges could be pressed against Blackwater because contractors are void from criminal prosecution.

The State Department can not confirm if there is an investigation into the gas incident. Blackwater falls under State Department supervision. The State Department will either investigate or not. If they don't then I don't want to hear the Bush administration say they support troops more than Democrats. Their past actions have suggested otherwise.