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Blackwater To Be Fined Amid Allegations Over Shrink-Wrapped Weapons
Blackwater USA, the State Department's largest personal security contractor in Iraq, is set to be hit with a multi-million dollar fine for shipping automatic weapons to that country without the necessary permits, reports McClatchy. Some of the weapons are believed to have ended up on Iraq's black market.
The State Department has been looking into whether Blackwater employees shipped weapons hidden in shrink-wrapped pallets from the companies headquarters in North Carolina to Iraq. No criminal charges have been filed in the case.
But according to one official, the department found that Blackwater shipped 900 weapons to Iraq without the paperwork required by arms export control regulations.
Since the weapons case became public in September 2007, Blackwater has received $1.2 billion in federal contracts, by one estimate.
The company is also being investigated by the Justice Department in connection with the killing last year of 17 Iraqi civilians.
Josh
Zachary
And, this is one of the fundamental problems with private contractors like Blackwater USA.
So pumped with an inflated sense of their own importance and an imagined set of exigent circumstances, poorly supervised by the agencies who contract with them, they willfully disobey the rules—be they export laws, hiring standards, tax statutes or the rules of engagement on a battlefield—to 'get the job done' when no competitor or contracting agency can.
These contractors should have NO role in a modern US fighting force, as—in the long run—they greatly weaken the ability (particularly that of the US Army) to engage and defeat the enemy. They are not and should be be construed to be either soldiers or Federal law enforcement officers. Should Federal agencies such as the US State Department require additional security and law enforcement personnel, the government should hire and train personnel whom they control entirely. It is pure folly to turn such requirements over to the private sector.
As foolish as it would be, for example, to supplement or replace the personnel of a law enforcement agency domestically with non-sworn, armed private security personnel.
November 13, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of ALL the reprehensible residue left behind by the Cheney/Addington?Rummy Axis of Venality, the very concept of Outsourced WAR by modern mercenary companies is the most disturbing and dangerous.
After 5 years of senseless violence and waste, with American soldiers exposed to many "tours" of aggressive, but generally unpredictable violence, PTSD, and exclusively reich-wing and Christian Dominionist propaganda on Military media, a modern soldier can really cash in on his or her experience.
The fact that they may be again be called upon to patrol US streets and "maintain order" in cases of natural disaster or political protest? is the most troubling facet of the tendency toward proto-fascism expressed by the Cheney Administration. Remember when "Brownie" authorized heavily armed Blackwater "guards" to patrol the neighborhoods of a drowned New Orleans.
Blackwater claims to have up to 15,000 highly trained "fighters" on call for a big enough job. They have armed helicopters, armored vehicles and an enormous arsenal, all financed by no-see, no-bid contracts with neoclowns in the Unitary Executive. Blackwater is pressing to be given contracts for Navel Security, anti-drug war activities and much more.
They must be expressly forbidden to operate within the borders of the United States. NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Their books must be audited and absolutely no tax breaks should ever be allowed for mercenary armies in the Twenty First Century.
November 13, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Randi Rhodes was taken to court for referring to these contractors an mercenaries, but if that is unacceptable to them, maybe we should refer to them as guns for hire?
It's amazing that they find an apt description of them distasteful, yet, rather then find another line of work, they demand they not be defined that way ... and the courts support them! It's ludicrous.
November 13, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps, the Justice Department need look no further for criminal charges against Blackwater and its' prinicipals than their successfull conviction of Jose Padilla. To wit, conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim people in a foreign country.
November 13, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
While Obama is looking over the budget for possible trims, he would be well advised to give these goons the boot!
By all means continue with the criminal investigations, but also go after some of the money they gleefully added to their coffers in the form of padding and diversion. Our lawful troops could use the money.
November 13, 2008 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
The faithful get upset when you call them mercs.
November 13, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink