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Blackwater Accused of Engineering Prison Break
If Erik Prince of Blackwater shows up at the House oversight committee's hearing into his company's activities in Iraq, expect him to get an earful. It's not just about the Mansour incident, or the murky legal status the private-security firm possesses. According to the Iraqi government, Blackwater employees engineered a jailbreak to free a minister convicted of corruption charges.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki referred obliquely to the incident yesterday. But a Defense Ministry spokesman told Leila Fadel of McClatchy that Blackwater, in December, broke former Electricity Minister Ahyam al-Samarrai out of prison in the Green Zone, where he was awaiting sentencing for embezzling $2.5 billion in reconstruction money.
Until now, Iraqi officials hadn't named the private security company that they believe helped Samarrai, the only Iraqi cabinet official convicted of corruption, to escape from a jail that was overseen jointly by U.S. and Iraqi guards. He subsequently was spirited out of the country and is believed to be living in the United States.
The U.S. State Department made note of his escape in its December report on developments in Iraq, saying that "Iraq's Commission on Public Integrity (CPI) said they believed he fled with the help of members of a private security company."But the accusation that Blackwater, which earned at least $240 million in 2005 from contracts to provide security to U.S. officials in Baghdad, assisted in his escape raises questions about what American officials might have known about the breakout.
It's possible that Maliki and the Defense Ministry spokesman are misrepresenting what happened. But should Prince testify -- and the committee expects he will -- it'll be interesting to hear his response to the accusation. And, if it's true, his explanation.
Comments (21)
Slippery Slope wrote on September 20, 2007 6:39 PM:"He subsequently was spirited out of the country and is believed to be living in the United States."
See!! And all you Liberals keep saying the US isn't doing its part to alleviate the displaced Iraqi problem.
By now he’s probably got a great union job with KBR or Blackwater helping to rebuild New Orleans.
Clay wrote on September 20, 2007 6:50 PM:That's the problem with mercenaries. They're only patriotic until a better offer comes along. 2.5 billion can buy a lot of security, I'll bet.
cocktailhag wrote on September 20, 2007 6:53 PM:I hope Prince will also be asked about his religious and political connections. He is the classic gravy train crusader we are all saddled with supporting. Maybe someone should suggest he get a real job.
regular lurker wrote on September 20, 2007 7:03 PM:Only 2 options on this one. Either:
1. State employed Blackwater
2. Ayham al-Samarrai employed Blackwater
I'm betting it's 1. Which means someone at State sympathetic to Samarrai authorized the prison break...
modmom wrote on September 20, 2007 7:15 PM:Since it was Paul Bremer who gave Blackwater immunity the day before he left Iraq (memo # 17), then perhaps he should be responsible for their actions. I wonder if then he would offer up who directed this memo.
jose wrote on September 20, 2007 7:30 PM:I think this is the guy that was on 60 minutes. He owned a electrical contracting company in the US before he went to Iraq. He seemed to be ok in the interviews (unlike Chalabi). I'd be more inclined to think his incarceraters were the villains than not.
anon wrote on September 20, 2007 7:39 PM:Hmmmm. I'm not sure I really want Blackwater to return home. Seems to me that there's some logic in letting them "fight over there, so we don't have to fight them at home" in Blackwater's case. Pissing off a couple thousand guys with SF training and unlimited weapons might not be a bad idea. Perhaps Waxman should _encourage_ Blackwater to get out of the Green Zone more and take their show on the road in Iraq. I'd rather see Blackwater handling security for State in Iraq than in Foggy Bottom.
anonymouse wrote on September 20, 2007 7:49 PM:At least these crooks are being paid by the government, not us...
Bill Green wrote on September 20, 2007 7:51 PM:I'd hate to think I was involved in hiring mercenaries and common crooks... wouldn't you!
You've got to admit this whole scenario was outlined in Heller's Catch 22. Where have they been teaching it? At school, I guess.
Bill Green wrote on September 20, 2007 7:52 PM:You've got to admit this whole scenario was outlined in Heller's Catch 22. Where have they been teaching it? At school, I guess.
Bill Green wrote on September 20, 2007 7:54 PM:The Blackwater scenario was outlined in Heller's Catch 22. Is it a must read for mercenary corporates?
Arsenic wrote on September 20, 2007 8:31 PM:Hmmm. 2.5 billion missing of the 9 billion in cash missing maybe? That would be a real motivation for the Bremer et al. gang to keep this guy incognito. How about (fitting tinfoil hat as I type) removed from the prison by Blatwater and then shot while attempting to escape (also known as "living in the US in an undisclosed location).
The question is, should I be using double thickness tinfoil?
John Patterson wrote on September 20, 2007 9:45 PM:Just had a duh-level epiphany...
Since Blackwater is employed by the State Department, wouldn't their antics be, quite accurately, described as "state sponsord terrorism?"
The Confidence Man wrote on September 20, 2007 10:40 PM:Arsenic: whatever thickness you're using seems to be working OK, but I'd recommend the good stuff that has non-stick coating on one side.
There are differing schools of thought on which side should face outward, though.
no wrote on September 21, 2007 12:34 AM:Gee, wonder how much of that 2.5 billion is sloshing around amongst "Friends Of W"?
Aerows wrote on September 21, 2007 9:30 AM:John Patterson, personally it looks to me just like "state sponsored terrorism". I'm not sure how one could describe it differently, though I'm certain the language I would use wouldn't be polite enough for a family safe environment.
teasie wrote on September 21, 2007 10:41 AM:and of course, the real scary question to be asked on behalf of our children, grandchildren, should a democracy allow private armies to exist, no matter their title?
RichM wrote on September 21, 2007 11:46 AM:Clay wrote:
"That's the problem with mercenaries. They're only patriotic until a better offer comes along. 2.5 billion can buy a lot of security, I'll bet."
The problem with the 'Mayberry Machiavellies' is that they never really bothered to actually read 'The Prince'. If they had, they would have learned that mercenaries are not a good idea...
AlaskaVet wrote on September 21, 2007 1:46 PM:See:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071008/scahill0921
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