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Did State Investigate Blackwater's 2005 al-Hilla Shooting?
Amb. Satterfield has a unique vantage point here. In 2005, he was the deputy chief of mission in Baghdad -- the No. 2 official at the U.S. Embassy. During that time, the Democratic staff on the committee determined (pdf), Blackwater personnel shot and killed an "innocent bystander" in the central-south city of al-Hilla. According to a State Department email that the committee obtained, the Blackwater guards "failed to report the shooting, covered it up" and were subsequently fired. But there wasn't evidence that State investigated, although Satterfield said State "thoroughly" investigates each discharge of a firearm. So, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), wanted to know: was there an investigation of the al-Hilla incident?
"We will get back to you," Satterfield said.
Lynch was incredulous. Didn't Satterfield, the former deputy chief of mission, recall whether the embassy investigated an improper shooting and subsequent apparent cover-up? "Not with the detail it deserves," he said. "I would prefer to respond to you in writing." Pressed repeatedly, Satterfield finally said he "cannot recall" if the incident was ever investigated.
Waxman complained that the committee received "a better response from Blackwater than the State Department."
Comments (8)
moondancer wrote on October 2, 2007 3:47 PM:What a buttwipe. I don't think I can handle too many more lockstep bushnazis lying their asses off. They all got the message, obstruct,lie,obstruct.
LLG wrote on October 2, 2007 3:52 PM:Did anyone else notice that the dates of the urgency to do their study was in 2005-06, but the contract was awarded to BW in 2004? By Head of Acquisition Activity, reviewed by Deputy Assistant Secretary at the time.
There is something not right in this. And Chief Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in 2004 was Satterfield, yet I can not find who was the Head of Acquisition Activity at this time! Loran Doren!????
seamus wrote on October 2, 2007 4:13 PM:Satterfield is the epitome of a Bushie. Arrogant, humorless, incurious, rigid and a real prick.
LLG wrote on October 2, 2007 4:32 PM:Lurita Alexis Doan
Administrator of GSA...and the position of the Washington, D.C. – The management of the U.S. General Services Administration’s broad range of acquisition activities will now fall under the eye of Emily W. Murphy, GSA's new Chief Acquisition Officer, the agency announced today. Her appointment is effective February 20,2006.
Well, this puts L. Doan in a odd position!
She has already been investigated by Waxman on other issues. I guess he will be reaching deep into that well on her! Wonder what he will pull up? More crap!
Dennis wrote on October 2, 2007 5:45 PM:Regarding the presentation of Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, today he was an embarrassment to the state of Georgia.
anonymouse wrote on October 2, 2007 5:48 PM:Didn't folks used to get into trouble when they lied to Congress?
Oh yeah... that was back when we really DID have a rule of law...
moondancer wrote on October 2, 2007 8:26 PM:The reason I'm writing here instead of holding a gavel in DC? Because when that smug nazi prick Satterfield said he couldn't recall whether there was an investigation of a MURDER under his watch a year and a half ago, I would have called for the capitol police to arrest him and put him in the basement jail cells until his memory recovered.
dweb wrote on October 2, 2007 11:37 PM:"I'll get back to you in writing."
That's a favorite ploy of folks facing tough questions - especially favored by Condi Rice and of course the letter never comes. A line like that goes well with such gems as:
"I can't discuss that now because it is under litigation/investigation."
...and of course once the litigation/investigation is concluded, "That's in the past. I'm working on the future."
"Nobody wants to get to the bottom of this more than I do."
"I'm not going to answer that question. Would you like to ask another one."
"That is a matter of executive privilege."
"I can't respond under the law Congress just passed which makes it illegal for me to respond."
"If I respond, thousands of Americans will die."
"I really can't remember if that happened, but I do remember we had cookies."
"My associate/agency head/counsel is probably the best source of information about that but he is
(a) under investigation
(b) lying in a ditch somewhere minus his head.
(c) in the witness protection program