Comments (36)

teedawg wrote on October 24, 2007 5:16 PM:

What? The contractors are cutting and running?

Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 5:26 PM:

Already done.

Blackwater Awareness Week wrote on October 24, 2007 6:01 PM:

Ok, this is gonna be a lotta fun! We can organize colleges and so on. We'll all alert our representatives. And make sure that we are against "misinformation and fabrications."

Definitely we're against fabrications that took us to war!

Fabrications took our habeas corpus too!

Misinformation is rampant in this administration and congress must be informed.

dead Iraqi civilians wrote on October 24, 2007 6:10 PM:

The Blackwater family is comprised of HIRED KILLERS.

In this tumultuous political climate, Blackwater Worldwide has taken center stage KILLING INNOCENT CIVILIANS.

Anonymous wrote on October 24, 2007 6:14 PM:

"Blackwater Urges Supporters to Fight Congressional 'Misinformation and Fabrications'"

I couldn't agree more with the above statement. That said, lets start with this tidbit of misinformation:

Myth - Blackwater is a security contracting outfit.

Reality - Blackwater is a mercenary army

or

Blackwater = mercenaries

Persona non grata wrote on October 24, 2007 6:14 PM:

"Blackwater Urges Supporters to Fight Congressional 'Misinformation and Fabrications'"

I couldn't agree more with the above statement. That said, lets start with this tidbit of misinformation:

Myth - Blackwater is a security contracting outfit.

Reality - Blackwater is a mercenary army

or

Blackwater = mercenaries

goodgirlroxie wrote on October 24, 2007 6:18 PM:

How is it that Blackwater is urging its employees/supporters to speak up in its defense, with one of the talking points being cost efficiency? How is it more efficient to pay a Blackwater guy $15,000/month of taxpayer money through no-bid contracts, instead of paying a military guy $1,500/month (or whatever they make) of taxpayer money through the U.S. military? That's cost INefficiency!

And how is it that paying off the families of victims of Blackwater's collateral "mistakes" anywhere from $15,000 to $250,000 is cost effective? Their claim of cost efficiency is outrageous! Is Congress going to take that claim at face value, w/o actually doing the math themselves?! God help us.

modmom wrote on October 24, 2007 6:30 PM:

I WONDER IF THEY WILL BE USING HILLARY TOP STRATEGIST FOR PR:

"Hillary's Rove" Comes Through for Blackwater
Posted October 16, 2007 | 03:49 PM (EST)

Have we just had a taste of how influence might be wielded under a Clinton II Administration? In a very successful week for its most notorious client, Mark Penn's firm was able to get Blackwater CEO Erik Prince several major television appearances. Lob-ball questions were included at no extra charge.

Democrats have waited years for a consultant that can play the media as well as the GOP can. Unfortunately, most of them had hoped it would be for a better cause. And even if this is all coincidence, Mr. Penn's continued leadership of Burson-Marsteller - and the firm's indiscriminate choice of clients - creates a serious perception problem in a time when voters are yearning for change.

It makes sense that 60 Minutes and other news shows would offer Prince prominent spots, and would hit the talking points he and his PR firm want them to hit. After all, Hillary could be the next President of the United States. Who wants to get on the bad side of the man so many are describing as "Hillary's Rove," especially this early in the election season?

The sometimes-formidable Lara Logan offered a soft venue for Prince's unverifiable denials of the mass shooting in Iraq - denials that contradict both eyewitnesses and the United States military. (The State Department and the FBI are stonewalling the military and freezing them out of the investigation - presumably so they can prepare a more politically-influenced report).

-snip

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/hillarys-rove-comes-th_b_68688.html

Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 6:36 PM:

GO HILLARY!!!

Nell wrote on October 24, 2007 6:58 PM:

Contact your lawmakers and tell them to stand by the truth.

Oh, definitely. I'll refer them to my blog, where I've listed a whole series of fatal shootings by Blackwater personnel in the last twelve months alone:

http://alovelypromise.blogspot.com/2007/09/mercs-gone-wild.html

And one of my lawmakers, Sen. Webb, has already done quite a bit to bring the truth of what private military are doing in Iraq to public notice -- he called Joe Scarborough on the air, who had been mocking the Iraqis fed up with rampaging mercenaries, and took him to school on the realities of the situation: that mercenaries are taking part in combat, a wholly unacceptable situation, and that what the private militaries are doing reflects badly on and endangers U.S. troops in Iraq.

TPM has the video. I'll cite the link in another post.

Nell wrote on October 24, 2007 7:04 PM:

From a recent Washington Post article in which reporters toured Blackwater's training base in North Carolina and reviewed the scale of the contracts they are now pulling down (contracts worth close to $10 billion with a b so far):

"If they don't like what we're doing then" -- he [Erik Prince] snapped his fingers -- "cut off that revenue steam right now."

From your lips to Congress' ears, pal.

Ferruge wrote on October 24, 2007 7:37 PM:

Sacrifice in lives lost by Blackwater saving US diplomats without one single protectee harmed

That's only because Henry Waxman never went to Iraq. Isn't that right, Congressman Issa?

Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 7:44 PM:

Ferruge:

I think Waxman HAS gone to Iraq -- regardless, Blackwater has a better protectee track record than, say, the U.S. Secret Service -- I just wish someone would have tazed that Code Pink protestor who assaulted Secretary Rice today.

Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 7:51 PM:

After the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, Congress informally requested Secret Service presidential protection. A year later, the Secret Service assumed full-time responsibility for protection of the President. In 1902, William Craig was the first Secret Service agent killed while riding in the presidential carriage, in a road accident.

In 1950, President Truman was residing in the Blair House, across the street from the White House, while the executive mansion was undergoing renovations. Two men approached the Blair House with the intent to assassinate President Truman. Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, who were Puerto Rican nationalists, opened fire on Private Leslie Coffelt and other White House Police officers. Though mortally wounded by three shots from a 9 mm Luger to his chest and abdomen, Private Coffelt returned fire, killing Torresola with a single shot to his head. To this day, Coffelt is the only member of the Secret Service to die while defending a U.S. President against an assassination attempt. Collazo was also shot, but survived his injuries and served 29 years in prison before returning to Puerto Rico in 1979. Special Agent Tim McCarthy stepped in front of President Ronald Reagan during the assassination attempt of March 30, 1981 and took a bullet to the abdomen, but made a full recovery.

In 1968, as a result of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy's assassination, Congress authorized protection of major presidential and vice presidential candidates and nominees (Public Law 90-331). Congress also authorized protection of the widows of presidents until death or remarriage, and their children until age 16.

Congress passed legislation in 1994 stating that presidents elected to office after January 1, 1997, will receive Secret Service protection for 10 years after leaving office. Individuals elected to office prior to January 1, 1997, will continue to receive lifetime protection (Treasury Department Appropriations Act, 1995: Public Law 103-329).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Presidential_assassination_attempts

Blackwater Awareness Week wrote on October 24, 2007 8:12 PM:

also featuring Jake D - full of "Misinformation and Fabrications"

We're gonna hava lotta fun!

Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 8:17 PM:

Please quote to even ONE such "Misinformation and Fabrication" in my latest 7:51 PM post.

Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 8:24 PM:

Another fun FACT:

Timothy J. McCarthy is currently the Chief of Police in Orland Park, Illinois (I wish this blog had pop-up balloons like VH-1).

http://www.orlandparkpolice.com/html/admin/chief.cfm

moondancer wrote on October 24, 2007 10:21 PM:

Good News Jake D

Your gooper Militia will be a footnote of history like the Pinkerton murderers of the 1890's shortly.

You see Jake the citizens dont want Blackwater in Iraq and especially not in the US. We all wonder why Eric Prince hates America so much and hates democracy too. We also wonder why he employs and protects murderers. And we wonder why our tax money is going to a murderer who hates America and hates democracy.
So when all the good Americans who hate murderers call congress and ask them why Erik Prince is getting paid to be an American hater while employing murderers and not paying taxes like loyal citizens do, well I think your anti-American murderous traitor is going to be out of business.

TJ wrote on October 25, 2007 12:10 AM:

Blackwater Supporters? Since when does a commercial operation have such a high opinion of itself that it has its own supporters? I thought businesses had customers; and the ccustomer is never wrong! That was the good old days.

Uncle_Meat wrote on October 25, 2007 12:13 AM:

Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 7:44 PM:
Ferruge:

I think Waxman HAS gone to Iraq -- regardless, Blackwater has a better protectee track record than, say, the U.S. Secret Service -- I just wish someone would have tazed that Code Pink protestor who assaulted Secretary Rice today.

There you go again, promoting tasing of anything you don't approve of. Waving one's painted hands in the face of the "ruling elite" in attempt to jar her conscience is hardly what I would call assault.

Why do you hate the people's freedom of expression?

Patrick S Pattillo wrote on October 25, 2007 12:27 AM:

Yeah, sure:

"...saving the US taxpayer millions of dollars..."

What are they going to be telling us next? Blackwater is a charitable organization?

Yeah, that's the ticket. The state department's diplomats weren't afraid for their own sorry asses. They were trying to save us all money. Maybe we'll get it back in a future tax cut.

They take us for morons.

moondancer wrote on October 25, 2007 12:27 AM:

Uncle_Meat

See how the hatefilled Blackwater has caused more hate? Our Jake is hating free people because of the America hating EriK Prinze. We need to stop the hate mongering murderer so people like Jake don't get sucked in to the American hating murderers from Blackwater. Hateful mercenary murderers are a threat to the American Way!

Uncle_Meat wrote on October 25, 2007 1:53 AM:

@moondancer 12:27AM

Yessir!!

Hate breeds hate. The answer is love!

All these murderous asshats need to be sent to the prison of LOVE, where they are fed a steady diet of sugar cookies and kisses from grandmas and aunts with mustaches!!

Johnbo wrote on October 25, 2007 10:34 AM:

From Sam Dagher's report for The Christian Science Monitor, Thursday, October 25th:

"Mohammed Hafidh says he refused to accept an envelope filled with $12,500 in cash from Patricia Butenis, deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Baghdad, as compensation for the death of his 10-year-old son, Ali. 'I told her that I want the courts to have their say,' says Mr. Hafidh, whose son was among 17 Iraqi civilians killed in a Sept. 16 shooting involving Blackwater USA security
guards."

D'OH!!

Don't you hate it when you can't just hand them money and make them go away??? What, our money isn't good enough for them?? Next thing you know they'll want EUROS!!! Damned ingrates!! I mean, we LIBERATED the ungrateful towel-heads!!

Jake D. wrote on October 25, 2007 10:44 AM:

Uncle_Meat:

I don't hate anyone or freedom of expression -- for instance, I pray for you and would not want you tazed for simply typing here on TPM -- here's the legal definition of "assault" however:

"An act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, such as the threat of violence caused by an immediate show of force." Cf. the crime of "battery" which always involves ACTUAL unlawful physical contact. It hardly matters that YOU wouldn't call it "assault" (in fact, I suspect you would call an actual assassination "patriotic" -- I'm the "hateful" one, though, right?).

At least, I hope you noticed the beefed-up security for Rice at today's Waxman hearing.

Jake D. wrote on October 25, 2007 10:55 AM:

In case Kitt doesn't understand my last post, Uncle_Meat's post at 12:13 AM contained the following:

A) false accusation that I promote tasing of anything I don't approve of;

B) incorrect legal opinion that yesterday's assault on Secretary Rice was not an assault; and

C) a question that assumes facts not in evidence.

Johnbo wrote on October 25, 2007 11:00 AM:

If anyone in the Bush Administration needs assault, it's Rice. She's the PERSONIFICATION of the deadly combination of arrogance and incompetence in this administration. She's the essence of evil in my opinion.

Waving bloody hands in her face doesn't begin to demonstrate the contempt with which she's held by many - contempt that she has gotten the old fashioned way: she's EARNED it!

Jake D. wrote on October 25, 2007 11:12 AM:

But I'm the "hateful" one, though, right?

Uncle_Meat wrote on October 25, 2007 11:31 AM:

Jake D.

Here's my take on this:

I, and I think I can safely assume most other posters here, "hate" the fact that our men and women in uniform are dying in a war of conqest, that innocent Iragis and Afghanis are dying because of our brutal policies, so much that people are willing to make their frustration known to those that are directly responsible for these atrocities (what you keep refering to as assault).

I just don't understand why you hate the fact that all we are doing here is trying to constructively bring a stop to all this madness.

"for instance, I pray for you and would not want you tazed for simply typing here on TPM"

Can I call that assault?

Jake D. wrote on October 25, 2007 11:37 AM:

No -- I posted the legal definition of "assault" above -- but regardless, are you now saying you don't "hate" Secretary Rice? That's progress, I think.

Uncle_Meat wrote on October 25, 2007 1:26 PM:

That's just it, I never said I hated anyone. You said I hate.

I simply defended one's right of expression, which you decided was assault.

Jake D. wrote on October 25, 2007 1:33 PM:

Assault is assault (who knew if the wacko may have had HIV-tainted blood on her hands -- then it would be aggrevated assault or, in some jurisdictions, assault with a deadly weapon) but I am content to let the court system sort that one out for now. I'm asking you right now: Do you HATE Secretary Rice?

Jake D. wrote on October 25, 2007 1:39 PM:

Keep in mind, when you answer that question, that YOU were the one who asked ME: "Why do you hate the people's freedom of expression?" You also accused ME of repeatedly "promoting tasing of anything you don't approve of." And, you implied that Administration officials should be sent to prison to be raped. Keep all that in mind.

Uncle_Meat wrote on October 25, 2007 2:11 PM:

"And, you implied that Administration officials should be sent to prison to be raped."

Never implied anything of the sort.

Jake D. wrote on October 25, 2007 2:24 PM:

Was that the fake Uncle_Meat at 1:53 AM then?

"All these murderous asshats need to be sent to the prison of LOVE, where they are fed a steady diet of sugar cookies and kisses from grandmas and aunts with mustaches!!"

You also didn't answer whether you HATE these murderous asshats (although I think the answer is pretty obvious).

Uncle_Meat wrote on October 25, 2007 2:36 PM:

Sugar cookies and kisses from Grandma equals rape?!? I've learned everything I ever needed to know about you.

I hate people dying for a war based on lies. I hate that it is increasingly difficult in this country to state your mind without being attacked for being unpatriotic or aiding the enemy.

I'm also hating this conversation with you.

So I'm solving what problems I can...

Bye!