“Blackwater USA”..the “other U S military” in Iraq
Wednesday, February 07, 2007 by Larry Gilbert
Having previously commented on this Halliburton sub-contacted army I just noticed the following Feb 7 th article which I will edit for discussion.
Background. Four former members of the US military, later employed by Blackwater USA, were ambushed while escorting a convoy through Fallujah in March of 2004. We all saw footage of their mutilated bodies hanging from a bridge. Their families have addressed Congress and are attempting to get facts related to the circumstances of their deaths for a pending lawsuit.
Today’s A/P story about Blackwater USA states that “this ongoing episode demonstrates the Pentagon’s complete failure to safeguard taxpayer dollars,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD., one of the lawmakers who had asked about the Blackwater contract and received denials.”
In President Bush’s latest budget proposal he is requesting $600 billion dollars for the Pentagon. My guess is that the Blackwater military support contract is buried in these expenditures.
Where should the Pentagon draw the line with regard to responding to every request to see the trail of contracts with their subcontractors? Is this a need to know issue? Who calls the shots?
Larry, I have found that readers of OC political blogs don’t care to comment much on the war in Iraq.
Contractors are used because of low troop strength required in country and end-strength mandated by Congress. For example in Vietnam, in 1969, we had a peak of 560,000 U.S. troops AND hundreds of thousands of State Dept. personnel and contractors. Right now it’s difficult to assign civilian govt. employees in Iraq which is BS.
Plus the ex-soldiers who work for contractors make much more money, have access to off-the-shelf weapons that fire larger caliber rounds (the M16 with its 5.56mm ammo has been a running joke among vets), and they don’t have to maintain weight and grooming standards. Note that most of them are fairly larger (they’re also older than the privates and corporals) and have facial hair. And they don’t have the Uniform Code of Military Justice hanging over their heads.
Quang. Points well stated.
Looking forward to seeing and hearing you at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on the 21st
The people voted for Bush!
The people got what they deserve.
That is why I oppose term limits.
The people should enjoy their stupidity infinitely or until they get the message.
Hawing the Santa Ana education that means for eons.
The former military employed by Blackwater know what they’re getting into, and the risks. They know they’re not being employed to provide security at a tea party. If they want to take the risk, fine. Blackwater certainly has some responsibility to provide them with weapons and modified transportation and other reasonable equipment, but there can’t possible be a guarantee of their safety, given their mission.
If these folks are hired primarily to protect the civilian contractor’s in Iraq, and around the world in other troubled spots, the civilian contractors should pay the tab, not the Pentagon. The cost of “security” should be built into the contractor bids. The Pentagon should not be paying the costs for the security of civilian contractor personnel, and if they are, Congress has a right to know.
If the Pentagon is hiring them to back up the military, and their duties are to back-up and protect or supplement the military, the Pentagon should pay for them and Congress has every right to know that cost too.
Morning Coffee
I agree with Morning Coffee. These are mercenaries. Plain and simple. They are there for the buck and not there to protect America.
Does it bother anyone that a corporation has an army this size within the borders of the US?
Elroy El.
Interesting observation about the private army within our nation.
We should pool our money and hire Blackwater to take back Mission Viejo. Blackwater is Frank Ury’s last option. Long live King Frank and his toady Larry.
Anonymous 3:24 PM.
You’re a nut case.
Perhaps someone will save you a seat in Mission Viejo’s $500,000 Melinda Park toilet where you can meditate with surround sound music.
Larry, I am a die hard FU fan and only feel desperate times call for desperate measures. Frank has tried every legal option to seize control of the M.V Council. We need to resort to illegal means to make the citizens see what they are missing by not electing Frank, king. Blackwater or perhaps the French Foreign Legion are our only hope to install Frank as our leader. Now more than every we need a unemployed computer consultant as our mayor. Please, Larry, tap into your resources and hire a team of BW folks to take back our city! PS. Make sure the BW folks bring the tinfoil helmets.