Blackwater are back working in Iraq. (I'd imagine they never left, but just stopped operations.) Four days. That didn't take long did it!
Here's what they did:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7006697.stm
And here's who they are:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7000645.stm
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The Blackwater mission statement explains it can help draw up "national and global security plans" and "train, equip and deploy public safety and military professionals".
Isn't that what the army is meant to do? You have to wonder why private armies need to be deployed in these places (they're in Afghanistan too).
Blackwater is presently facing an arms smuggling probe:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17149369/
As to who they are and what they're about, the following are two separate discussions about them:
* Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army *
Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill joins us to talk about his new book, "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army." Scahill writes, "Blackwater is the elite Praetorian Guard for the 'global war on terror,' with its own military base, a fleet of twenty aircraft, and 20,000 private contractors at the ready. Run by a multimillionaire Christian conservative who bankrolls President Bush and his allies, its forces are capable of overthrowing governments." From Iraq to New Orleans, Blackwater has continued to pull in multi-million-dollar government contracts, mostly without accountability and in near-secrecy.Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article..../03/20/1337226
And the second part ...
* Part II - Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army *
We turn to the second part of our discussion with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill, author of the new book "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army." Scahill discusses Blackwater's role in the Caspian Sea region in Central Asia and the battle in Congress over accountability for private contractors.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article..../03/21/1340210
Blackwater is a really scary organization, IMO. :eeeK:
Here's more ...
* Can Iraq (or Anyone) Hold Blackwater Accountable for Killing Iraqi Civilians? A Debate on the Role of Private Contractors in Iraq *
As the Iraq government expels Blackwater over the killing of 11 Iraqi civilians, Jeremy Scahill, author of "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army," debates Doug Brooks, president of International Peace Operations Association, a trade group for the private security industry.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/09/18/140201