Erik Prince, Blackwater War Profiteer...

[ProSense]

Robert Greenwald| BIO

Erik Prince, Blackwater War Profiteer, Attacks Iraq for Sale

Posted September 25, 2006 | 07:29 PM (EST)

Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers tells the story of Erik Prince and Blackwater, and their consistent profiting from the war. As the film is seen across the United States, it is having a powerful effect on audiences. People are responding strongly to the emotional and gut wrenching story of Prince choosing profit over patriotism as he cuts corners at Blackwater in his relentless pursuit of money. The film tells the story of two young men who are killed as a result of Blackwater focusing on profits, and their grieving and enraged mothers. These mothers are taking the fight to Blackwater and when they see the film, audiences are also activated to take steps to stop Blackwater.

Sadly, rather than working to help and heal the mothers who have suffered this loss, Prince and his profiteering co-horts, have gone into attack mode. And in this case, ironically so with a company who sent out an email after the '04 election saying, "Bush Wins Four More Years!! Hooyah!" attacking Iraq for Sale for being "election year left wing politics."

This from the man who after interning in the Bush Sr. Whitehouse said, "I saw a lot of things I didn't agree with - homosexual groups being invited in, the budget agreement, the Clean Air Act, those kind of bills." This from a man whose car says "Bush: "Let's Roll" Kerry: "Let's Roll Over." This from a man who, together with his family have given over 2 million dollars to Republican candidates and use their political access to protect Blackwater from scrutiny.

We at Brave New Films are proud to be helping raise the issue of profiteering as the election approaches; it should be an issue we judge our candidates by. Are they protecting us? Are they protecting our tax dollars? The fact that Prince has hired a disrespected PR flack, Mark Corallo, whose claim to fame was defending the disgraced Bob Livingston for cheating on his wife, speaks to the issue of Prince's morality.

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And for those who would like to see the Prince story and the mansion, purchased from his profiteering, check out this video we have created...

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[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[LSK]

2. Great (and sickening) movie, everyone should see it!

[ProSense]

3. How much was Blackwater paid? Singer on Blackwater:

Singer on Blackwater

David Luban

P. W. Singer, one of the leading experts on private military contractors, has this excellent article on Blackwater and PMCs' role. One point he highlights is how politically convenient it has been to outsource governmental functions - including military functions. It means fewer troops, therefore less public indignation; less need to mobilize National Guard and Reserves; fewer military casualties (and contractor casualties simply don't draw the same kind of public ire as military casualties; according to Singer, an estimated 1,000 contractors have been killed and 13,000 wounded). Not only does all this help civilian politicians, it also makes life easier on generals who don't have to request as many troops. Outsourcing was politically crucial in the early days of the war, because it meant that the administration didn't have to admit error in force-sizing by asking for more troops. Although Singer doesn't emphasize it, the crony capitalism aspects of the private contracts - going to such politically-connected outfits as Blackwater and Halliburton - simply adds to the attraction. Singer writes:

the amount paid to Halliburton-KBR is roughly three times what the U.S.
government paid to fight the entire 1991 Persian Gulf War. When putting other
wars into current dollar amounts, the U.S. government paid just this one firm
about $7 billion more than it cost the United States to fight the American
Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the Spanish American
War combined.

[spanone]

4. one billion dollars in no-bid contracts

:thumbsup:

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

11. .

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

5. Recommended. Erik Prince must be revealed as the man he really is.

He is NOT a noble man.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

6. Let's take a looksie at Erik Prince and his ties,...

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion/?pid=239181

(snip)
Every indication is that Prince is a very bad man.

But evil done by Prince and his employees has been committed on the government dime, and with the advice and consent of the government.

How interwoven are the operations in Iraq of the Department of State and Blackwater? The initial State Department report of last month's killing spree involving Blackwater employees was written by a Blackwater contractor working in the U.S. Embassy's Tactical Operations Center in Baghdad. The report was distributed under the letterhead of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
(end snip)

http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Blackwater_USA

(snip)
Erik Prince<31> is "the secretive, mega-millionaire, right-wing Christian founder of Blackwater, the private security firm that has built a formidable mercenary force in Iraq," Chris Hedges wrote December 31, 2006, in Truthdig.<32>

Prince "champions his company as a patriotic extension of the U.S. military. His employees, in an act as cynical as it is deceitful, take an oath of loyalty to the Constitution.<33> These mercenary units in Iraq, including Blackwater, contain some 20,000 fighters. They unleash indiscriminate and wanton violence against unarmed Iraqis, have no accountability and are beyond the reach of legitimate authority. The appearance of these paramilitary fighters, heavily armed and wearing their trademark black uniforms, patrolling the streets of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, gave us a grim taste of the future. It was a stark reminder that the tyranny we impose on others we will one day impose on ourselves," Hedges wrote.<32>
(end snip)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-jacobs/oh-blackwater-keep-on-tu_b_30590.html

(snip)
But what's most startling about the hearings is the admission by the Army that Blackwater Security, a firm owned by right wing, reclusive billionaire Erik Prince, did not have the authority to guard convoys or carry guns in Iraq. This news comes on the heels of a Fourth District court rejection of Blackwater's appeal that it not have to face its accusers in a case that really began the major antipathy toward the US in Iraq.
(end snip)

The foregoing represents a very brief google search.

[FreepFryer]

7. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ASSHOLE'S GAY BATHROOM/HOOKER/METH SCANDAL. (n/t)

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

9. Hmmmm. Details?

:shrug:

[Raster]

12. It'll never come out. Ten-to-one the little prince KILLS his fuckups.

He seems just like that kinda guy...bloodthirsty, arrogant and certifiable.

on edit: And OUR tax dollars are making this rich, vicious prick even richer.

Wake up America!:kick:

Instead of doing good for all America with our tax dollars, cheney*/bush* is making this uber-wealthy psychopath even wealthier.

[Gregorian]

8. Videos of his murderers are on Youtube.

It's sickening to think these guys are shooting humans.

And it's just as sickening to think that nothing is happening about it. Warcrimes. Period.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

10. Another KICK!!! This guy ain't no prince,...unless, he's a political prince of profit off war.nt