Blackwater’s Bright Future

[Echo In Light]

Blackwater’s Bright Future
No matter who wins the White House, the security firm is shooting for lucrative work.
by Jeremy Scahill

From California to Iraq, business has never been better for the controversial private security firm Blackwater Worldwide. Company President Gary Jackson recently boasted that Blackwater has “had two successive quarters of unprecedented growth.” Owner Erik Prince recently spun his company as the “FedEx” of the U.S. national security apparatus, describing Blackwater as a “robust temp agency.”

Such rhetoric may seem brazen, given Blackwater’s deadly record in Iraq and troubled reputation at home, but here is the cold, hard fact: Blackwater knows its future is bright no matter who next takes up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The company’s most infamous moment came last September, when Blackwater operatives were alleged to have gunned down 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad’s Nisour Square. A U.S. military investigation labeled the shootings a “criminal event,” and a federal grand jury in Washington is hearing evidence in the case.

The father of one of the dead, a 9-year-old boy shot in the head, testified before the grand jury in late May. He has rejected offers of monetary compensation from the U.S. government and Blackwater; he demands a public admission of guilt by the company. “This is important for me, morally, for my family and my tribe,” said Mohammed Hafidh Abdul-Razzaq. Other survivors have been offering testimony to the United Nations, and some have filed a lawsuit in federal court in this country.

At the end of the day, perhaps criminal charges will be brought against a handful of Blackwater operatives as a token gesture. But this will not bring substantive change to the unaccountable private war industry. Indeed, the killing of Iraqi civilians and other scandals do not seem to hurt Blackwater’s business at all. Quite the opposite.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/06/16/9657/

[madokie]

1. I believe with a new administration a whole new tool bag will be used

the hammer that bushco uses will be out so there won't be much need for mercernaries such as blackwater anymore. Eight years from now people will only have a blank stare when asked about black-who. They will be nothing but dust in the bin of history.

[cap]

2. no blackwater will live on as an infamous chapter in our history

[Lint Head]

3. Anyone working for Blackwater should be ashamed!

They need to be boycotted and bankrupted. :dem:

[flashl]

4. Lets not forget, killing refugees and other scandals after Katrina. nt

[lunatica]

5. Being a private paramilitary organization means they're for hire by anyone

And as corporations get bigger and meaner their executives will need protection. So will their companies all over the world. Guess who they'll hire to protect them. Blackwater will 'escort' the rich and powerful into any place on the planet. For example, if the Bush family moves to Paraguay who do you think they'll hire to protect them and their underground aquafer?

As long as there are people like Cheney and Bush to create wars anywhere on the planet Blackwater will thrive.

[stillcool]

6. It does seem the natural progression of things..

when the world’s 200 largest corporations have combined sales greater than the combined GDP of all countries except the world’s 10 largest economies, security is an issue. Because these are global corporations it makes sense that they would need global security that is beholden to no one country. I wonder why all the other Private Military Corporations don't get any print?
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=PMC

[flashl]

7. Another reason why their future is bright

The final frontier or sanctuary labelled as 'government' jobs were in the military and intelligence sectors. This administration privatized the last frontier jobs with the use of Private Military Mercenaries (PMM) brought to you by groups such as Halliburton / Blackwater / SAIC / MPR / Booze Allen / Carlyle Group, etc.

Proof of the extensive use of PMMs is evident in Iraq where the standing PMM forces are LARGER in number than the military forces on the ground. Further proof was revealed during Congressional hearings where we learn that U.S. General Officers use Blackwater not soldiers for their 'protection and security' while conducting the 'war' in Iraq.