VoteVets.org Takes Action on Blackwater Allegations

[babylonsister]

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3031

VoteVets.org Takes Action on Blackwater Allegations
by: Richard Smith
Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 13:02:16 PM EDT


VoteVets.org released the following statement today regarding the organization's call for action in the allegations against Blackwater/Xe and the company's founder Erik Prince:

VETERANS CALL FOR NEW LEGAL SYSTEM TO GOVERN CONTRACTORS IN LIGHT OF EXPLOSIVE CHARGES AGAINST BLACKWATER

Veterans also call for immediate hearings to investigate the charges


WASHINGTON, DC - On behalf of its 105,000 veterans and civilian supporters, VoteVets.org today wrote to the Chairs and Ranking Members of key committees in Congress, calling for a new legal structure to be set up that would govern contractors, and for immediate hearings into the charges. The full letter is below.

In the latest issue of The Nation, two sworn statements were uncovered that charged the Erik Prince, founder of Xe (formerly Blackwater), with involvement of murder plots against those who cooperated with Federal investigators, illegal arms smuggling into Iraq, and that the company "encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life."

Speaking for VoteVets.org, Iraq War Veteran and the group's chairman Jon Soltz wrote, "Whether it is in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere, people in foreign lands do not see troops or contractors. They see Americans armed with guns. The issues we have faced with contractors in Iraq reflect poorly on all Americans, including our troops who have performed honorably and admirably. The conduct of many contractors therefore not only increases negative feelings about our troops, but undermines our ability to win the hearts and minds of those we need the most. It is of utmost importance that we fully investigate the charges in the sworn statements, and set up a system of legal accountability for all those contractors acting on our behalf." The group made two recommendations - immediate hearings into the charges, and hearings to determine the best way to set up a new legal structure that would govern contractors, hold them accountable, and allow for prosecutions.

Currently, the law is murky, at best. The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2000 (MEJA was enacted to close some of the loopholes. However, MEJA as originally written only applied to "those persons employed by or accompanying the Armed Forces." Later amendment to the law defines "Armed Forces" to include "an employee of a contractor (or subcontractor at any tier) of . . . any other Federal agency, or any provisional authority, to the extent such employment relates to supporting the mission of the Department of Defense overseas."

As contractors like Xe are contracted through the U.S. Department of State, and officially work in support of that department, they have argued they do not fall under MEJA.

"As a result, Xe and other contractors essentially operate in a war zone with no accountability, and any employees brought up on charges for wrongdoing in a war zone can and have tried to exploit this lack of defined jurisdiction over them when brought to court," wrote Soltz. "It is essential that these loopholes be closed, retroactively, so that Xe, Prince, and his employees cannot escape proper prosecution in the United States now or in the future. We believe the best way to do this is to create a legal structure similar to MEJA, but applied specifically to all those contracted to work for the United States in any capacity, for any agency or department."

VoteVets.org is the leading progressive, pro-military organization of veterans, dedicated to the destruction of terror networks around the world, with force when necessary. It primarily focuses on education and advocacy on issues of importance to the troops and veterans, and holding politicians accountable for their actions on these issues.

[Arctic Dave]

1. Screw oversight. Remove them from the operational theater all together.

[1776Forever]

2. From 2001 to 2004 I tried my best to get my Senator in FL to do something! Even wrote McCain!

I begged Senator Nelson and even Senator McCain, who seemed to be fairly neutral at one time, and they both wrote back to me and said they didn't see any need to do an investigation into Blackwater and their ilk. One of my son's served in Iraq and one of the private military company(PMCs)came to him and told him he was a fool for working for the Reserves and tried to get him to come back and work for them after his tour was up. He told them he didn't think so. He told me at that time they had everything they needed but his group had to beg for there supplies. Some of his group had to drink bad water too while there. These people along with Rummy, Cheney, and Bush Inc. should and will rot in Hell for what they did! I pray to God they get just a little bit of what the H they deserve!:banghead:

[SIMPLYB1980]

3. This is good news.

k&R