This is a serious problem.

[Postman]

http://rawstory.com/2009/11/scahill-obama-afraid-blackwater/

Why are Blackwater employees guarding any of our government officials anywhere? Weren't these functions done by government employees in the past?

and then there is this --

Scahill was on The Rachel Maddow Show discussing the New York Times' revelation that senior Blackwater executives allegedly arranged for bribes of up to $1 million for Iraqi politicians in a bid to retain its contracts and silence criticism of the company in the wake of the Nissour Square massacre in 2007, in which 17 Iraqi civilians died after Blackwater guards opened fire.

Though the Times report stated that it's unknown if the approved bribes ever reached their targets -- Iraqi politicians -- Scahill drew a connection between the alleged bribes and the fact that, after the Nissour Square massacre, the Iraqi government first decided to bar Blackwater from operating in the country, and then reversed its position.

-- is it possible/probable that "bribes" are being given to American politicians from Blackwater?

Scahill suggested that the security firm's deep and continued involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars means the company could potentially embarrass any administration with the things it can reveal.

"Another way of looking at this is Blackwater knows where a lot of bodies are buried," Scahill told Maddow. "These are guys who worked on the CIA assassination program, the drone bombing campaign, and regarding all of the senior officials, they know a heck of a lot about what happened in Iraq and Afghanistan, and those are not guys that you want on the other side of the fence if you're running Washington."

Scahill dismissed as "nonsense" the idea that Blackwater continues to have contracts because its services can't be carried out by regular military forces.

-- So it has come to this. A corporation with a right-wing political/economic ideology can blackmail a government.

Could this have been avoided? Could Obama have inoculated himself from blackmail by these thugs? Maybe if Obama had prosecuted the Bush war criminals and distanced himself from these foolish wars?

What's the old saying? - When you lay down with dogs with wind up with fleas


on edit: If, as according to Scahill, Blackwater knows about war crimes, they should be subpoenaed and forced to testify to prosecute the Bush Administration.

[fasttense]

1. How long before Balackwater or X, turns its guns on the government?

Since the Obama administration has not promoted the Christian crusade angle that the bushes pushed, since Obama is looking at drawing down wars and not continuing them, since a bit of light might be shed on Blackwater's illegal activities, will these mercenaries, soldiers who only fight for the money, turn their guns on American government officials?

It sounds like something they would do.

They are a National Security risk and need to be removed from within our government.

[Postman]

2. I say the Obama Administration should subpoena the lower ranked guys...

and start flipping them to prosecute Eric Prince and then go after the Bush/Cheney Administration...

[tosh]

3. +1.

(nice fantasy)

[Fumesucker]

5. Who's to say they already haven't?

Putting on my extra heavy duty tin foil hat I have to say that I'd be surprised to find out that the likes of Blackwater aren't already gunning for top government officials either figuratively or literally..

[malaise]

4. All I'll say is that they learned zippo

from Machiavelli - mercenary armies are loyal to money.