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Yes - (15 Votes, 33%)
No - (26 Votes, 58%)
Not sure - (4 Votes, 9%)
yes, of course.
but don’t ask me to defend blackwater if they did wrong.
Related news articles:
“Blackwater Chairman Defends His Company”
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/10/03/ap/headlines/d8s1frh03.txt
“Blackwater terminated 122 security personnel for weapons violations, drugs, alcohol”
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/10/02/news/nation/7_22_5210_1_07.txt
ping
24 yes votes now.
Do you think the U.S. government should employ private security firms like Blackwater?
More
Yes (27 Votes, 47%)
No (27 Votes, 47%)
Not sure (4 Votes, 7%)
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I would vote NO. Why should “diplomatic personnel” get bodyguard treatment? Let them get a real feel for the situation by issuing them a weapon and a vest and let them fend for themselves. Just a thought.
The truth is I don't know, but I do think that they have a can of worms on their hands, and these people should never be allowed to work security are law enforcement in this country.
Two to one FOR as of 2400hrs.
Generally I’d say no, except the alternative would be to put more troops in harm’s way to guard these self-important politicians.
No because hiring forces like this generally makes me think of a hired mercenary army, and we already have an Army. I’d hate to see a slippery slope where more of the job of the soldier is taken over by hired guns driven by money rather than loyalty and honor. IIRC, going this direction helped the downfall of the Roman Empire.
Yes and no. DOS shouldn't. The USMC should be guarding our diplomats and as an auxiliary force, our diplomats should be guarding themselves. In an ideal world American diplomats would be able to trade places with any member of the United States Military during wartime. I believe it would assist them in understanding the full scope of the political decisions they are making and or advising. DOS diplomats should put themselves in positions of conflict in order to resolve them, not exacerbate them with excessive security.
Case in point: It has been argued that the DOS willfully misunderstood the dynamics of the Middle East prior to 9-11-2001, to the point of neglect. It could be argued now that the United States Army has had to do diplomacy as well as security in Iraq. To be honest, I don't think Blackwater is helping the DOS do its job, even though it has done exactly what the DOS asked them to do. The job of the DOS is to glue local policy to America's global policy and in the process, keep as many people alive as they can.
As an alternative to what they are doing now for DOS, I would like to see Blackwater working as an auxiliary force for U.S. Special Forces and or protecting sensitive infrastructure in Iraq such as pipelines, power lines and water mains. Each Blackwater employee operating in theater at 400K a year should have between two and twenty Iraqi employees who they live with, train, and if necessary, die with. Right now, the U.S. Military and Diplomatic Corp need qualified counter insurgents and I believe Blackwater could fill some of that need, if asked...
They shouldn’t employ them, they should give them a Letter of Marque.
So what?
Yes, absolutely.
My vote would be for having DEMOCRATS give up on private protection.
In fact I’d let the visiting Dems get by with Iraqi protection. Starting with that poster girl for bad plastic surgery herself: Nancy Pelosi.
heck no. You know how much these Blackwater guys make? $1000 a day on average.
That is coming out of our tax money.
it is a huge waste, if you ask me.
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I don’t know if Blackwater is a little trigger happy or not, but I think assigning them responsibility for Harry Reid, Tom Harkin, Shrieker Pelosi, Fat Teddy, Dick Turbin, Jack Yellowstain Murtha, etc., would be a great idea, it would allow those esteemed Democrats to assess the skills and abilities of Blackwater security staff for themselves.
Sure hope those Blackwater guys don’t get confused and take aim in the wrong direction or at an inappropriate target.
Noooo, they wouldn’t do that I’m sure.
Yes, 186 votes.