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Blackwater Down
IBD Editorials ^ | January 6, 2009

Posted on 01/07/2009 6:02:12 AM PST by Kaslin

Justice: Once again, Americans asked to put their lives on the line go on trial. Their crime was doing the very job we asked them to do in Iraq. Will they now be sacrificed for an ungrateful Iraq?


On Tuesday, five members of a tactical support team of Blackwater Worldwide security guards in Iraq made their first appearance in U.S. District Court on charges ranging from voluntary manslaughter to the use of automatic weapons. The "crime" was protecting State Department personnel under fire in a war zone and firing back.

On Sept. 16, 2007, 18 members of the "Raven 23" team came under fire while responding to an attack on another Blackwater group transporting a State Department official. It was a typical mission under their contract. This freed up military personnel for combat.

To aid their comrades, Raven 23 had to take the most direct route, which took them through Baghdad's Nisour Square on their way to the Green Zone. As radio logs show, they came under fire while trying to set up a temporary roadblock through which their comrades could pass quickly and safely.

They returned fire and when the firefight ceased 14 Iraqis were dead and 20 wounded.

To call this action "voluntary manslaughter in the commission of a crime" is a tragic joke. They were protecting State Department personnel in a war zone, as they were contracted to do. They had no reason or motive to show up in downtown Baghdad and start randomly shooting civilians.

(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government
KEYWORDS: 2007; 200709; 20070916; baghdad; biden4; bidenfour; blackwater; blackwaterbridge; blackwaterusa; erikprince; fallujah; greenzone; ibd; iraq; nisoursquaremassacre; raven23; thebiden4; trumppardons
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To: Eagle Eye
And that has what to do with private defense contractors?

Another stupid post. I said who is the we, we the people did not hire them. they are independent contractors. I'm not responsible!! What and how much they were paid only has something to do with you not me. You took the cheap shot not me.!

61 posted on 01/07/2009 10:02:43 AM PST by org.whodat (Conservatives don't vote for Bailouts for Super-Rich Bankers! Republicans do!)
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To: org.whodat

No one asked for your pedigree.

My comment was not specifically aimed at you, but if the shoe fits then wear it.

By the tone of your response (shove it a hole) it would seem that the shoe fit.

Support contractors are actually cheaper and more efficient in the long run as opposed to having military people detailed away from their units and primary duties.

And no, you personally are not responsible, nor is any other single person in this representative republic.


62 posted on 01/07/2009 10:12:27 AM PST by Eagle Eye (Libs- If you don't have to play the rules then neither do we...THINK ABOUT IT!)
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To: ohioman
Calling defense contractor's mercenaries is a disservice to them. Everyone gets paid for their work, but almost all of these guys are very patriotic vets. I ought to know I have worked for a Defense Contractor for 15 years and we are not mercenaries.

Nothing wrong with the term mercenaries. You fight, you get paid for it, you don't work for a government. You are in fact a mercenary. Patriotism is a wonderful thing, but you are a mercenary. Nothing derogatory about it.

63 posted on 01/07/2009 10:18:18 AM PST by Centurion2000 (To protect and defend ... against all enemies, foreign and domestic .... by any means necessary.)
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To: Kaslin

I don’t see a problem hiring security personnel to protect VIPs. The military has other pressing matters in front of it, like killing the enemy, to be babysitting a bunch of suits.


64 posted on 01/07/2009 10:22:52 AM PST by JamesP81 (Let the Great RINO Hunt of 2009 begin)
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To: Eagle Eye
By the tone of your response (shove it a hole) it would seem that the shoe fit.

Another cheap shot, which trailer do you live in?

65 posted on 01/07/2009 10:39:25 AM PST by org.whodat (Conservatives don't vote for Bailouts for Super-Rich Bankers! Republicans do!)
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To: JamesP81
I don’t see a problem hiring security personnel to protect VIPs. The military has other pressing matters in front of it, like killing the enemy, to be babysitting a bunch of suits.

I don't imagine that the US military has many units that are actually trained in the techniques of "personal protection". With Iraq you suddently had a huge demand for this type of work. Not saying that the US military couldn't assemble such units, but I don't think 'real soldiers' would want to serve as bodyguards. Just my 2 cents.

66 posted on 01/07/2009 10:42:52 AM PST by Tallguy ("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
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To: Eagle Eye

You’re being baited, buddy. Just let him stew.


67 posted on 01/07/2009 10:44:15 AM PST by Tallguy ("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
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To: org.whodat

So far most people that I know from trailers have more class and better manners than you do.

If the money that contractors make wasn’t an issue with you then you could and would have stepped past my first comment very easily.

But you’re proving yourself to be bitter and resentful towards those EARNING money with their skills as security contractors.

Not everyone can do that kind of work. Some are too old or too broken down and unfit, past their prime. No shame in that.

Others lack the motivation yet they belittle those that do. Or try to...but who really listens to their jealous gripes?


68 posted on 01/07/2009 10:46:08 AM PST by Eagle Eye (Libs- If you don't have to play the rules then neither do we...THINK ABOUT IT!)
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To: Tallguy

Thanks.

One has to be careful around here or one can end up with lots of crap on their boots.


69 posted on 01/07/2009 10:52:33 AM PST by Eagle Eye (Libs- If you don't have to play the rules then neither do we...THINK ABOUT IT!)
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To: Eagle Eye
Read real slow, the are contractors’ they made their own bed. Has nothing to do with me. I don't care what they got paid, but you seem to be consumed by it!!!! It's the old if you cannot do the time don't do the crime.
70 posted on 01/07/2009 11:01:11 AM PST by org.whodat (Conservatives don't vote for Bailouts for Super-Rich Bankers! Republicans do!)
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To: org.whodat

IMO they did not commit any crime.

They fought their way out of a bad situation.

Once upon a time the first term enlisteds had private contracts with the US Army hence the term “private” that now refers to a rank.


71 posted on 01/07/2009 11:17:28 AM PST by Eagle Eye (Libs- If you don't have to play the rules then neither do we...THINK ABOUT IT!)
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To: ohioman
"Calling defense contractor's mercenaries is a disservice to them. Everyone gets paid for their work, but almost all of these guys are very patriotic vets."

I agree 100%. IAC, they aren't "mercenaries" by any definition. They are simply highly qualified security guards. Just as night watchmen, police, crossing guards, middle and high school security guards, and secret service agents are not "mercenaries".

Blackwater supports no contracting of personnel for the purpose of fighting in regional or local conflicts. A visit to the N.C. headquarters, training, and engineering & development facilities would present a truer picture of the organization.

Suggestions that Marines (who are trained to attack, kill, and break things) and the Army (which does have some "occupation" training & duties as well) waste their training and expertise on security of State Dept, or any other civilian personnel, is ludicrous.

(Hmmm! Maybe a case could be made that we, as a country, might be better off if didn't provide any security for those pinko-riddled bureaucrats!)

Semper Fi!

72 posted on 01/07/2009 2:45:14 PM PST by SuperLuminal
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To: Kaslin
I have had the privilege of meeting a few Blackwater guys. Good people, but lets be honest here.

They are mercenaries. Good mercs who are working for the US, but that doesn't change what they are any more than calling my garbage man a sanitation engineer changes what he is.

What bothers me is that the US is so screwed up we are hiring mercenaries to do the job the US Military used to do (and yes, that used to include protection of State Department officials in a hostile country).

73 posted on 01/07/2009 3:37:02 PM PST by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: Allegra
I even saw three guys dressed as Blackwater PSDs at a Halloween party here last fall, replete with bodybuilder.com T-shirts, Blackwater hats and fake muscle bulges under their shirts, swaggering around and hilariously acting the part. They had us all in stitches.

Now, THAT is funny:-)

You take carfe and stay away from those types. We never had them at D-17, but we did have the Ugandans.....

74 posted on 01/07/2009 7:36:52 PM PST by Sarajevo (You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: Tallguy
Not saying that the US military couldn't assemble such units, but I don't think 'real soldiers' would want to serve as bodyguards. Just my 2 cents.

"Delta Gp" was doing it for years. They didn't have any hostages to rescue, so they were tagged with VIP protection for general officers.

75 posted on 01/07/2009 7:41:13 PM PST by Sarajevo (You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: Sarajevo
We never had them at D-17, but we did have the Ugandans.....

We had them when I was at FOB Shield (D-1) last year. I really liked them - they were always friendly and smiling, but you knew that if anything went down, they could turn fierce in a heartbeat. I never saw a chest-thumper among that group (aside from their South African supervisors. They're a whole 'nother ball of wax.)

Take care!

76 posted on 01/07/2009 11:10:00 PM PST by Allegra
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To: Red in Blue PA

OUr government has been hiring “mercs” since it was formed. The only people who are against this are people who don’t know squat about everything these people do for our country. You are not a bad person I am sure, but you are ignorant.


77 posted on 01/07/2009 11:21:09 PM PST by freeplancer (McCain Voters Catch the Lobsters-Obama Voters Eat Them)
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