Blackwater: Just Another Government Scam?

Four former Blackwater Worldwide security guards were recently convicted in their roles for the 2007 massacre of 17 Iraqis in Baghdad. And to top it off, we were paying an equivalent of $1 Million per Blackwater guard. “Our military men and women are lucky to be making $30,000 to $40,000 a year. And you’re telling me our government paid $1 Billion for 1,000 Blackwater operators?” Does anybody see something wrong in that, besides me?

a reply to: JesseVentura

Quite right. No words for such insanity.

I think posted videos aren't showing up.

Edit: Ah there you go.

Does Cheney have a vested interest in Blackwater? Does any Government official who was in office around 2001 have a vested interest?

That's where I would start looking.

a reply to: JesseVentura

There is a definite trend in governments hiring corporate mercenaries who are immune to rules of engagement and being independent contractors said governments are not accountability for their actions.

Like what went down in New Orleans after Katrina.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

There probably is. As always, we must follow the dirty money trail..

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

The paper trail never ends. The public names like Bush and Cheney are just fallguys playing their part. Their need for fame and public acknowledgement is exploited. As long as they play their part....

To answer your question, yeah...a lot of people find something "wrong" with this. Jeremy Scahill for one, whom I remember helping do some research for in 2007, and me for another and a woman whose name I wish I could remember that we go a lot of our information from back then, when it was becoming really obvious about what a scam it all was and all the triple dipping going on in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Companies that did work there doubled down on risk, thus increasing their "costs" but then just passed those costs along to the government but then in addition the government hires these same people, either directly or indirectly, while at the same time these people used our troops who were paid on AVERAGE seven times LESS to guard and protect their asses too (both the companies like the H-word and the PMCs).

In what world do people swallow that and accept it?

And don't even go to the dominionist connections with these people either.

originally posted by: Cobaltic1978
Does Cheney have a vested interest in Blackwater? Does any Government official who was in office around 2001 have a vested interest?

That's where I would start looking.

Blackwater was originally founded by Erik Prince, whose father, Edgar D. Prince founded a manufacturing corporation that eventually spread into other markets. Prince attended Hillsdale College and was working as an EMT when in 1990, he was put in position as a low level intern for Bush, Sr, which is interesting as he didn't have a college degree yet at that point. It was after that that he went to officer's academy and became a Navy Seal. Maybe his dad was a heavy but maybe not. His history is a little weird and I've seen similar weirdness before. He reminds me of an ex-boyfriend in a major way. They'd be about the same age, too.

The ex-bf (and I'm sure as hell not going to name him because yeah, no) was bright but not exceptionally bright. He liked to think himself the hero but that got crushed when he was told he had "moral ambiguity". Remember that quite well because I ended up having to console him. Anyways, long story short, his history was pretty normal. Joined military after graduation, went to a regular college when he got back from the Gulf, and was working as SWAT. Then Mr. Moral Ambiguity suddenly had the funds or whatever to go to Harvard and Georgetown. And he became an executive to a couple of private military corporations of perhaps equal infamy as Blackwater. I knew this guy for several years. He was my best friend up until he did something that showed me that moral ambiguity can be a very not good thing. I don't know what happened to make these switches in his life but from what I do know, it was weird.

My only guess is that he was picked out of SWAT for this and probably due to his being "bright enough" and that moral ambiguity. To me, that implies that guys like this have private backers but that's just my observation on what I've seen, which is purely anecdotal and from a deliberately distanced view.

a reply to: WhiteAlice

Perhaps certain people were thumbing through psych evals, looking for certain profiles. Moral ambiguity could go a long way in certain "mercenary-related" capacities.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

Might be hard to tell since they are not publically traded.

originally posted by: JesseVentura
a reply to: Cobaltic1978

There probably is. As always, we must follow the dirty money trail..

I tried to check the dirty money trail and Academi is privately held as was its previous incarnation of Blackwater. The only name is the one associated with its founding--Erik Prince. Who else may be involved doesn't have to be reported because the companies are "privately held". Privately held corporations are not subject to the same public reporting rules as a "publicly held" corporation would be so no easily obtainable 10k for them. One name via the Wikipedia on Academi is Constellis Holdings, which Academi recently acquired/merged with it.

Similar to Blackwater, Constellis was founded by two special forces vets and is privately held as well. Virtual dead ends in terms of public money trails though (no 10ks).

a reply to: JesseVentura

We used them during large build moves back in the day at Applied. They literally sat around armed to the teeth just shooting the sh!t. Guess it's better than them shooting ppl ha

a reply to: JesseVentura

the scariest part about the whole mercenary fad is that what happens when a corporation hires them? Imagine Google now controlling 1000s of soldiers...

originally posted by: ScientiaFortisDefendit
a reply to: WhiteAlice

Perhaps certain people were thumbing through psych evals, looking for certain profiles. Moral ambiguity could go a long way in certain "mercenary-related" capacities.

That's what I thought as well. It would be perfect indeed. The other thing that I found interesting between Prince and the old hs ex is Prince was a firefighter and EMT and that's a match for the kind of thinking that the ex had. Serious hero complex. My grandfather was a colonel and while he thought the guy had a good potential career in the military and was interested in him, he wasn't a fan of the guy being my bf at the time. If my grandfather could spot it just in casual conversation, you bet a psych evaluation would definitely peg it. On top of it, the ex was idolized my grandfather because of his former position. So kind of paints a weird picture of a total blind adoration for authority figures, hero complex plus that moral ambiguity. I'm not a shrink but that's what I observed and you bet that that combo would be awfully useful for mercenary related things--especially if they are strongly tied to the defense sector.

its no joke that the US has plenty of money to burn. Hard earned tax payers money.
And then to tell us we are in debt..
But I cant help but laugh..

a reply to: rockpaperhammock

You're right. That is scary

a reply to: JesseVentura

Unless it's Microsoft, then the plan will crash and burn on booting ...

When you have a large number of soldiers out of work, you are going to have these issues. Rome discovered this to its chagrin.

The military doesn't get paid as much, but they don't pay for all of their gear, uniforms, equipment, guns, bullets, medical etc...maybe BW has to pay for their own stuff so they get "more" cash. In the military we get a lot of stuff for "free"...it's really already taken out of our pay. Medical and uniforms etc. I think it is not as big of a problem as it seems, but it is off...


a reply to: JesseVentura

a reply to: Jaxsmash

You'd probably be surprised at how much military people have to pay for on their own these days. From those small salaries.