Blackwater Security Outlawed in Iraq

Blackwater Security Outlawed in Iraq

www.yle.fi

Officials are investigating a shooting incident in Baghdad in which at least eight civilians were reported killed by private US security contractors employed by Blackwater.

Iraqi Ministry of Interior has canceled the licence of Blackwater and thus outlawed it's armed units.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Blackwater operators:


Related News Links:
news.bbc.co.uk

[edit on 17-9-2007 by northwolf]

This very bold from Iraqi government. It's the first time that US contractors, that USA is practically using as an extension of its military, are being penalised by Iraqi Government.

Is this a begining of a bigger change in the Iraqi governments policy towards contractors or even towards USA?

www.yle.fi
(visit the link for the full news article)

Blackwater has a reported history of targeting Iraqi civillians for sport.


Reportedly, the Blackwater Mercs who were shot, burnt, dismembered, and strung up on Fallujah's bridge came to such an unpleasant end after they had been driving about Fallujah taking pot shots at Iraqi civillians.


Reportedly, the Iraqis who saw this, went home, got their AK-47's, got into their own cars, and hunted these killers down to be punished as they saw fit.


For that, Fallujah was flattened by the US military.



Blackwater has been outlawed by the Iraqi government.


The US (and Blackwater) will just ignore such a statement, or Blackwater will simply change their name, pay off a few officials, keep people quiet through whatever means necessary.


These are guns for hire. And some of these people may well no longer be in the military for good reason.

Our government keeps stating the Iraqi government is not taking control of the country as they had expected. Well, let's see how our government responds to this. It will tell a lot as to whether the Iraqi government hasn't taken control - or hasn't been allowed to take control.

RIGHT ON!!

Good for the Iraqis!
Blackwater should have never been there.

This could be a BIG test of that Iraqi sovereignty we keep hearing so much about
If they are overruled by the US then it lays bare the lie that there is a democratically elected government running Iraqi internal affairs. If they do kick Blackwater out it then sends a signal to the other "private security" corporations operating in Iraq that they are under scrutiny.

I want to see them kick Halliburton out next!
Now that would be your test. Blackwater is small time money swindling compared to Cheney's operation.

i spent a year in iraq... 1/06 - 2/07... blackwater's had a bad rep forever, and as much as a year ago i was hearing that OUR government wanted them out... so i doubt our government will put up much of a fuss about it. i'm just surprised it took this long.

reply to post by NunyaDamnBidness


Can you elaborate, please?
Do tell us some stories about Blackwater's bad rep. Even if it's just barracks talk, I'm sure everyone would be greatly interested!

There should be a total embargo on these corporate private armies, they are unaccountable to conventional military discipline, regulations and conventions and this disgraceful corporate 'state within a state' should be dismantled before it progresses any further.
It is a danger to society that the military is there to protect us from in the first place.

reply to post by JimmyBlonde


Agreed.
There is no way that it should be legal to form this kind of chartered mercenary group. It would be a fairly easy step to legislate that no private security force may employ the use of certain weapons and equipment.

However, as things stand, no such step will be taken.
It's too convenient for the government to outsource security this way. Not just directly, but indirectly as well. If corporations can hire outfits like Blackwater to provide security during crises like Kristina, it mitigates the need for the National Guard and helps reduce operational costs.

Originally posted by BitRaiser
If corporations can hire outfits like Blackwater to provide security during crises like Kristina, it mitigates the need for the National Guard and helps reduce operational costs.

Which leads to the conveniently logical conclusion that the National Guard or it's international equivalents might as well be replaced. Unfortunately this seems to me an apologist argument for sneaking a new, improved security force upon the public's rights and their pockets to the further benefit of corporate anti-culture.

The National Guard is put into the emergency relief and security role as a force within which every member has sworn an oath to uphold and protect a democratic constitution and not some profiteering corporate charter.

The scary part about Blackwater as opposed to traditional security forces is that the National Guard is sworn to defend the people from enemies both Forgine and domestic, while Blackwater has NO allegiance to anything other than money.

If they are chartered to operate in unfriendly countries and to kill enemies of the state, how long until they are hired to mow down protesters as they can be classified as "enemy combatants" under Bush's draconian laws?

Well thug enforcers are just a natural part of establishing a fascist state. These guys are the new brownshirts.

reply to post by Regensturm

For that, Fallujah was flattened by the US military.

Oh give it a break... fallujah needed to be cleaned out anyway.. remember what was going on between the two fallujah invasions?
There were dozens of people who had their heads cut off with a rusty knife, not just Americans either, people from many nations were also targeted..
Remember what happened after the second invastion of fallujah? Pretty much nothing, the kidnappings slowed to a crawl and the beheadings pretty much completely stopped.
Let me guess, next youre going to tell me that was just a coincidence?
There was no relation to the beheadings ending and the invasion of fallujah.

Dont even try and twist it around by talking about any civilians killed in crossfire either. Even though dead is dead, how it happens DOES matter.
it is just as sad for a civilian to die in crossfire and a hostage dying at the hands of his captors but where the difference comes in is accountability and intent.
99% of the time when a civilian dies because of a soldier it is an accident and is unintentional.
When a hostage dies by their captors it is INTENTIONAL 100% of the time.. those knives didnt just slip across their throats 20 times untill their head was severed from their neck..

Back to blackwater, ive never liked the idea of a private, corporate run military. They are nothing more than cold blooded killers, mercenaries.
There are already to many corporate hands in wars, haliburton etc.. but when there is a business where their soul income is brought in from war.. then that is a BAD IDEA.
Blackwater should be not be allowed to operate anywhere in the United States or at least heavily regulated


[edit on 9/21/2007 by Kr0n0s]

Oh btw, Blackwater has been given the ok to resume operations.. big surprise there.. not really

reply to post by Kr0n0s


Yep. Read about it here:

Blackwater working again in Iraq

Taking BW out of Iraq would be a bad idea and its a good thing that they are back in the action... we do need highly trained individuals to protect some targets that the US military doesn't want to.