Originally posted by SpartanKingLeonidas
This is of course a private military organization that is not answerable to the American public like the rest of the military and Government. This is because the rules have been changed on us and I am certain it was done somewhere within the regular laws with a "bait and switch" tactic as a "necessary" thing to be set-up in order to "secure democracy" because the politicians said so.

These are highly trained killers that answer to no one other than the Government, plain and simple. Do you get that? Answerable only to the Government. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine's are answerable to the American people if enough of them throw a hissy fit or threaten to oust a politician over some policy they promoted and or drafted.

This is a whole new military organization speaking metaphorically here in that it is only owned and answerable to the money that pays it's paychecks, whoever that may be. The Government controls it but we the citizens are footing the bill for it, somewhere.

[edit on 3-5-2008 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

The people in blackwater are mainly ex special forces. And the people that go their are typically dissatisfied with the situations politics put them in. I have trained with blackwater and every person i have met in there would never turn on his country. As a highly trained profession would you rather make 50,000 a year and have no choice on what missions you get sent on or get 100,000 for entry level positions for a 6 month tour and get to choose whether you accept a mission or not. In 2007 I was sent on a covert mission in Africa where we (the US) launched tomohawks and 5in shells into countries which posed absolutely no threat to American citizens. If I had the choice I would of never gone there. I really hate to see blackwater members get painted in this light as everyone i've met has the best intentions for his country the same as American troops.

To the poster above who said blackwater got denied the facility in southern california, it did not matter. Socal is where I trained with them at. They simply "rent" out a facility instead of owning it. The worrisome part for me is blackwater was used during katrina to control rioting. Our troops are not allowed to be deployed within our own borders for civil unrest as per the constitution. Seems mercenaries were one hell of a loophole there. I seriously hope if blackwater ever got the call to put down civil unrest they would not only refuse the governments call, but oppose it.

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I love the part phrase

Blackwater Worldwide
Blackwater USA in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark. The company has a wide array of business divisions, subsidiaries, and spin-off corporations but the organization as a whole has aroused significant controversy.The Iraq War documents leak showed that Blackwater employees committed serious abuses in Iraq, including killing civilians.Altogether, the documents reveal fourteen separate shooting incidents involving Blackwater forces, which resulted in the deaths of ten civilians and the wounding of seven others, not including the Nisoor Square massacre that killed seventeen civilians. A third of the shootings occurred while Blackwater forces were guarding US diplomats.

I absolutely disagree. I am about as conservative as you can get and i don't support rouge organizations like blackwater.

Because of "bad press" over the past few years, Blackwater has changed its name at least three times that I know of...you can't run from the truth forever!

I read that book, very good, and I like the author. I don't like Eric Prince, brainwashed billionaire choir boy who thinks he's fighting the dark ages crusades against the muslims.

Originally posted by filosophia
I read that book, very good, and I like the author. I don't like Eric Prince, brainwashed billionaire choir boy who thinks he's fighting the dark ages crusades against the muslims.

I know more about Blackwater than I do Eric Prince. He really does sound like the robotic crusader archetype for the brainwashed, doesn't he? Was he a former Navy Seal? I think I read that somewhere. Most of these operators are former special forces. Its scary to ponder how much latitude they now have as defense contractors, when they had very little oversight as special forces operators to begin with. Sounds like open season to me!!

When i was serving with the australian special forces I was involved in a tricky little firefight in which Blackwater mercs saved my arse from hot #, they are shadowy and very suspicious but all in all i give thanks to Blackwater boys that kept me alive. However, I am eager to know exactly how they new where my team was and what in gods name was it that made them put thier arse on the line to save mine.

Okay digle digle