Video of Blackwater Contractors Driving Over Iraqi Woman

reply to post by Drezden


I can see your point there.

It seems with the disregard that most of the drivers have shown in the area It wouldn't surprise me that a lot of people are taken of guard in their daily life when all of a sudden a convoy decides it's its time to blast through stretch of road and something like this happens.

Originally posted by redneck13

Originally posted by earthdude

Originally posted by DrNotforhire
yeahhhh I watched both videos... I didnt see the Blackwater guys run over anyone... I did see however a woman throwing herself at the vehicle...

theres a difference

Look closely and you will see that the convoy is on the wrong side of the street and the woman was looking the other way. I know they say look both ways, but we all seem to avoid looking left after getting half way across. She was left on the crosswalk, an international no no.

Just to make it clear, there was no crosswalk on that side of the street. On the opposite side of the intersection, there was a crosswalk. It looks like most people don’t have enough sense to stay out of the road. people know better than to walk out in the middle of a busy street in a lawless country. Most dogs have more sense.

Stop the video and you can plainly see the crosswalk paint. A dog could see it. Think about this the next time you cross the street, or see an woman crossing the street that looks like a real person to you. You can bet Saddam painted those crosswalks, not the good old USA. They are a little faded.

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Originally posted by Swills

As I've already stated, suicide bombers go for stationary targets, not moving vehicles driving fast down the crowded Iraqi highways.

If they had stopped to help this alleged woman, they would've been stationary targets.

I've watched the video about 10 times now, and it appears to me that she was looking at the vehicle as she walked in front of it. How do you know this wasn't an attempt to stop the convey for an ambush or a more effective IED explosion?

They were obviously heading somewhere in a hurry. How do you know whether or not a vehicle further back in the convoy stopped to help her?

You don't. This is simply propaganda until we have all the facts.

I hate this war just as much as any of you, but you're jumping to conclusions here.

Originally posted by ShiningBeneath
Lol at this derp guy trying to say this is anti-America propaganda. Sure maybe the running over of the woman was an 'accident'. Sure maybe the Iraqi people are all wrong and don't know their road rules...but how on EARTH can you explain away the waving of guns at people, the threatening to blow them away and the massive racism exhibited? Not even the most mind-fkd person could believe that's misinterpreted.

I saw him pull up the gun twice, only when their direction of travel was about to be blocked. He was also waving his hand around pointing out some questionable characters. It’s a show of force as a deterrent. Beats the alternative, come home in a body bag cause it’s not your turn at the stop light.

reply to post by earthdude


Ya , I watched on you tube. There was a more faded crosswalk on that side. With the traffic on that street the paint is no more that two years old. I can as easily say from watching the video, “thank god they knocked that bitty on her a$$ before she pulled the trigger on that vest”

Originally posted by popsmayhem

Originally posted by Swills
reply to post by popsmayhem

 

No one said anyone got run over in the first video, just you. I can't believe you watched this video and are defending the Black Water folks. It looks like I will continue to disagree with everything you say and stand for.

You earned a

edit on 6-4-2012 by Swills because: (no reason given)

I am not defending anyone
but when any stopped car
or women next to the road could
be armed with a bomb ready to kill you..
Things get hectic. The video is blatant anti-american
propaganda all i'm saying.

And wouldn't it be?

reply to post by Swills

The information I have is clearly from the video. The video's title said it was a demonstration, an operational escort demonstration.

Titles and reality can differ substantially. Particularly when coming second or third-hand.

Now many here are saying these guys are US military and not US contractors.

Can be difficult to tell. In a lot of areas, the military operates plain-clothes to keep a lower profile.

That said, a lot of contractors are former military, and are better equipped and have superior training facilities compared to U.S. military (on-par and sometimes in excess of Special Warfare Commands).

His article isn't about US military, it's all about mercenaries who have transformed into contractors after 9/11.

In all honesty - they have the right idea. We should be contracting a number of our operations abroad out to shipping companies, oil companies, etc. Rather than obscuring operational costs under taxes and such - we should have each command take control of its budget by bidding for security operations and participation in foreign governmental affairs (have that government or rebel group pay to bring us in). Obviously - there would have to be some regulation done on what types of contracts could be accepted and prevent "blue-on-blue" incidents where contracts are mutually exclusive and would require U.S. vs U.S. operations.

Of course - what you don't hear about is how the Marines are the QRF and "emergency response" for a lot of our contractors abroad. When SHTF - the Marines will deploy in an attempt to extract our PMCs... and don't always make it. Once they fall into enemy hands - they are SOL.

They don't get the same support from the State Department that the U.S. military does... (although there are still American POWs being held in Vietnam... a fact that has been swept under the rug and the State Department doesn't want to deal with). If things go south and we can't get them out - they're #ed ten ways to sunday.

You're former USN so you're probably familiar with my old rate, CTO.

Current USN(R). Doing work-ups for mobilization right now - on-break from training in Camp Pendleton. But, yes - I'm familiar with CTs.

reply to post by Swills


America is a disease, a cancer on humanity.

I agree that we cannot blame our military here as they are a private contractor. Just a note, by the looks of it, that woman was wearing a burka... It would seem it may have obstructed her vision as she attempted to cross the street before getting hit. It was obviously unintentional...she wasn't hit on purpose.

Originally posted by popsmayhem
Southtown POD is the music
and might I say exceptional
choice, I love POD.

First video
They did not run anyone over
they acidently hit a car that
was blocking the road!
Blatant propaganda

Second part, the lady clearly walks
where the car is going to hit her,
this is not the military so can't blaim them

edit on 6-4-2012 by popsmayhem because: (no reason given)

POD is great if you like really crappy Christian music. Bravo.

How is it propaganda when you have a soldier talking S*#t, calling people punks?

No wonder they hate us.

I would hate us too.

In fact, I hate people that act and drive like that in general.

No propaganda here. just facts.

Its on film for Christs sake.

It seems like people here have some sort of "Syndrome of a Down" and dont even know it.

What the hell?

People are siding with Black Water? I mean, Xe? I'm sorry, Academi?

I'm speechless. In fact, **** this; I'm out.

reply to post by Swills


How about you keep your ignorance and opinions of christians to yourself in your talking of murderer freaks and asinines. Just because he claims Christainity and you have some need to slander Christians as this type of man doesn't add to anything you post!

Good video of a murderer in a truck, cant prove the Owner was behind this or condoned it yet I believe him to be of questionable morals and a Satanist. I find the noting of the religious beliefs (self professed by freaks and doesn't make it so) to be a favorite pastime of many on ATS. I think it is the fear of those that don't have anything to believe in that causes that. When was the last time you saw someone open a post with you religion and beliefs and trying to slander you as like that person? Try this on and tell me how many times you've ever seen it on ATS or anywhere.

Today a man that started a worldwide computer company and is also an Atheist, delivered enough money to vaccinate and therefore kill off millions of black people in Africa...

How would you like to be straddled with people that claim to be like you but are really nothing like you? I am a Bible believer and I nor any Bible believer even did Easter let alone start a mercenary company to hire criminals and thugs to profit off death. Yes this means all Bush's are liars, but I think that is proven on ATS they are Satanists. So why don't you please stop, and everyone stop, opening your threads with the self professions of madmen and I won't start opening my threads linking all atheists with murder, chaos and immorality and linking all of you with them in sarcastic downgrading ways...

Have some manners and stop posting such slanderous attacks on a whole group of people through sarcastic use of words that are not even needed. Anyone that thinks Eric Prince is a Christian is as God Damn nuts and a liar he is!!!

***Mods that was used in context and not as profanity... The God of the Bible says He will damn men such as murderers.

reply to post by Swills


The other videos I have seen only show the first vehicle clipping / hitting her, not running her over or down. The "convoy" is supposedly a protection detail which means they are not going to stop for anyone. If something happens its left to the locals to respond.

With that being said, the possibility the lady did not see the convoy and walked in front of it is valid. If you guys pay attention to the surroundings, especially as the convoy makes its way through the intersection, you will notice the traffic control lights are facing the opposite direction. It tells me the convoy was driving on the opposite side of the road, driving against the flow of traffic.

Aside from the traffic lights if you look to the right, you will see traff ic is at a standstill, with all the cars facing the same direction the convoy is going.

If the convoy switched over to the opposite lanes against the flow of traffic then I can see how the lady might not have even seen them coming. How many people here have lived in a city where the lanes of traffic are seperated by a median? When you go cross the road you look in the direction you expect to see traffic coming from. Its easy to become complacent when crossing the street, even more so in Iraq where the sounds of gunshots and sirens is an every other 30 second occurence.

I could be wrong on the direction of travel but thats what it looks like to me.

Im not justifying the blackwater guards actions.. just pointing out a sequence of events that could have resulted in what occured -
* - Iraq woman crossing the street not thinking there was traffic coming from a direction its not supposed to be.
* - Convoy people using their airhorn thinking that its enough for people to stop and take notice.

Its 2006 and the insurgency was up and running and asI said the locals are used to hearing it all.

From some other research it looks like Blackwater got nailed with 228 violations (this video included) and had to drop a sizeable chunk of money for damages and training.

My question is why are we making a massive issue out of something that occured in 2006 and has since been dealt with?

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reply to post by Aim64C


Yes, titles can be very misleading, just look to Fox/RT News or YouTube for great examples of that, but the source of these videos aren't from random sources, their supposedly first/second hand, I'll confirm later. It's a long article and I'll read it morning with my coffee but I believe these first hand sources are also unnamed sources. So, with that, who knows how valid these videos are but if the source is confirmed to be a former BW or current, ah whatever they call themselves now, well, then it's true or false. More to come..

In all honesty - they have the right idea. We should be contracting a number of our operations abroad out to shipping companies, oil companies, etc. Rather than obscuring operational costs under taxes and such - we should have each command take control of its budget by bidding for security operations and participation in foreign governmental affairs (have that government or rebel group pay to bring us in). Obviously - there would have to be some regulation done on what types of contracts could be accepted and prevent "blue-on-blue" incidents where contracts are mutually exclusive and would require U.S. vs U.S. operations.

That's a dark, scary road that can do wrong very easily. What kind of security are you talking about here? Well, how big are you talking about? Armies of privateers? I see where you're coming and it does make sense in that respect. America has a lot, a lot, on her plate, like a lot. So why not hire out operations to lowest bidder? But too be honest, these privateers are already there par taking in these operations, right? They're all over the Middle East. US troops have withdrawn from Iraq but there still remains behind a large number of people and I believe the majority of those people are US contractors. They do fight along with the rebels, they did in Libya. According to the CIA's civilian counter part Stratfor and their hacked emails there may have been US contractors involved in Gaddaffi's death. I'm sure none are in Syria, well, unless they're there secretly. Sounds like an easy job to hire out for whether it's from the pocket of the USA, Syrian Gov't or the Syrian rebels. Could be they hired out by anyone?

So these contractors are already involved and their business will probably continue to grow. Do I support private security teams? Sure. Do I support private security teams bidding on US operations? No, I don't. I think military operations should be handled by the military. These guys may have been prior military but they no longer live in that world, but they are for hire to par take in combat but they do not fear a Captains Mast or a GMT. The military has standards which are enforced but I fear a civilian army would be to independent and free, comparatively.

These constant conflicts need to end. Seriously, how much longer can we keep this up? The answer is to continue to create more and more private contractors and that doesn't well with me.

That said, continue being great at what you do and keep everyone safe.

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Has anybody looked the second I posted in my original post? The Harpers Magazine link? You know, the source of all of this? Anyway, click this, harpers.org... and watch the videos. I don't think any of us are talking about it, mainly focusing on the woman who got hit by the Humvee.

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