30 Years Prison For Former Blackwater Guards Involved In Massacre

A former Blackwater security guard was sentenced to life in prison and three others got 30-year terms on Monday in the massacre of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians at a Baghdad traffic circle in 2007, closing a case that had outraged Iraqis and inflamed anti-U.S. sentiment around the world.

The Sept. 16 incident stood out for its brazenness and formed a tense backdrop to talks between the United States and Iraq over the continued presence of U.S. forces in Iraq. It also sparked debate over private security contractors working for the U.S. government in war zones.

30 Years Prison For Former Blackwater Guards Involved In Massacre

Finally some justice has been done on the untold crimes committed by paramilitary forces and hired contractors with a license to kill. Everytime I hear about crimes from this groups I don't know why it comes into my mind Jericho and the Ravenwood. God knows what they've done in this war zones. This juridical process and the sentences coming out of it are a clear signal that the past catches up with you and crimes have to be paid back.

More links

www.cbc.ca...

yournewswire.com...

Well I never thought I'd see that happen.
I have a feeling BW terror runs deep, like 9-11 deep.
Maybe we'll get a few to sing a Prince song.

a reply to: Telos

I am SO thankful to hear that justice is being served, although no duration of time in prison is fair for the atrocities these men committed.

I was very surprised to read this, but literally ecstatic that these men aren't getting away with what they did. I saw some videos of Blackwater men driving through iraq firing off magazine after magazine at civilians and laughing; it's utterly despicable. Thankfully this little bunch won't ever get the opportunity to be scumbag Paid Mercenaries again. Rot in hell dirtbags

a reply to: Telos

From the CBC article:

Mohammad Kinani Al-Razzaq spoke in halting English about the death of his 9-year-old son as a picture of the smiling boy, Ali Mohammed Hafedh Abdul Razzaq, was shown on courtroom monitors. "What's the difference between these criminals and terrorists?" Razzaq said.

a reply to: Telos

Pffffft...justice...yeah, OK.

And it's always the guys at the bottom of the ladder that ONLY take the punishment too.

Where is the conviction for Erik Prince?

Where is the conviction for G.W. Bush?

Where is the conviction for ANYONE involved in the war of (on) lies (terror)?

Justice my A$$

Justice is nothing but an illusion spawned by people living in the past, trying to control the future. What did happen (Killing innocents), IS real. What you think SHOULD have happened (NOT killing innocent people) is NOT real...so why continue to ruin lives? Because revenge is sweet? THESE GUYS' JOB WAS TO KILL PEOPLE!

When the only tool is a hammer, many things turn into nails.

Justice is nothing but a sorry and sad byproduct of the worlds perverse value system. Good vs evil kinda BS.

For further insight and contemplation, refer to my quote below...

The difference between accidental death of indigenous peoples (collateral damage) and intentional murder is one of… intent.

The whole war is intentional after all, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died in several "engagements". Each of the last four presidents has announced the beginning of another bombing campaign, incursion, "surge", whatever. But don't look there. Just these four sacrificial lambs here. They are offered up to assuage the sensibility of our justice tastebuds.

Waging aggressive war for unjust reasons is okay, see?

a reply to: Telos

Wow, look at what these lunatics said in court (from the New York Times article):

“I know for a fact that I will be exonerated, in this life and the next,” said Paul A. Slough.

“As God is my witness,” Evan S. Liberty said, he fired only at insurgents who were shooting at him.

“I am very sorry for the loss of life,” Dustin L. Heard said. “But I cannot say in all honesty to the court that I believe I did anything wrong.”

“The verdict is wrong,” said Nicholas A. Slatten, a former Army sniper who was convicted of murder for starting the melee with a precision shot through the head of a young man stopped at an intersection. “You know I am innocent, sir.”

NYT

Justifying their actions and straight up lying - can perjury charges be brought up on them for this?

I was also wondering how this case came to be exactly, since the incident took place in a foreign country. I know it was a "Federal Judge" that carried out the sentencing but I'd be curious as to who brought up charges

a reply to: Sparkymedic

I agree, this isn't justice in the grand scheme of things but the triggerhappy psychopaths who fired round after round of high caliper ammunition into civilians, killing 14 people, are at least going to spend their dying days in prison. To me, that is some sort of justice.

These men were cruel and deserve much worse but at least they won't be working as paid mercenaries or hold positions doing anything else that would allow them to abuse authority or cause harm to innocent people.

Erik Prince DEFINITELY deserves to be indicted on countless charges but we both know that won't happen. I appreciate your quote/sign off as well - very deep and meaningful. Thanks for pointing that out

Excellent news! I agree that GWBush and company should also be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Cheney, Rumsfeld, EVERYONE who sat at the table in the Situation Room and devised this diabolical mess.

Good for that it's about time. Though, how about the higher ups also responsible. Such as Erik Prince- also renamed Blackwater to Academi, plus the rest of them already mentioned. As usual they will likely get away with it. At least this is out there and in the MSM also showing it's not just a conspiracy that these people were contracted for killings as many people have previously denied.

The blaming of a few underlings is necessary before the "Noble Endeavor" label can be applied to the whole debacle. It's a replay of the trial of Lt. Calley for the My Lai massacre of 1968.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Remember the phrase 'The buck stops here', holds an entirely different meaning from what we used to believe was responsibility. Now it simply refers to dollars and profiteering from war contracts. I learned that from Bush and Cheney. The few who are jailed are only pittance as compared to all the war crimes committed.

Not much to add except it's heartening to see some punishment come of this.
Incredible how slow the wheels of justice are however.
PMC's are the new corporate armies of the future.
Wars between Nation-states will be history replaced by Corporate warfare.

originally posted by: Telos

A former Blackwater security guard was sentenced to life in prison and three others got 30-year terms on Monday in the massacre of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians at a Baghdad traffic circle in 2007, closing a case that had outraged Iraqis and inflamed anti-U.S. sentiment around the world.

Finally some justice has been done on the untold crimes committed by paramilitary forces and hired contractors with a license to kill. Everytime I hear about crimes from this groups I don't know why it comes into my mind Jericho and the Ravenwood. God knows what they've done in this war zones. This juridical process and the sentences coming out of it are a clear signal that the past catches up with you and crimes have to be paid back. e/

it certainly demosntrates the power of the people at the top of the pole when they can order some slave to be put on trail (how else would this get initated ) just to get into the good books with the current Iraqi government but I suppose all these merc know the risks.

edit on 15-4-2015 by Azureblue because: typo

How about the Blackwater (Craft, Academi) mercenaries that are busy murdering Ukrainians? Or the ones that were involved in the Boston Bombing?

They and their controllers should all be accountable for their murder sprees. Blackwater are CIA Assassins!

In April 2002, the CIA paid Blackwater more than $5 million to deploy a small team of men inside Afghanistan during the early stages of US operations in the country. A month later, Erik Prince, the company's owner and a former Navy SEAL, flew to Afghanistan as part of the original twenty-man Blackwater contingent. Blackwater worked for the CIA at its station in Kabul as well as in Shkin, along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where they operated out of a mud fortress known as the Alamo. It was the beginning of a long relationship between Blackwater, Prince and the CIA. Now the New York Times is " target="_new">www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/us/20intel.html?_r=1&hp">
reporting that in 2004 the CIA hired Blackwater "as part of a secret
program to locate and assassinate top operatives of Al Qaeda

But innocent Men, Women and Children are not Al-Qaeda. Most of us that have half a brain know that Al-Qaeda is not a group of Terrorists but in actuality is a group of International Mercenaries created by the West for covert Proxy Wars and Assassinations.

Blackwater is the American equivalent. Used for Domestic and International False Flag operations and Assassinations.

Blackwater: CIA Assassins.

Blackwater has even been involved in training the US Police Forces. Probably explains why people running away from the Police end up with bullet holes in their backs!

Blackwater, The Craft, Academi, whatever they are called are just armed thugs that kill for money! They should all be sentenced!

They are lucky they aren't geetting the death pentalty.

How about charging the politicians who made millions off the war?

Though glad these murderous scum are behind bars.

I'm ashamed to say that this is the first I've ever heard of this massacre. What an absolutely horrific thing to do. I know this is cold comfort to the loved ones left behind but at least these monsters are held somewhat accountable. I typically don't like the death penalty except in very specific cases, but I wouldn't lose a bit of sleep if they'd been sentenced to hang.