Blackwater busted

By GottaLaff

I'll provide details when I find them. For now:


Today is officially Bust the Bad Guys Day.

My Blackwater for Dummeez primer here.

UPDATE:

Federal prosecutors indicted Gary Jackson, who was president of Blackwater until last year, on Friday in a case that stemmed from a raid on Blackwater's North Carolina headquarters in 2008, which turned up 22 automatic weapons, including 17 Russian-made AK-47s.

Along with Jackson, the other Blackwater officials charged include the company's former lawyer, Andrew Howell, former vice president Bill Matthews and two employees tasked with overseeing Blackwater's armory and documentation having to so with its status as an arms dealer.

And yet the State Department still employs them. It's about time they Xe the light.

Here's an older post from 2008 about a few AK-47s that showed up in their armory.

The RNC hearts Blackwater

By GottaLaff

Ben Smith reveals that the RNC has Xe hots for Blackwater. They're about to cohabitate at a fundraiser:

Spokesmen for the Republican National Committee and for Xe Services, the embattled military contractor formerly known as Blackwater, denied to me last month that the party had any plans to host a donor retreat at Xe's U.S. Training Center in North Carolina.

Today, however, spokesmen for both said the event -- which appeared in a calendar in the leaked RNC fundraising presentation -- is on.

Here is a snippet of Ben's original post:

The Republican National Committee is planning to raise $60,000 at a fundraiser next month at the North Carolina compound owned by the company formerly known as Blackwater.

The event is going to be held by the under-40somethings called the "Young Eagles".

If you still aren't familiar with who and what Blackwater really is, please take a look at the primer I compiled called "Blackwater for Dummeez".

Here are a few screen grabs of the leaked presentation. And remember, they put the FUN back in FUNdraising!

(click on image to enlarge)

Nothing more reassuring than teaming up with a bunch of thugs. That should lend as much credibility to the party as their RNC chair spending nearly two grand at a kinky bondage-themed club.

H/t: Gr8RDH

Feds: Blackwater Saves Taxpayers Money

By GottaLaff

I wouldn't care if they saved us billions, there is no justification for their existence. Period:

But a new government report says they may actually have saved U.S. taxpayers money. The State Department saves roughly $900 million a year using private firms to protect American diplomats in Iraq rather than relying on U.S. government employees, according to a recently published review by the non partisan Government Accounting Office.

Here are the reasons they give for the differences. Ready?

The state department did not have to pay overtime or provide benefits or vacation time to the contractors. They were not saddled with extensive travel and housing costs. And they did not have to outfit them with weapons and gear.

Seriously. Those are the reasons. Well, then, by all means, go with Blackwater, er, Xe, er, Blackwater, er, Murder Inc.

But wait, it gets even better:

The report noted that the State Department would have been "reluctant to hire third country nationals to provide security in Iraq because the department does not want to be perceived as hiring mercenaries."

I'm sorry, but did I just wake up in Crazy World?

Moral of the story: Money first... Except for Jan Schakowsky. She's smart that way:

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who has sponsored a bill to outlaw government contracts to private security companies, defended her bill against the report, told ABC News that money was not the biggest factor in assessing the value of contractors in war zones.

And with that, it's time to re-introduce my old primer, Blackwater for Dummeez. Consider it a refresher course on who these thugs are:

BLACKWATER FOR DUMMEEZ

What is Blackwater USA, boys and girls? Blackwater USA is an international security contractor founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and is based in the U.S, . state of North Carolina where it operates a tactical training facility that it claims is the world's largest. Wow!

Let's take a peek into their world, in their very own words, where they claim to be: "The most comprehensive professional military, law enforcement, security, peacekeeping, and stability operations company in the world".

Our leadership and dedicated family of exceptional employees adheres to an essential of core corporate values- chief among these are integrity, innovation, excellence, respect, accountability, and teamwork.

In doing this, we have become the most responsive, cost-effective means of affecting the strategic balance in support of security and peace, and freedom and democracy everywhere.

Blackwater's Federal Contracts

Year Amount Paid

2001 $736,906

2002 $3,415,884

2003 $25,395,556

2004 $48,496,903

2005 $352,871,817

2006 $593,601,952

Well, howdy-do, that's impressive!

Now! What do they do? Stuff that includes integrity, innovation, excellence, respect, accountability, and teamwork? Nah, they were just kidding. They do this:

The lead Suburban in our convoy loomed up behind an old, puttering sedan driven by an older man with a young woman and three children. As we approached at typical breakneck speed, the Blackwater driver honked furiously and motioned to the side, as if they should pull over. The kids in the back seat looked back in horror, mouths agape at the sight of the heavily armored Suburbans driven by large, armed men in dark sunglasses. The poor Iraqi driver frantically searched fora means of escape, but there was none. So the lead Blackwater vehicle smashed heedlessly into the car, pushing it into the barrier. We zoomed by too quickly to notice if anyone was hurt.

That's what they do.

Who's in charge? Just a dickens of a guy! Erik Prince! And what a resume has he!

Born: 6-Jun-1969 Religion: Born-Again Christian Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Business, Military Party Affiliation: Republican Executive summary: Founder, Blackwater USA Military service: Navy SEAL Team Officer (1993-96, Bosnia, Haiti)

Erik Prince is a multi-millionaire right-wing fundamentalist Christian from a powerful Michigan Republican family. His wealth came from his father, Edgar Prince (d. 1995, billionaire, started Family Research Council with Gary Bauer). A major Republican campaign contributor, he interned in the White House of President George H.W. Bush and campaigned for Pat Buchanan in 1992, finding time to intern for conservative congressman Dana Rohrabacher as well. Prince founded the security and mercenary firm Blackwater USA in 1997 with Gary Jackson, another former Navy SEAL.

Prince's sister Betsy DeVos is a powerful conservative in her own right. Married to the son of Richard DeVos (Republican bankroller and co-founder of Amway), she served as chair of Michigan Republican Party in the 1990s. His mom is Elsa Prince Broekhuizen (Republican Party funder, remarried)

Can you say mercenary? I knew that you could. Now why would I go and ask a thing like that? Here's why!

In the capital, American officials said a joint U.S.-Iraqi commission formed to look into last month's shooting incident in which Blackwater USA security guards killed at least 11 Iraqis had yet to meet. In addition, most members of an FBI team that also will investigate the Sept. 16 shootings have not arrived and probably will not get to Iraq until next week, said U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo.

Why, there were more killings than we can count! There was the one where a drunk killed a guard on Christmas, and there was one where…oh never mind. Now remember, boys and girls, killing is bad. Killing for money is worse. And killing for money with no repercussions is worst of all!

No need to worry, because there's o-ver-sight. Can you say oversight? Yes, the U.S. Congress is on the job! Or are they...?

Darrell Issa: On the "Democrat side", this isn't about Blackwater. It's a repeat of the MoveOn dot Org attack on Petraeus' patriotism. They'll simply switch targets. I'm here to defend General Petraeus and our men and women in uniform.

Oooopsies! Well, kids, sometimes love can be misplaced. Erik Prince has a lot of love to share, too, but in the form of big fat checks:

Prince's latest donation was in July, when he gave $20,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee. California recipients of Prince's $1,000 checks include Reps. Jerry Lewis and Duncan Hunter, a current GOP presidential candidate, and former Rep. Richard Pombo.

The former serviceman has given almost all of his donations to Republicans. There was, however, an exception in 2006, when he donated $5,000 to the Green Party of Lucerne County, Pa. That was a Republican ploy to ensure the Green Party's U.S. senate candidate got on the ballot in an effort to peel votes away from Democrat Bob Casey and help Republican Rick Santorum. The effort failed and Casey won.

What's a mercenary to do? He has to invest his hard earned wages somewhere, doesn't he?

Well, kiddies, that's enough for today. No go eat your supper before it gets cold. You can sit in front of the TV and catch up on the latest news. What could be more fun than all the dinner you can eat, and all the Blackwater you can stomach?

Reports: Blackwater is "protecting" in Haiti

By GottaLaff

For those readers who aren't on Twitter, this comes to us via Jeremy Scahill:


Nice. Good. This should go a long way to improve their image. Why not just send Karl Rove out to defend President Obama's policies while they're at it?

And these thugs are on the government payroll why again? Oh, wait. I know. Our military is stretched tighter than Joan River's face.

Meanwhile, on his web site, Jeremy reports the welcome news that Jan Schakowsky is preparing legislation to ban Blackwater:

Schakowsky says Blackwater has “severely damaged the credibility and security of our military and harmed our relationship with other governments” [...]

As multiple scandals involving Blackwater continue to emerge almost daily, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is preparing to introduce legislation aimed at ending the US government’s relationship with Blackwater and other armed contracting companies.

You can read the whole thing, including Schakowsky's letter, here.

And good for her. That's long overdue.

If you need some background on who these criminals are, read my Blackwater for Dummeez primer here.

VIDEO- Jeremy Scahill on Blackwater: What we keep missing...

By GottaLaff

Yesterday I posted about Jeremy Scahill's latest reporting on Blackwater and how they're not only connected to the CIA, but also the U.S. Military Joint Special Operations command, something that seems to slip below the radar.

Here's the video from The Ed Show:



For a quick brush-up on who these mercenaries are, read my Blackwater for Dummeez primer.

Blackwater: What we keep missing....

By GottaLaff

Jeremy Scahill just now on The Ed Show:

What is under the radar, what people keep missing: Blackwater worked for U.S. Military Joint Special Operations command and for CIA.

Blackwater remains very active with both.

For a quick brush-up on who these mercenaries are, read my Blackwater for Dummeez primer.

Blackwater’s Erik Prince to teach high school, reveals CIA role

By GottaLaff

Some background in my little Blackwater for Dummeez primer here.

Just when you thought you'd heard it all:

For the past six years, Prince "appears to have led an astonishing double life," writes Adam Ciralsky. "Publicly, he has served as Blackwater’s CEO and chairman. Privately, and secretly, he has been doing the CIA’s bidding, helping to craft, fund, and execute operations ranging from inserting personnel into 'denied areas'—places US intelligence has trouble penetrating—to assembling hit teams targeting al-Qaeda members and their allies." [...]

Prince told Ciralsky that he was engaged in work for the CIA "up until two months ago—when Prince says the Obama administration pulled the plug." That would seem to confirm recent news reports that the Obama administration was using Blackwater for assassinations in Pakistan.

Prince also told Ciralsky he plans to step down as chairman and CEO of Blackwater -- a move Ciralsky reports has started a "power struggle" within the company over who will succeed its founder.

“I’m through,” Prince told Vanity Fair. “I’m going to teach high school. ... History and economics. I may even coach wrestling. Hey, Indiana Jones taught school, too.”

You can read the entire Vanity Fair report here.

First and foremost, why is the ObamAdministration getting within 50 miles of Swampwater? Why are they still on the payroll? Yes, I know the obvious answers, but that won't stop me from asking.

Next: I teach high school. I know high school. Erik, you are not high school material. You're not even pig sty material.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to pick my jaw up off the floor.

Blackwater's Secret War in Pakistan

By GottaLaff

I will give you the first two paragraphs of a lengthy piece. Jeremy Scahill does it again, so please go read:

At a covert forward operating base run by the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, members of an elite division of Blackwater are at the center of a secret program in which they plan targeted assassinations of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, "snatch and grabs" of high-value targets and other sensitive action inside and outside Pakistan, an investigation by The Nation has found. The Blackwater operatives also assist in gathering intelligence and help run a secret US military drone bombing campaign that runs parallel to the well-documented CIA predator strikes, according to a well-placed source within the US military intelligence apparatus.

The source, who has worked on covert US military programs for years, including in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has direct knowledge of Blackwater's involvement. He spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity because the program is classified. The source said that the program is so "compartmentalized" that senior figures within the Obama administration and the US military chain of command may not be aware of its existence.

Feeling safe now? Oh, and there's this:

The previously unreported program, the military intelligence source said, is distinct from the CIA assassination program that the agency's director, Leon Panetta, announced he had canceled in June 2009.

Scary, huh? Xe what BushCo's outsourcing hath wrought? We're talking about Pakistan here. We're not "officially" fighting over there, but that's okay. It's just a volatile mess of an area that has nukes and Blackwater has been given security clearance and they're lethal and kill people indiscriminately.

What's to worry about?

So wqhat are you waiting for... Go read and watch your blood pressure rise.

And again, if you need a quick primer on Blackwater, I wrote one up here called Blackwater for Dummeez.

Blackwater needs to go. Fat chance.

VIDEO: Jeremy Scahill talks to Rachel Maddow about latest Blackwater revelations

By GottaLaff

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Jeremy is all over this, as I posted yesterday. Here he is on The Rachel Maddow Show.

Blackwater must go. Period. How our government can still employ them, pay them kajillions, and not immediately and seriously distance themselves is beyond me.

For those who haven't seen it yet, here is my Blackwater For Dummeez primer, a crash course in who these monsters are.

Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder + Bonus Blackwater for Dummeez!

By GottaLaff

Via Jeremy Scahill:

A former Blackwater employee and an ex-US Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia. The two men claim that the company's owner, Erik Prince, may have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were cooperating with federal authorities investigating the company. The former employee also alleges that Prince "views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe," and that Prince's companies "encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life."

In their testimony, both men also allege that Blackwater was smuggling weapons into Iraq. One of the men alleges that Prince turned a profit by transporting "illegal" or "unlawful" weapons into the country on Prince's private planes. They also charge that Prince and other Blackwater executives destroyed incriminating videos, emails and other documents and have intentionally deceived the US State Department and other federal agencies. The identities of the two individuals were sealed out of concerns for their safety.

These allegations, and a series of other charges, are contained in sworn affidavits, given under penalty of perjury, filed late at night on August 3 in the Eastern District of Virginia as part of a seventy-page motion by lawyers for Iraqi civilians suing Blackwater for alleged war crimes and other misconduct.

Well over a year ago, I wrote up a post called Blackwater for Dummeez. I think it's time to repost it (keep in mind, the information was compiled in October 2007):

What is Blackwater USA, boys and girls? Blackwater USA is an international security contractor founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and is based in the U.S, . state of North Carolina where it operates a tactical training facility that it claims is the world's largest. Wow!

Let's take a peek into their world, in their very own words, where they claim to be: "The most comprehensive professional military, law enforcement, security, peacekeeping, and stability operations company in the world".

Our leadership and dedicated family of exceptional employees adheres to an essential of core corporate values- chief among these are integrity, innovation, excellence, respect, accountability, and teamwork.

In doing this, we have become the most responsive, cost-effective means of affecting the strategic balance in support of security and peace, and freedom and democracy everywhere.

Blackwater's Federal Contracts

Year Amount Paid

2001 $736,906

2002 $3,415,884

2003 $25,395,556

2004 $48,496,903

2005 $352,871,817

2006 $593,601,952

Well, howdy-do, that's impressive!

Now! What do they do? Stuff that includes integrity, innovation, excellence, respect, accountability, and teamwork? Nah, they were just kidding. They do this:

The lead Suburban in our convoy loomed up behind an old, puttering sedan driven by an older man with a young woman and three children. As we approached at typical breakneck speed, the Blackwater driver honked furiously and motioned to the side, as if they should pull over. The kids in the back seat looked back in horror, mouths agape at the sight of the heavily armored Suburbans driven by large, armed men in dark sunglasses. The poor Iraqi driver frantically searched fora means of escape, but there was none. So the lead Blackwater vehicle smashed heedlessly into the car, pushing it into the barrier. We zoomed by too quickly to notice if anyone was hurt.

That's what they do.

Who's in charge? Just a dickens of a guy! Erik Prince! And what a resume has he!

Born: 6-Jun-1969 Religion: Born-Again Christian Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Business, Military Party Affiliation: Republican Executive summary: Founder, Blackwater USA Military service: Navy SEAL Team Officer (1993-96, Bosnia, Haiti)<

Erik Prince is a multi-millionaire right-wing fundamentalist Christian from a powerful Michigan Republican family. His wealth came from his father, Edgar Prince (d. 1995, billionaire, started Family Research Council with Gary Bauer). A major Republican campaign contributor, he interned in the White House of President George H.W. Bush and campaigned for Pat Buchanan in 1992, finding time to intern for conservative congressman Dana Rohrabacher as well. Prince founded the security and mercenary firm Blackwater USA in 1997 with Gary Jackson, another former Navy SEAL.

Prince's sister Betsy DeVos is a powerful conservative in her own right. Married to the son of Richard DeVos (Republican bankroller and co-founder of Amway), she served as chair of Michigan Republican Party in the 1990s. His mom is Elsa Prince Broekhuizen (Republican Party funder, remarried)

Can you say mercenary? I knew that you could. Now why would I go and ask a thing like that? Here's why!

In the capital, American officials said a joint U.S.-Iraqi commission formed to look into last month's shooting incident in which Blackwater USA security guards killed at least 11 Iraqis had yet to meet. In addition, most members of an FBI team that also will investigate the Sept. 16 shootings have not arrived and probably will not get to Iraq until next week, said U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo.

Why, there were more killings than we can count! There was the one where a drunk killed a guard on Christmas, and there was one where…oh never mind. Now remember, boys and girls, killing is bad. Killing for money is worse. And killing for money with no repercussions is worst of all!

No need to worry, because there's o-ver-sight. Can you say oversight? Yes, the U.S. Congress is on the job! Or are they...?

Darrell Issa: On the "Democrat side", this isn't about Blackwater. It's a repeat of the MoveOn dot Org attack on Petraeus' patriotism. They'll simply switch targets. I'm here to defend General Petraeus and our men and women in uniform.

Oooopsies! Well, kids, sometimes love can be misplaced. Erik Prince has a lot of love to share, too, but in the form of big fat checks:

Prince's latest donation was in July, when he gave $20,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee. California recipients of Prince's $1,000 checks include Reps. Jerry Lewis and Duncan Hunter, a current GOP presidential candidate, and former Rep. Richard Pombo.

The former serviceman has given almost all of his donations to Republicans. There was, however, an exception in 2006, when he donated $5,000 to the Green Party of Lucerne County, Pa. That was a Republican ploy to ensure the Green Party's U.S. senate candidate got on the ballot in an effort to peel votes away from Democrat Bob Casey and help Republican Rick Santorum. The effort failed and Casey won.

What's a mercenary to do? He has to invest his hard earned wages somewhere, doesn't he?

Well, kiddies, that's enough for today. No go eat your supper before it gets cold. You can sit in front of the TV and catch up on the latest news. What could be more fun than all the dinner you can eat, and all the Blackwater you can stomach?