Sept. 26, 2007
Blackwater Shooting Prompts Probe By Gates
Defense Secretary Dispatches Fact-Finding Team To Examine Oversight Of Contractors In Iraq
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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates (CBS)
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President Bush makes a statement to reporters as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki looks on during their meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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An Iraqi soldier stands guard after a suicide car bomber killed three Iraqi policemen when he blew up his vehicle outside the police headquarters in the southern city of Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad, Iraq, on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/Nabil Al-Jurani)
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Iraqis examine a vehicle destroyed in an overnight raid by U.S. troops in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City in Baghdad on Sept. 24, 2007. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
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A family crosses from Iran into Iraq at the Zarbatiya border crossing, 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept. 12, 2007. Iran reportedly closed several key border crossings Monday, Sept. 24, 2007, to protest the U.S. detention of an Iranian official in northern Iraq. (AP Photo/Kim Gamel)
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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Special Report The Road Ahead Katie Couric reports from Iraq on the future of U.S. involvement there.
The Pentagon also disclosed that for several months it has been developing additional guidance for American commanders and other senior defense officials on how the Uniform Code of Military Justice can be used to discipline contractors. Prior to October 2006 the code did not apply to contractors.
There are about 7,300 private contractors working for the Pentagon in Iraq, of which about 5,000 are guarding fixed sites of importance to the U.S. military or the Iraqi government, according to Pentagon figures. The contractors are immune from Iraqi law, and none has been prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell.
Morrell said Gates began asking questions about the military's relationship with its contractors after 11 Iraqis were killed Sept. 16 in a shooting involving Blackwater contractors protecting a U.S. diplomatic convoy in Baghdad.
The Blackwater employees in that case were working for the State Department.
"He's asked some early questions, he's received some early answers," Morrell said. "Those answers, at least when it comes to the oversight component, have not been satisfactory."
Morrell would not elaborate on what Gates found unsatisfactory.
"He has some real concerns about oversight of contractors in Iraq and he is looking for ways to sort of make sure we do a better job on that front," Morrell told reporters at the Pentagon.
As a result, Gates sent a five-person team to Iraq on Sunday to "talk to all the key players," including Gen. David Petraeus and Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno — the top two U.S. commanders there — and obtain additional details for Gates by the end of this week, the press secretary said.
Also, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England issued a memorandum to commanders on Tuesday spelling out what authority they already have to ensure that private contractors comply with U.S. rules, Morrell said.
The memo tells the commanders that they have the authority to ensure that all security contractors are authorized and trained to carry weapons and that none has unauthorized weapons or ammunition, he added.
The memo alluded to the Sept. 15 Blackwater incident without mentioning the contractor by name and said that the shooting of civilians "identified a need to better ensure" that Pentagon policies are being followed by its contractors.
England also told commanders to ensure that contractors have been informed that any contracting personnel who are suspected of having committed a felony act or of having violated U.S. military rules on the use of force will not be allowed to leave Iraq unless the commander first approves of it.
Critics have cautioned for years that the Pentagon was counting too heavily on private security contractors.
"Many outsiders have predicted since the war began that the reliance on contractors — especially security contractors — was going to eventually produce problems, and now it has," said Loren Thompson, a defense expert at the Lexington Institute, a think tank.
"The nature of the war does not encourage anybody to pay close attention to what local laws require," he added. "When you're in an environment where the Shiite militias and the Sunni insurgents are paying no attention at all to the law, there's always a rationalization for American forces ignoring it, too, and that's doubly true in the case of private contractors."
Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is complaining to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about the alleged muzzling of State Department officials in inquiries involving Blackwater, and Iraq's government. (Read more) Waxman said the State Department had told the committee that State employees could not discuss potential corruption in the al-Maliki government unless the information would be treated as a national security secret.
In other developments:
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- **** TAKE AMERICA BACK ****
**** STOP THE WAR & Corporate Corruption****
He has NEVER voted:
* to raise taxes
* for an unbalanced budget
* to raise congressional pay
* for a federal restriction on gun ownership
* to increase the power of the executive branch
He HAS voted:
* against the Iraq war
* against the inappropriately named USA PATRIOT act
* against regulating the internet
* against the Military Commissions Act
He will eliminate the IRS, Wasteful Government Spending & Stop The Iraq War Immediately!
Most importantly, he voted NO on anything in Congress that is not allowed by the Constitution.
He is the only candidate not a member of the CFR!
Shouldn''t ALL members of Congress uphold the Constitution? Aren''t they SWORN to uphold it? You can bet Paul WON''T call the Constitution "just a G**D***ed piece of paper" like George Bush is reported to have.
If you want a candidate you can TRUST due to a proven track record, visit www.ronpaul2008.com and get busy spreading the word. The Mainstream Media is Blacking Out The Truth Spoke By Ron Paul!
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Also checkout http://www.youtube.com search for: RON PAUL - Reply to this comment
- Blackwater is a terrorist organization.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 06:25 PM : Sep 26, 2007
And you thought Orwell was just spinning yarns.
Bushy_baby fixed it so he doesn''t break any laws, (he got rid of them) Posse Comitatis, Habeas Corpus the list goes on, and on, and on.... - Reply to this comment
- Posted by tech77usa at 09:24 PM : Sep 26, 2007
All the great dictators in history have had their own army of mercenaries. Hitler had his brown shirts, Julius Casaer had his army of Gaulish conscripts . . . and Bush has Blackwater.
I just hope the people of America are smarter than the poor Germans living in the Weimar Republic! We are one economic crisis or terrorist attack away from a full-fleged American Empire. - Reply to this comment
- A probe? By Gates?
What''s he gonna probe, Larry Craig''s mouth? - Reply to this comment
jowand,
Re: "Every terrorist is a victim,"
If you say so.
Re: "they don''t wear uniforms"
I noticed that as well. The appear to prefer business suits.
Re: "using women and children as shields."
The Israelis are the only group that we know of, proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, who employ this cowardly terrorist tactic.
www.adalah.org/newsletter/eng/oct05/1.php
Where do the Israelis fit into this, in your opinion?- Reply to this comment
- tankersmash,
Re: "Blackwater did us all a great deed by killing those terrorist hajis. What the hell is the problem here?"
Most people are opposed to the mass-murder of civilians, especially by lawless "terrorist-for-rent" mercenaries like Blackwater.
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Posted by FeelFree1 at 06:13 PM : Sep 26, 2007
Every terrorist is a victim, they don''t wear uniforms so they are all innocent victims, using women and children as shields. - Reply to this comment
- How about the US implement the same strategy in the US we have forced on the Iraqis?
Why not hire goons to enforce US law and exempt them from prosecution? They''''d have our streets cleaned up in no time. Of course, there would be far more "collateral damage," but that''''s the price for security.
Blackwater is a terrorist organization.
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Posted by tuckerndfw at 06:25 PM : Sep 26, 2007
Your George Soros, aka " George Shwartze" is the biggest US terrorist, he''s got you buying into his propoganda too. - Reply to this comment
- What the Hell, you liberals want your cake and eat it to. Give me a break, whatever happened to the old days of justice in, justice out? Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, killing for a killing???????????
Stand back, take a great big breath, grab your nut sack, and drive on, whatever it is you need to do to fix the problem just do it.
Now we stand up, heave a huge sigh of relief, wipe the tears from your eyes, and let them do whatever they want to do to your women and children.
Now which one do you want, Buba?
Blackwater is not so bad, now are they? - Reply to this comment
tuckerndfw,
It is good to see you conributing here once again.- Reply to this comment
tankersmash,
Re: "Blackwater did us all a great deed by killing those terrorist hajis. What the hell is the problem here?"
Most people are opposed to the mass-murder of civilians, especially by lawless "terrorist-for-rent" mercenaries like Blackwater.- Reply to this comment
- They are the supreme HATERS!" Posted by ConDumism at 05:26 PM : Sep 26, 2007
Haters hate to be called on their hate. Keep calling ''em on it, ConDumism! - Reply to this comment
- Blackwater did us all a great deed by killing those terrorist hajis. What the hell is the problem here?
- Reply to this comment
- ConDumism,
Give it up already! Howz about you come up with new BS liberal south hating comment since you''ve worn this one into ground about 100000X over? - Reply to this comment
- This site is an Appeal For Redress in support of our mission in Iraq. An Appeal For Redress is an authorized means for active duty military to submit a grievance to Congress. It can be signed by Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard military personnel.
It is authorized by DoD Directive 1325.6 and DoD Directive 7050.6. The wording of the Appeal for Redress is: As an American currently serving my nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to fully support our mission in Iraq and halt any calls for retreat. I also respectfully urge my political leaders to actively oppose media efforts which embolden my enemy while demoralizing American support at home. The War in Iraq is a necessary and just effort to bring freedom to the Middle East and protect America from further attack. If you are active duty, reservist or national guard, please Sign this Appeal. Most service members fully support the war in Iraq and feel calls to retreat by Congress and attacks by our media on our conduct and mission act to motivate our enemy while demoralizing our support at home, directly increasing the threat we face and resulting in greater American casualties. This Appeal for Redress provides a way in which individual service members can appeal to Congress to fully support us and actively oppose media attacks on our mission and our morale. This Appeal will be delivered to members of Congress. http://www.appealforcourage.o
rg/
Posted by lars008 at 05:50 PM : May 27, 2007 - Reply to this comment
- Posted by ConDumism at 05:26 PM : Sep 26, 2007
Absolutely to the point.
And thanks for posting. I thought that I killed the discussion. - Reply to this comment
- The GOP is the party of hate! They get their "values" and "talking points" from the hateful FOX "News", from Rush-to-hatred Limbaugh, from Vile O''Reilly, et.al. The ONLY unifying idea of the GOP is the hatred of Bill (and now, Hilary) Clinton! Oh yeah, and they hate foreigners and they hate the French and they hate Muslims and they hate black people and they hate homosexuals and they hate "liberals" and they hate anyone who dares to suggest that they might be wrong about anything-- They hate everybody! They are the supreme HATERS!
- Reply to this comment
- Posted by thelovegod at 04:58 PM : Sep 26, 2007
I''m afraid that idea may be too late. The US has used private contractors for just about every war they have engaged in. I would also add that Blackwater USA is a HUGE contributer to the GOP.
But it certainly couldn''t hurt...good suggestion. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by FeelFree1 at 05:09 PM : Sep 26, 2007
hey haji, what was mud-ham-mad ali baba"s religion before he tried to convert to judaism??? - Reply to this comment
- Posted by thelovegod at 04:58 PM : Sep 26, 2007
tell it to the fascist nazi terrorislamic clerics that have all their private armies haji,,, lol
hahahaha - Reply to this comment
BrixtonC,
Re: "I think all of us on this site need to encourage Lars to volunteer for active duty"
This has already been tried. Filling its pants in protest is about the best that it can manage. The main purpose of the ''larse008'' spambot is to derail the discussion here. It is best left ignored.- Reply to this comment
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