Law Protecting Blackwater Under Fire

House Passes Bill That Would Make Private Security Contractors Subject To U.S. Prosecution

(CBS/AP)  The House passed a bill Thursday that would make all private contractors working in Iraq and other combat zones subject to prosecution by U.S. courts. It was the first major legislation of its kind to pass since a deadly shootout last month involving %t employees.

Democrats called the 389-30 vote an indictment in connection with a shooting incident there that left 11 Iraqis dead. Senate Democratic leaders said they planned to follow suit with similar legislation and send a bill to President Bush as soon as possible.

"There is simply no excuse for the de facto legal immunity for tens of thousands of individuals working in countries" on behalf of the United States, said Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas.

The FBI is currently leading an investigation into the Sept. 16 shootout, although administration officials acknowledge they are unsure whether U.S. courts would have jurisdiction in the case or others like it.

In a separate incident, a drunk Blackwater employee left a Christmas Eve party in Baghdad and fatally shot the guard of one of Iraq's vice presidents. That contractor was fired, fined and returned home to the United States, but no charges have been filed.

"We are a new phenomenon in land warfare," private defense contractor Carter Andress told CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer. "The legal structure on how to hold us accountable has not been fully developed."

The current law, called the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, covers personnel supporting the mission of Defense Department operations overseas. But because Blackwater's primary mission is to protect State Department officials, defense lawyers would likely argue that the law doesn't apply.

At the same time, all U.S. contractors are immune from prosecution by Iraqi courts.

"I think that there should be accountability under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act," Andress told Palmer.

The bill's passage came on the same day that a government minister told The Associated Press that the official Iraqi investigation said Blackwater security guards involved in the September incident face trial in Iraqi courts and the company should pay compensation to the victims.

The White House and congressional Republicans said they support the intent of the bill, but thought it was drafted poorly and could have unintended consequences.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the White House said the bill would have "unintended and intolerable consequences for crucial and necessary national security activities and operations." The statement did not explain further or give examples on how the bill would affect national security.

The White House referred questions to the Justice Department, which declined to comment.

Prior to passage, the House voted 342-75 to ensure the legislation would not affect intelligence operations.

Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., accused Democrats of rushing the bill through Congress in a partisan bid to criticize the Bush administration's handling of the war.

"It is amazing to me the number of men in Blackwater that have lost their lives and we never hear it on the other side of the aisle," Shays said. "Blackwater is evil. That's the way it appears in all the dialogue."

Rep. David Price, who sponsored the bill, said the White House's objections were unfounded and "should infuriate anyone who believes in the rule of law."

Blackwater founder Erik Prince told a House panel Tuesday that he supports expanding the law.

"Beyond firing him for breaking the rules, withholding any funds we can, we can't flog him," Prince said of the intoxicated Blackwater guard. "We can't incarcerate him. We can't do anything beyond that."

FBI agents will take control of the Sept. 16 probe from the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security as soon as a full team has been assembled in the Iraqi capital, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters on Thursday.

Even the FBI relies on Blackwater to protect its agents in Iraq, reports CBS National Security correspondent David Martin. But this time, when FBI agents visit the scene of the Blackwater shooting, they will be guarded by U.S. government security agents.

McCormack stressed that the step did not necessarily imply that the investigation would result in criminal charges being brought against the contractors.

[annd2302]

JetRanger&

Go back to grammar school, that is 6K a week, not month.

[kpokey]

Meanwhile the country goes bankrupt and the real soldiers die.

[kpokey]

Erik Prince while interning under the first Bush learned that there is a lot of money to be made in war. That''s when we invaded Iraq the first time. So, he started a company in 1997 that was a private army and then the second Bush gets into office and they start a war to make a ton of money together. What a racket.

[kpokey]

I guess the Prince family owns most of Holland, MI. And they are NUTZ. Hmm...major campaign contributor for Bush''s presidency and then a no bid contract where his almost bankrupt company gets billions to "secure" Iraq and special laws protecting the company from any prosecution. There are more Blackwater fake soldiers in Iraq than actual US soldiers and they get paid 3 times what our real soldiers get paid. Basically, they are the SS for the current fascist regime.

http://www.nndb.com/people/926/000117575/

[iceman_1960]

George W. Bullsh*it entered this war with a light heart.

He never gave a thought to the consequences.

[mcvet]

These guys work in an terrorist sanctuary. What people expect from them? Flowers? Security in Iraq is a job for bad boys, not for ladies.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by BaghdadsHere at 09:23 PM : Oct 04, 2007
+ report abuse

Are you talking about the country were Sir Lies-A-Lot told us the citizens would welcome us with open arms? The country we are "liberating"? Is it YOUR opinion that our military can''t do the job these low life scum do? You do know they are hired killers don''t you? God you Fascist just can''t get a clue can you? I mean to be stupid is one thing but to just keep buying lie after lie after lie.... I just don''t get it. Sieg Heil Bush!

[taotxzen]

Sinking in a Swamp Full of Blackwater

Americans have been antimercenary since the British sent 30,000 German Hessians after George Washington in the Revolutionary War.

But W. outsourced his presidency to Cheney and Rummy, and Cheney and Rummy went to war on the cheap and outsourced large chunks of the Iraq occupation to Halliburton and Blackwater. The American taxpayer got gouged, and so did the American reputation.

The mercenaries inflame Iraqis even as Gen. David Petraeus tries to win their trust.

Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, summoned the 38-year-old crew-cut chairman of Blackwater, Erik Prince, to defend his private security company yesterday.

Once there was the military-industrial complex. Now we have the mercenary-evangelical complex.

Mr. Prince, a former intern to the first President Bush and a former Navy Seal, is from a well-to-do and well-connected Republican family from Michigan.

He and his father both have close ties to conservative Christian groups. His sister was a Pioneer for W., raising $100,000 in 2004, and Erik Prince has given more than $225,000 to Republicans.

Blackwater, in turn, has been the beneficiary of $1 billion in federal contracts, including a no-bid contract with the State Department worth hundreds of millions.

by Maureen Dowd

[jetranger7]

ALERT-ALERT : $1200.00 Dollars a Day , thats Right you read right "$1200.00" a Day is what some BlackWater Employees are getting paid over in IRAQ. While US Servicemen are making trivial amounts compared to that Risking their lives while their family back home home has to use Food Stamps ! $1200.00 a day figures out to be about $6000.00 dollars a Month which translates to almost $300,000.00 a Year ! No Wonder they want this War to go on, and everything so messed up, and some servicemen are on their 3rd Tour of Duty,for little of nothing compared to what blackwater employees get paid ! This information came out in the Hearings on Capitol Hill this week in Washington ! Just thought you all might like to know, just where your Tax Paying money is really going and who''s paying for it, YOU ARE !!!!!!

[j-whitman]

Oh boy, this is going to be getting good,, With the exposing of Secret Memo''s on Bush aurizing torture & abusive prisoner treatment & violating international law ---- Blackwater hiring from armys of Penochet of Chili & Milosevic of Yugoslavia ---- Game on

[lastdance2]

The Blackwater employee does''t represent any - US Military Organization

The Blackwater Employee would like for people to think - The Blackwater Employee as Representatives of the US Military - But they''re not ! ! !

US military does not keep Psychotic Murderers within its ranks. The US military does not keep Chronic - Habitual Drug Abusers within its ranks.

That''s why the Blackwater Employee - If ever in the Military - Are no longer within the Ranks. Nor does the US Military wants them Back ! ! - The US military got rid of them for a - Reason ! !
____

Send an e-mail to every Senator and Congressman in the Nation ask them to explain why -

Every Senior Commander in the - Iraq - Afghanistan theater -
Allows Blackwater to Represent - The Morals - Ethics and Patriotic Aptitudes of their own Troops.
____

Oscarez - bizzzz - jack3213 - slim1h2o - notblue - gmanj7 -
mike71067 - starleo146 - tejasdemo - mbcsmith - annd2302 - BaghdadsHere

All talk - Like Blackwater Employees. Which means - The US taxpayer is Paying for the Internet Access and all the - Spam - Delivered by The Blackwater employees

Lastdance

[rowdytexan2]

Why must we have mercenaries in Iraq in the first place? What''s wrong with having American soldiers protecting those dignitaries? America''s finest!

Seems to me like we''re putting a LOT of money into private pockets, instead of spending it on our own military. Why isn''t some of that money going into the coffers and paying our soldiers a decent wage? And awarding them with $$''s instead of a couple of ribbons and a piece of copper? They lay down their lives every day...they deserve the same pay that these jackarses hired by FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY Bush! But wow, that would be allowing money to go to the real people! Awwwwwwwwwk! We can''t have that!

What do you want to bet, a lot of that money has circled right back around to the pocket of the person that saw those contracts awarded? Wonder who that would be? Who? Who? Who? Cowboys with no consequences...? Same guy that allows torturing in Gitmo? Same guy that trounced all over the Constitution? Same guy that lied about WMD''s in Iraq? Same guy basically spitting on the United Nations? Same guy that doesn''t want bourgeoisie kids to have medical insurance? ...and on and on and on...

[sharncedar]

All negative opinions and comments seem to originate from those who have never spent time in a war zone or the military in any capacity. Take a poll, you would see I, am right, you are incorrect, go play in another league, this one is too large for your small amount of creditable knowledge%u2019s.

Posted by annd2302 at 08:43 PM : Oct 04, 2007

Wow, lessons from the loser''s of the Iraq War. If I were one of you, I would hang my head in shame, you guys are losers, pathetic losers. And the reason is your philosophy is wrong. You equate strength with ignorance, as if by calling people "***********" and shooting civilians and acting lawless you somehow become strong. Actually, as those who play in the real big leagues know, the big leagues of human civilization, such actions and thoughts make one weak, not strong. Rash violence and ignorance lead to losing, not winning. I''m not sure what league you right-wing nutjobs play in, but it is a long league of history''s losers. Force must be applied with intelligence, and with justice and fairness, to be effective. You roght-wing nutjobs have neither intelligence nor empathy, you cannot be leaders.

[j-whitman]

jowand,,, In Basra, on April 12, 1941, Iraq''s second largest city, had a Jewish population of 30,000. British sent troops in & Jewish leaders met them with flowers as was thier custom.
.. On April 13th groups of angry Arab youths set about to take revenge against the Jews. Several Muslim notables in Basra heard of the plan and calmed things down. Later, it was learned that the regent was not in Basra at all and that the matter was a provocation by his pro-British supporters to bring about an ethnic war in order to give the British army a pretext to intervene.
.. On May 7th British Gurkha unit Occupied Basra''s el-Wshar quarter, the soldiers led by British officers began looting, & plundering business & private homes.Local residents, Jews and Muslims, responded with pistols and old rifles, but their bullets were no match for the soldiers'' Tommy Guns. ---- Regiem Change

[baghdadshere]

These guys work in an terrorist sanctuary. What people expect from them? Flowers? Security in Iraq is a job for bad boys, not for ladies.

[savetheus]

*** STOP THE WAR & END CORPORATE CORRUPTION ***

Who Is Paying For Your Vote To Keep Control Of You And To Keep This War Going? Remember The Bankers Hold The Stock In Companies That Are Getting Billions In War Contracts!
Obama''s Contributers: Bankers / Special interest!
http://tinyurl.com/2nd4f8

Hillary Clinton''s Contributers Lawyers / RealEstate:
http://tinyurl.com/2ontpq

Rudy GIULIANI Contributors: Bankers / Hedge Funds!
http://tinyurl.com/2m2c4n

Ron Pauls Money Is From the People! We have someone who is NOT Paid Off By Special Interest or Bankers Money!!!
http://tinyurl.com/2q8vr3

If you ever want this War to End Vote Ron Paul 2008, No One Else Is Going To End It!
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues

Ron Paul Will:

** Stop Iraq War Immediately
** Eliminate IRS
** Eliminate Federal Reserve
** Eliminate Government Wasteful Spending
** Restore America''s Work Force & Values
** Restore America''s Freedom!

RON PAUL RAISES $5.1 MILLION 3RD Q!

It''s Not About Democrat Or Republican. It Is About
the People And Ron Paul Is America''s Last Hope!

********* VOTE RON PAUL 2008! *********

Join A ReVoLuTiOn Group In Your City:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/cities/

[j-whitman]

jowand,,,, We are arguing in circles,,,,, You are still missing the point & ignoring what the British along with European Jewish Zionism along with American embassy''s did ---- It has everything to do with the problems of today.

The Haganah put typhus bacteria into the water going to Acre, the people got sick, and the Jewish forces occupied Acre.
,,This worked so well that they sent a Haganah division dressed as Arabs into Gaza, where there were Egyptian forces, and the Egyptians caught them putting two cans of bacteria, typhus and dysentery, into the water supply in wanton disregard of the civilian population.

[jowand]

jowand,,,, Like I said, you have a very limited education on the Jewish people in the Middle East,,, in Iraq alone they go back at least 600 years before the start of Christianity.


Posted by j-whitman at 08:44 PM : Oct 04, 2007

You just brought Christianity into this not me. But seeing as you want to talk 600 BC that''s ok.
Shushan the Palace was the winter home of the Persians. When Dieulafoy excavated the Shushan around 1880 he found the Palace very beautifull place it had been. It had a marble floor which was made up of red, white, blue and black marble squares. So what you say, well go to the book of Esther Chapter 1 verse 6 and check it out, it won''t bite you nor will the Koran. Most people believed that the story in the bible was a fable until the 19th Century.
I''m a lot better educated and read than you believe on this subject.

[j-whitman]

annd2302,,, Take your own pole & stick it where the sun don''t shine ---- Our military doesn''t want them there if they aren''t held accountable.

[j-whitman]

jowand,,,, Like I said, you have a very limited education on the Jewish people in the Middle East,,, in Iraq alone they go back at least 600 years before the start of Christianity.

[annd2302]

All-right you bunch of "*******". Look at the other side, just how many Americans has Blackwater saved? Hundreds upon hundreds. Now, you want to punish them? Wake-up and smell the coffee, you are doing a bad thing wanting to hold Blackwater accountable. If my kid was over there and a towel head had a weapon leveled at his head, and a Blackwater employee took out the towel head, well where do I send the reward?

All negative opinions and comments seem to originate from those who have never spent time in a war zone or the military in any capacity. Take a poll, you would see I, am right, you are incorrect, go play in another league, this one is too large for your small amount of creditable knowledge%u2019s.