Another Rough Week On The Hill For Blackwater

Congressional Democrats continued to go after Blackwater USA on Wednesday , introducing a bill that would phase out the use of private military contractors in war zones.

“Private companies have forfeited their right to represent the United States because their reckless actions have jeopardized our mission in Iraq…and resulted in the deaths of many innocent Iraqi civilians,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), the bill’s primary sponsor.

Blackwater has come under intense scrutiny after a series of high profile incidents in Iraq, most notably the shooting deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians by Blackwater employees in September.

According to several media reports, the State Department granted Blackwater immunity in the case, a charge the department denies.

“Is it the policy of the U.S. government that these private contractors can get away with murder? The answer, so far seems to be yes,” said Schakowsky.

Congressional Democrats--especially House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Rep Henry Waxman (D-Calif.)--have been relentless in targeting the company, which they see as emblematic of so called "cowboy contractors" operating in Iraq outside of the rule of law.