Blackwater Plans To 'put The Mercy Back In Mercenary'

Not to worry… Blackwater USA's got the whole oversight thing taken care of.

Responding to rising criticism of its Iraq operations, the security contractor will announce this morning that it is forming a new "Department of Corporate Integrity." 

A statement the company put out is frank about the urgency of the new department. "Blackwater has felt a need to defend its corporate name and clear up its public image," it reads.

"Just as in warfare, a good offense is the best defense," said Eric Prince, chairman and CEO of the Prince Group and Blackwater, USA. "So, we are going on the offense to defend the image of our great company."

The money line from the release: Blackwater plans "to put the mercy back in mercenary."

Full statement after the jump: