16, January 2010 Blackwater (Soldiers for Hire)
The ‘soldiers for hire’,
military contractor, Blackwater is back in the news. Recently, two of
Blackwater’s former employees were arrested on murder charges involving
the death of two Afghan civilians. In an earlier incident, dozens of
eyewitnesses witnessed the brutal slaying of seventeen Iraqi civilians in the
Nisoor massacre by five Blackwater employees. To compound the outrage, the
company paid a miniscule compensation of $100,000 for each death and $20,000 to
$30,000 to each Iraqi wounded. It is unconscionable that our tax money should
be used to retain the services of Blackwater who is a repeat offender of the
slaying and injury of innocent civilians. What is especially astounding and
disturbing is the casual and nonchalant way our government is contracting out
its mafia style assassination attempts.
Blackwater’s ‘007’ antics have tarnished the image of the US and invoked
seething anger in Iraq, Afghanistan
and Germany (where one their citizens was ‘renditioned’ and tortured). It is encouraging that REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (leading
member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the chair of
the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations) is introducing legislation to stop outsourcing security by
companies like Blackwater. She deserves our full support. The Pentagon should
follow CIA’s decision by canceling their contract with Blackwater.
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