The End of Blackwater???

September 28, 2007 by Marc Lamont Hill

So far Blackwater has only received a slap on the wrist after killing innocent civilians. Are the U.S. and Iraqi governments finally ready to send them packing?

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Will Blackwater Be Kicked Out of Iraq After Recent Bloodbath?
By Jeremy Scahill 

It’s being described as “Baghdad’s bloody Sunday.” On September 16 a heavily armed State Department convoy guarded by Blackwater USA was whizzing down the wrong side of the road near Nisour Square in the congested Mansour neighborhood in the Iraqi capital. Iraqi police scrambled to block off traffic to allow the convoy to pass. In the chaos, an Iraqi vehicle entered the square, reportedly failing to heed a policeman’s warning fast enough.

The Blackwater operatives, protecting their American principal, a senior State Department official, opened fire on the vehicle, killing the driver. According to witnesses, Blackwater troops then launched some sort of grenade at the car, setting it ablaze. But inside the vehicle was not a small sect from Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia or the Mahdi Army, the “armed insurgents” Blackwater described killing in its official statement on the incident.

It was a young Iraqi family — man, woman and infant — whose crime appeared to be panicking in a chaotic traffic situation. Witnesses say the bodies of the mother and child were melded together by the flames that had engulfed their vehicle.

Gunfire rang out in Nisour Square as people fled for their lives. Witnesses described a horrifying scene of indiscriminate shooting by the Blackwater guards. In all, as many as twenty-eight Iraqis may have been killed, and doctors say the toll could climb, as some victims remain in critical condition. A company spokesperson said Blackwater’s forces “acted lawfully and appropriately” and “heroically defended American lives in a war zone.”

Blackwater’s version of events is hotly disputed, not only by the Iraqi government, which says it has video to prove the shooting was unprovoked, but also by survivors of the attack. “I saw women and children jump out of their cars and start to crawl on the road to escape being shot,” said Iraqi lawyer Hassan Jabar Salman, who was shot four times in the back during the incident.

“But still the firing kept coming and many of them were killed. I saw a boy of about 10 leaping in fear from a minibus — he was shot in the head. His mother was crying out for him. She jumped out after him, and she was killed.”

Salman says he was driving behind the Blackwater convoy when it stopped. Witnesses say some sort of explosion had gone off in the distance, too far away to have been perceived as a threat. He said Blackwater guards ordered him to turn his vehicle around and leave the scene. Shortly after, the shooting began. “Why had they opened fire?” he asked. “I do not know. No one — I repeat no one — had fired at them. The foreigners had asked us to go back, and I was going back in my car, so there was no reason for them to shoot.” In all, he says, his car was hit twelve times, including the four bullets that pierced his back.

For the rest of the story, click here. 

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25 Comments

1. b43844ac62f2fd7aea4f wrote:

b43844ac62f2fd7aea4f…

b43844ac62f2…

December 17, 2007 @ 4:56 am

2. JoyKitikonti wrote:

and don’t use the f word :-)

January 25, 2008 @ 12:56 pm

3. Private mIlitary Contractor wrote:

What people dont understand is our true role. We are a private army for the ultra elite and we will do whatever they want. If it means killing women and children to make a point to a larger group of people then so be it. The end’s do justify the means. We are not a force for peace but a force for war and chaos. Remeber when Bush said Order out of chaos? He was talking about us and the wars he will wage. I think most people are just jealous of the power and money we get. We can end lives and get paid a lot to do it and nothing ever happens to us. Congress knows and does nothing to stop us. Why? Cause they are getting rich off this war too. They are invested in defense contractors and make money when they make money and the only way to do that is to wage war. Soon our mission will be back home. Against you the American people. The Constitution is dead and you can’t even smell it rotting under your nose cause your to worried about your favorite teams progress or which crack head actor/actress just had their last baby or divorce. You fools will probably be eating nachos and watching t.v. when we kick in your door to take to a FEMA camp. Just look it up, FEMA camps. They are for you and your lazy over weight kids whos minds are numb to reality. See some of us have been awakened to what is coming next for America. Your being sucked dry and when nothing is left but all of you, then the sacrifice will begin. The goal is to reduce the population to a level that is easier to control. That means many Americans need to die. If you fools only knew..LMAO
Stay asleep America, it will make our job so much easier.

July 28, 2008 @ 9:30 am

4. A Real Private Contractor wrote:

Ya im 100% sure that post was written by the moron who created this website!

October 24, 2008 @ 12:57 pm

5. shane wrote:

i think whoever is not a private contractor and who was not there when this “incident” happened should keep their F-cking mouths shut about bc u have no idea what the F-ck u are talking about

November 9, 2008 @ 1:46 am

6. Anthony wrote:

So what if the family inside the car turned out to be insurgents with an IED. In warfare such as this when a car drives toward you you don’t know who is inside of it until it blows up and kills you or it doesn’t.

December 8, 2008 @ 1:46 pm

7. Joey wrote:

Those guys are not blackwater soldiers you fucking idiot,they are u.s soldiers

February 2, 2009 @ 1:17 am

8. MT5940 wrote:

First off:

Understand that those people who DO have IEDs strapped to their chests are someones son or daughter. the specific Militant Islamic Doctrine they believe in says it’s their duty to do this (at least as is interpreted by those in the militant sects). So don’t bring the the whole “family of poor defenseless oppressed people” into this. Ask the families of those who have lost loved ones in the Military or families in Jerusalem if they think the Militant Islamic party-popper was blowing himself up to make a meaningful plea to end oppression or to kill anyone who did not share their beliefs. On second thought, I’d rather you spared them the grief and stuck with the obvious answer. They’ve suffered enough…

Second: Pop Quiz Hotshot:

-You are guarding a government VIP, and by declaration a potential HVT (High Value Target for those without a Military or Security background). Someone whose disembodied head could cost American lives if propagandized on a news station or internet viral video for the purpose of showing a victory and an impact to revitalize their cause to those who would otherwise not pick up a weapon.

-Traffic stops, much like it did when Scott Helvenston and his convoy were torn apart in the streets by the same “innocent and oppressed” as mentioned before. So you decide it’s best to move carefully into oncoming traffic to avoid tasting the business end of an RPG. After all crashing your vehicle aimlessly into oncoming traffic would be bad for all involved right? So at least you HAVE A GOOD REASON…

-A vehicle approaches at high speed ignoring a LAWFUL ORDER TO STOP BY POLICE. NOT BLACKWATER EMPLOYEES.

-A vision of every past VBIED (Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device) gate-crashing or population diminishing atrocity pops into your head and the words “lessons learned” flash through your mind as you think about the wife and child you have back home crying at your funeral in a closed casket ceremony (because your body has been dragged through the streets, inflamed and ripped apart before being hung on an overpass).

-The vehicle doesn’t stop. It’s heading toward you at a pretty good clip with no visible sign of stopping. You think about how many have actually assaulted a convoy during slowed traffic (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=246_1225693723)(<-link to said flashback)…Quite a few. The vehicle is closer now as you train your weapon over it and offer warning shots as required by your Blackwater rules of engagement.

-Maybe you get lucky and one ricochets into the body of the vehicle to more seriously illustrate your point. Vehicle now drives faster. You can’t really see the person/persons inside from glare on the window or poor nighttime conditions. Not that it would matter. You’d put two in Big Bird’s Chest if he came screaming toward you with a potential vehicle bomb.

-You make a decision: you take your finger from straight and off the trigger and reposition the fire selector switch on your weapon and open fire, deciding your going to give your wife and child a chance to see their Husband or Father again alive and hopefully with all limbs in-tact.

-You live to fight another day. Well, maybe not to fight. Your sacrifice of your personal safety is now under review which gets you pulled off your job, costs you money, and potentially could result in an investigation leading to your arrest and confinement.

-You wonder “Why don’t they arrest the Marines who accidentally shoot civilians you are non-compliant and were mistaken as combatants like in that book Generation Kill?” or “Why won’t they trust my operational decision making the same way the military trusts their people? With that all-important phrase ‘Not as it was seen in hindsight but as the potential threat as it was seen at the time?’.”

-A potentially edited video tape appears on the desk of the House Senate Oversight Committee showing the “innocent and oppressed Iraqis being mowed down by Baby-eating, sadist Blackwater Mercenaries who kick puppies and take the lord’s name in vein”. You are now being held on charges of war crimes under the UCMJ. However unlike the UCMJ you are not afforded an Attorney (JAG) familiar with these Incidents. You now go to prison without the means of supporting your family.

-What do you do hotshot? What do you do?

Very Respecfully,

“Spike”

February 5, 2009 @ 11:26 pm

9. apollo wrote:

WELL SAID SPIKE. i was about to write something of the same caliber but you’ve beat me to it! hah

March 2, 2009 @ 11:22 am

10. Jason wrote:

shit happens

May 8, 2009 @ 11:24 am

11. german wrote:

your problem is not to understand other people – you really believe only american thinking healths the world? whats up with other kinds of cultures? Is it impossible to become happy out of the fu..ing american way of life. You brouht it to us in germany after world war II and are we happier now?
Before americans goes out into the world and trys to rescue others like the only worlds policemen, learn to respect and honour other people. And if you want to fight in a war situation, please show a little bit of courage and brave like real soldiers do…driving like rambo, crying out load and shooting to all possibile danger is what makes the world americas enemy!
war is fuck…dangerous

June 24, 2009 @ 10:10 am

12. David wrote:

u idiots, the reason they went down the wrong side of the road is because in a danger zone like that the worst thing to do is get stopped cuz then ur sitting ducks, second of all, its called EOF, orROE, the car didnt stop so they had rules of engagement that said if a car gets within a certain distance then light it up, iraqis klnow this shit, sum are too stupid to abide by the rules.

July 15, 2009 @ 10:25 pm

13. David wrote:

and by the way MT5940, that is EXACTLY RIGHT.

July 15, 2009 @ 10:29 pm

14. ends makes means wrote:

german..dude, what is wrong with you? this isnt the right place to give your “why i hate america” speech. ha, everyone is trying to get there small jab in. what you are talking about does not in anyway pertain to the original blog. but im going to debate with you anyway. first off, someone has to lose, im sorry that it had to be your country, but things like that.. no just kidding, but do you really think your life would be better if we didnt encourage it to go a certain way, we just showed you guys a better way of doing things. and perhaps we ARE the worlds only policemen, and we have to keep you other countries in check. maybe we do it for peace, maybe for control, whatever it is im glad that im on the right side. your just mad becuase we didnt give your country enough time to burn people before we had to step in, destroy and conquer. dont be mad though, we are all just fighting for are own justices. no ones wrong, we just want to be happy, even if it means stepping on others hopes.

November 30, 2009 @ 9:45 pm

15. bill wrote:

Dogs of war never change

December 4, 2009 @ 1:01 am

16. IAN ANDREW SANDLIN wrote:

i agree americans are ignorent to reality. america was founded by people who saw government as a business opertunity! go to the root of the issue. many will and must die! i would LOVE to be a Blackwater employee. What i dont understand is that blackwater employees feel their knowlage and understanding of the truth means fighting society’s fat and dumb. what kind of challenge is that? yes the big wigs will cut you a nice check, but does cutting off the head not kill the body!? who needs a check when you own a country? the people paying you are the ones responsable for spreding the false word to those of lesser intell. does cutting off the head not kill the body? kick in my door i’ll have an application waiting on you. i’ll do your job half the price most of you want. i want results! (spell check)
post script: all you fagots writing long meaningfull bull shit can suck a dick it’s not that complicated

December 10, 2009 @ 10:09 pm

17. A Concerned Human Being wrote:

I guess this is it… People like this will end the world. They will end it in a storm of shameless bravado, complete irreverence to fellow man, and of course, spelling errors.

December 12, 2009 @ 4:39 am

18. IAN ANDREW SANDLIN wrote:

stick to casting your vote! it’s worked so well hasn’t it?

December 15, 2009 @ 9:33 pm

19. t wrote:

Blackwater… we are not sleeping, we know how to stop you. And we will…

January 1, 2010 @ 1:45 pm

20. Real Patriot wrote:

Pretty much all of you people are children, or at least at the mental capacity of such. War is not the answer, 13 trillion dollar deficit, also not the answer. You fucking violent war mongers can sit in your tower, just watch, the intelligent people will come out of the wood-works and topple you sick fucks. I have an education, guns, training and a kid, so please kick in my door and catch a hot one. And that casualty might actually be warranted. Down with Xe. Love and Learn a little you might actually find some joy in life.

January 4, 2010 @ 9:31 pm

21. loren bingaman wrote:

one of the core problems is globalization.
nafta is wrong, the un is wrong etc.
too many unintended consequences.
or were they intended all along?
i’m finally done with the army, just retired.
if you’re a civillian and you’ve never had to give the order to execute knowing that some of your soldiers are going to die you have no business speaking on subjects that you can not possibly understand or relate to.
this big world of ours gets pretty damn small and claustrophobic when you’re approaching a traffic circle and you can slowly see your chances of surviving slipping away the closer and more cingested it becomes.
you never hesitate, you never give up the initiative, you always act first and decisively, you always fight and you always win.
that’s what being a soldier is about. military or private sector.
the devil’s advocate would take a pass on the state of affairs our world is in today if pressed to find any simple answers.
these arguments all have SOME valid points, even my personal viewpoint is somewhat oversimplified but these issues will never be worked out because the people we elect with the best intentions end up being drawn into a fraternity mired in corruption and bloated greed that exists only to perpetuate itself.
well, got the range in the morning.
gotta go.

January 20, 2010 @ 2:42 am

22. Ajay wrote:

We Indians love America’s success as a nation(we r with u)… but as with global policeing..No comments

January 31, 2010 @ 2:19 am

23. roy gumpel wrote:

Amazing the ignorance of most of the people commenting here. You violent assholes with your little boy’s clubs where you all hold your guns like you don’t have a dick and all get nice and close for the camera, with your little crewcuts all the same like out of some latent homosexual cookie-cutter machine. A bunch of fags in my opinion.
You all look like you’d rather lay around and play army with each other than be with woman….though I’m sure you have to pay for a whore once in awhile. you are lowlifes. And stupid.
the fucking morons, your fag brothers, the Blackwater assholes that day were not even supposed to be on the streets of baghdad that day! they were radioed to return to the base before they got near that square where they killed all those civilians in cold blood! Watch that father of the 9 yr old boy whose brains spilled out onto his dad, tell what happened in that square! Of course you won’t though. Stay ignorant fucking morons. Just like your proud parents were(are). You all are yet another great argument for forced sterilization!
Blackwater is a legal band of killers of civilians. And us, the american public, who lets this government use tham in our name, are just as stupid and ignorant as you all. And the best part of it all… you guys probably say that you believe in god! Beautiful. God fuck America.

February 9, 2010 @ 10:05 pm

24. robert wrote:

war is hell guys,my son-in-law is in the army defending his country in iraq. if it comes down to it,if its him or them, take no chances.make it them. remember people die in war.

February 19, 2010 @ 10:23 am

25. datineblackwater wrote:

I am doting a guy in blackwater and I tell you it sounds like this shit is really fucked up. I dont know what to believe. Is he really being honest regarding what he does? Was he really hired to kill people? I know our government does fucked up things but I just dont know what to believe anymore. Can someone help me please?

February 21, 2010 @ 2:05 am

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