US says Blackwater still under contract in Iraq

[Robbien]

Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, Sept 20 (Reuters) - U.S. security firm Blackwater remains in Iraq under a State Department contract while a joint commission investigates a shooting incident in Baghdad on Sunday that left 11 Iraqis dead, the U.S. embassy said on Thursday.

Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said the personnel involved in the incident would not leave Iraq before the investigation yielded results.

"(Blackwater) are still here and still under contract from the State Department," she said. "Since they support chief personnel movement and we are not moving, there is no activity from Blackwater at the moment."

Nantongo said the joint Iraqi-U.S. commission would consist of eight members on each side. The U.S. mission's charge d'affairs would head the U.S. side whilst Iraq's defence minister would head the Iraqi side.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Wednesday that the embassy could use another security firm for protection and vowed not to allow Iraqis to be killed again in "cold blood".

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/KHA046908.htm

---

Tell me again how we handed sovereignty back to Iraq.

[Carrieyazel]

1. They need to get out. Any other companies out there willing to take over.

[TripleD]

2. Shouldn't our military be doing the security?

It looks like the fact that these people fall under a different chain of command and rules of engagement is what created this crisis in the first place.

We don't have the soldiers? They don't have the skills?

I can't think of a more opportune reason for Bush to test out his "special skills draft".

We won't have to worry about not having the troops with the skills, and it will save us money.