Blackwater likely to be fined millions in Iraq weapons case

[Ichingcarpenter]

Source: McClatchy news

WASHINGTON — The State Department is preparing to slap a multi-million dollar fine on private military contractor Blackwater USA for shipping hundreds of automatic weapons to Iraq without the necessary permits.

Some of the weapons are believed to have ended up on the country's black market, department officials told McClatchy, but no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

The expected fine is the result of a long-running federal investigation into whether employees of the firm shipped weapons hidden in shrink-wrapped pallets from its Moyock, N.C. headquarters to Iraq, where Blackwater is the State Department's largest personal security contractor.

Since the arms shipment allegations first became public 14 months ago, Blackwater, which has received $1.2 billion in federal contracts, according to the Web site fedspending.org, has consistently denied involvement in illicit arms trafficking.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/100/story/55790.html

[BrklynLiberal]

1. It would be so lovely if they went bankrupt....

[The Wielding Truth]

2. What would be wrong with stripping away all their war profits?

[gratuitous]

3. A fine?

Gee, for $1.2 billion in contracts and God only knows how much more under the table, as well as whatever they cleared from selling arms on the black market, let's see . . . Oh sure, they'll kick back $10,000. Happy now, everyone? Because Blackwater sure is!

[rlthorn]

4. Blackwater

Doesn't anyone that breaks laws big time ever go to jail? Walk around with one gun in, say, New York City, if you aren't shot 40 or fifty times and chances are if you are not black your won't be, you will be making new friends in orange jumpsuits suffering from unrequited love.