Blackwater Founder Moves to Abu Dhabi, Records Say

[maddezmom]

Source: NYT

WASHINGTON — Erik Prince, whose company, Blackwater Worldwide, is for sale and whose former top managers are facing criminal charges, has left the United States and moved to Abu Dhabi, according to court documents.

Mr. Prince, a former member of the Navy Seals and an heir to a Michigan auto parts fortune, left the country after a series of civil lawsuits, criminal charges and Congressional investigations singled out Blackwater or its former executives and other personnel. His company, now called Xe Services, has collected hundreds of millions of dollars from the United States government since 2001.

Current and former colleagues said Mr. Prince hoped to focus on security work from governments in Africa and the Middle East. They also said he was bitter about the legal scrutiny and negative publicity his company had received.

“He needs a break from America,” said one colleague, speaking only on the condition of anonymity about Mr. Prince’s long-rumored move.

Mr. Prince does not face any criminal charges, but five former top company executives have been indicted on federal weapons, conspiracy and obstruction charges. Two guards who worked for a Blackwater-affiliated company face murder charges from a 2009 shooting in Afghanistan, and the Justice Department is trying to revive its prosecution of five former Blackwater guards accused of killing 17 Iraqi civilians in 2007.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/world/18blackwater.html

[Bozita]

1. I'm betting he's taking all those American dollars with him.

War is good business, especially so for the owners of merc companies.

[maddezmom]

5. just like Halliburton did...an article from2007

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x269308

[superconnected]

10. Thanks for posting this.

[maddezmom]

12. you're welcome

:hi:

[cascadiance]

14. And rumors were KKKarl Rove was conveniently travelling there when congress wanted him at hearings!

http://crooksandliars.com/2008/07/12/karl-rove-fled-the-country-to-avoid-congressional-hearings

[OnyxCollie]

57. He was in the Ukraine.

Karl was at the Yalta European Strategy meeting with Mikhail Saakashvili

Rove refuses subpoena, leaves country
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Rove_disses_Congres_refuses_subpoena_to_0710.html

YALTA EUROPEAN STRATEGY (YES)

5th YALTA ANNUAL MEETING
Yalta, Ukraine, 10 – 13 July 2008

http://www.yes-ukraine.org/en/programyes5.html

Saturday, July 12, Yalta

09:30 – 11:00 – Plenary session: Elections in Russia and the USA: impact on Ukraine and Europe
What will be the foreign policy of the new Russian and American leadership over the coming years? How will it impact their relationship with the European Union and Ukraine, and EU’s further enlargement?

Moderator: Richard Haass
Panel:
Sergey Glaziev, Director, Institute for New Economy, member of the 1st, 3rd and 4th Russian State Duma
Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, Ambassador to the Russian Federation and First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine
Alexander Rahr, Programme Director, German Council on Foreign Relations, member of the Board of YES
Karl Rove, Former Deputy Chief of Staff to George W. Bush and Chief Strategist for Bush's Presidential Campaigns
Bob Shrum, political consultant and Senior Fellow, Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University

11:00 – 11:30 – coffee break

11:30 – 13:00 – Plenary session: Building Democracy and Market Economy in the Black Sea Region
What are the lessons to be learnt from the transitions in the Black Sea Region? How can they inspire their neighboring countries and Ukraine? What is the room for regional cooperation? What should be the EU policy?

Moderator: Richard Haass
Keynote speaker: Mikhail Saakashvili, President of Georgia
Panel:
Raissa Bohatyreva, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine
Valery Chalyi, Director for International Programmes, Ukrainian Center for Economic and
Political Studies (Razumkov Center)
Aleksander Kwasniewski, President of Poland (1995-2005), Member of the Board of YES
Arseniy Yatseniuk, Speaker of Parliament of Ukraine

[bdamomma]

80. he's another SOB

damn criminals.

[Matariki]

51. Two companies that don't profit from peace.

Moving to the Middle East where they can fan the flames of war to keep their coffers lined. Hope they get the justice they deserve.

[DBoon]

72. and where they can escape scrutiny from the press and investigations

They couldn't put the US in their pocket (at least not all the press, congress, courts, and law enforcement), so they are moving to an authoritarian regime where he can do as he wishes with no scrutiny or accountability.

[wordpix]

54. & now they're involved in the BP disaster - defense will say FU, we're not a US company

so we can do whatever we want

[Brother Buzz]

71. I'm betting all those American dollars beat him to Dhabi

[eridani]

2. Don't tell me. Let me guess

No extradition treaty with the US.

[pnorman]

7. My first thought! I'll Google later.

n't

[Wilms]

23. That is correct according to this link.

The United Arab Emirates has no extradition treaty with the US.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_countries_have_no_extradition_treaties_with_the_United_States

[Scruffy1]

38. Bingo! You win the grand prize.

[wordpix]

55. how convenient, and that will be great for the Halliburton-BP investigation, too

but as long as the Congresscritters are on the take with these corpos and legal bribery known as campaign contributions continue, nothing will change. :puke:

[MilesColtrane]

60. Also, there is no sales or income tax in the UAE.

Plus the Arab Emirates Dirham is pegged to the dollar, so no loss of value exchanging income stateside to the AED.

[Raster]

89. You are correct!

[lostnfound]

3. Good riddance, traitor. nt

[superconnected]

11. +1

[corkhead]

49. Traitor is the word that immediately came to my mind when I saw this.

[FSogol]

82. +1 n/t

[eridani]

4. Nice folkls, those sheikhs of abu dhabi

http://editorseye.com/WordPress/2010/04/30/the-sheikhs-of-abu-dhabi/

the sheikhs of abu dhabi
We learn of Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed’s family from aangirfan. Among the points made:

The bank known as BCCI was founded in 1972 with the support of Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, former ruler of Abu Dhabi and head of the United Arab Emirates. BCCI was involved with money

launderers and drug and arms traffickers. The CIA used BCCI to funnel money to Osama bin Laden’s men. BCCI helped Saddam Hussein funnel money to Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL) which worked with Henry Kissinger. (From Bush to Osama bin Laden in one - Conspiracy Times)

A 2008 UN report said the UAE (which includes Abu Dhabi) has become a ‘major exporting and trans-shipping area’ for heroin. (Also see: Drug dealers see UAE as a transit hub, 2/21/09)
Sheikh Ahmed al-Nahyan was ranked 27th on the Forbes list of the most powerful people in the world.
Sheikh Ahmed al-Nahyan was the brother of the leader of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa al-Nahyan.

In January 2010, another brother, Sheikh Issa al-Nahyan, was cleared of torturing an Afghan merchant in 2004, despite video footage of the incident.

Sheikh Ahmed headed Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, the largest of its kind in the world.

Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed al-Nahyan is a half brother of Sheikh Khalifa. Sheikh Mohammed and his brothers are expected to try to gain control of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund.


Not sure who these Save the Falcons people are, but FWIW--

http://www.savethefalcons.org/content.aspx?section_id=1&content_id=51
Richard Clarke SAVED THE LIFE of Usama bin Laden.
Here Are The Progression of Events:

1) Richard Clarke tips off Sheikh Mohammed about a CIA plan to bomb a royal falconry camp in Afghanistan where Usama bin Laden is a V.I.P. guest of the U.A.E. Foreign Minister,
2) Sheikh Mohammed contacts his full-brother, the U.A.E. Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamdan, to warn him about the CIA plan,
3) all the terrorists in the falconry camp escape within two days,
4) the lives of the world's most dangerous al-Qaeda and U.A.E. terrorists are saved,
5) Sheikh Mohammed himself authorizes and 'signs the contract' to purchase eighty F-16 jets from Richard Clarke.

During the '911 Commission' hearings, Richard Clarke swore that he was authorized to tell Sheikh Mohammed about the plan to bomb the camp. But the CIA testified that they never authorized Mr. Clarke to leak this information to the U.A.E.

Mr. Clarke did not publicly disclose to the '9/11 Commission', that Sheikh Mohammed whom he 'tipped off', is the very same man who consumated his F-16 jet deal. Mr. Clarke did not publicly disclose that the U.A.E. Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamdan was hosting that falconry camp.

The same UAE sheikhs who host al-Qaeda leaders as V.I.P. guests in elite royal hunting camps, are now preparing to administer and control U.S. border-ports.

[mod mom]

30. Richard Clark is on the dark side?

[eridani]

91. When it comes to supporting Wahabist whackjobs from Saudi Arabia--

--and UAE, yes.

[Hissyspit]

6. New York Times breaks the story!

...that Jeremy Scahill broke two months ago.

[glitch]

46. That's pretty good, It used to take them six months to catch up with Democracy Now.

They must be getting better. (:rofl:)

So "a colleague" of Prince's said 'he needed a break from America', wonder why? We've been SO VERY good to him. Nevertheless, likewise, asshole let's make it a permanent break..!..

[Hissyspit]

76. LOL

True that.

"A break from America?" Why does he hate it?

[KakistocracyHater]

8. shows his true face now

scum

[Turborama]

9. Is Abu Dhabi the mega-wealthy criminals' new Switzerland? n/t

[superconnected]

13. The UAE is - so yes along with Dubai. Abu Dhabi is the 2nd largest member of the UAE.

Dubai is the first.

[Divine Discontent]

15. "security work for govt's in Africa & Middle East" - where his brand of thuggin' for Gawd will be

appreciated. No more of these whiny pro-human rights liberals to deal with over there...


Seriously, how the hell does this bastard get to take off away from this country with all that his company did? This is shameful...

His company was supposed to be Godly, as many of us know they loved to pretend, but they fall short on the Jesus-meter!

Again... how does he walk free?!

[Anakin Skywalker]

16. .

.

[Scruffy1]

40. As Johnny Cochran said...........

"You are innocent until you run out of money".

[SpiralHawk]

17. Typical republicon

Rip everybody off -- commit heinous acts -- then run away and hide.

[Amonester]

64. Just like terRrarists do.

But, hey. He's Just Another Batsh*t Crazy Crimin... uh, Christian (self proclaimed), so it's ok with all the corrupt medias out there, I guess.

So we won't hear too much of a peep about that "cut'n run" move, I bet.

[Solly Mack]

18. k/r

hmmm

[Lasher]

19. Afghanis are hauling suitcases of cash to Dubai.

Your tax dollars hard at work.

Afghanistan Money Probe Hits Close to the President

Looks like Prince will have a lot in common with his new pals in Dubai.

[tsuki]

20. Isn't he supposed to be some big time Fundy that believes we should

be in perpetual war with Islam? I know that the UAE has a large Christian minority, but it is still a minority.

[slampoet]

34. Yeah, The Dutch Christian Reformed Church

(don't be fooled by the term reformed)

[vanboggie]

88. Exactly

Don't be fooled by the term "Christian" with that sect either.

[slampoet]

97. YUP. Their god is money not Yaweh

[RaleighNCDUer]

45. I'm a better christian than he is

and I'm a Jewish atheist.

[patrice]

67. I wonder how many of the papal Order of the Golden Spur live there.

My sister, a Liturgist, saw them convene at a church in Colorado Springs, right around the beginning of the War on Iraq. A lot of them traveling in those monster customized (charter bus size) homes. She said they scared the hell out of her, refused to do their liturgy for them.

[patrice]

68. P.S. The most recent recipient of a knighthood in the Order of the Golden Spur was the Shah of Iran.

[patrice]

69. P.P.S. Colorado Springs was Prince's city.

[glitch]

87. Lordy.

The hits just keep on coming with guy.

[arikara]

90. What is a liturgist?

I've never heard of it. And who are the Order of the Golden Spur. Sounds extremely cultish.

[hedgehog]

94. "Liturgy" in this context is a general reference to a religious service,

not just saying a Mass for example, but how it's said and what is said. Consider the difference between a bishop done up in medieval robes saying a Latin High Mass in a cathedral

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1001752.htm

and a Womanpriest saying a house Mass.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/22/AR2010012202919.html

That's not the technical definition of Liturgy, but the generally understood meaning.

[arikara]

100. Thank you for the explanation

:)

[fasttense]

21. Considering Prince is a born again crazy who wanted to fight Gawd's

war against Muslims, it strange that he would pick a predominately Muslim country to go away and hide in.

Maybe the predominately "Christian" countries didn't want him. Or maybe he uses religion when it suits him and then when it doesn't, he becomes tolerant of those same Muslims he murdered.

I hope he takes a good long break from America, because average Americans don't want him no matter what religion he decides to start a war with.

[Enthusiast]

22. Does anyone else find

it curious that these intolerant fundamentalists take up residence in a Muslim country?

[Hubert Flottz]

24. Another terrorist on the loose!

[Demeter]

25. America and the World Need a Break from Erik Prince

and all his fellow travelers.

[jailthecrooks]

26. What? No extradition treaty?

Crooked liars and thieves. Republicon. Synonyms.

[Vinca]

27. "He needs a break from America?" Give ME a break.

If you've got money in this country life is a dream. For the rest of us it's a nightmare.

[orbitalman]

28. And here's where the CIA killing an American citizen might...

make sense, at least considering ultimate responsibility.

[Soylent Brice]

29. add that one to the list of war criminals that'll never be prosecuted. n/t

[lonestarnot]

31. And I don't suppose there is any way to steal our money back either..

[Frisbee]

32. “He needs a break from America,”

A true patriot. :sarcasm:

[slampoet]

47. BTW - Did you know that QUISP cerial is back in stores? I had a bowl about a month ago!!

[Frisbee]

61. No kidding!

I'll have to look for it next time I go shopping. Thanks for the "heads up"!

[tanyev]

33. Looks like these colors do run.

[patrice]

65. Oh you don't get it. This is HIS blood, not someone else's.

[SILVER__FOX52]

35. Rove, Chenney, bush etc ...............All Traitors !!!

[mike r]

36. Of course, the murderous asshole doesn't really "live" in Abu Dhabi

His money is parked there. I'm sure he's enjoying himself all over the world.

[marmar]

37. I'm glad that POS has left Michigan......

.....but something tells me he's fleeing something rather than leaving.

[lunatica]

39. Prince being the epitome of American entitlement must feel

very bitter indeed having to find shelter in a country whose citizens he probably loves to kill. To me his values make him the consummate Teabagger as full of jingoism and racism as they come. I hope he loathes every minute of his self-serving exile. If he hates his fellow citizens as much as he does I can't imagine what he feels for the people of other countries.

[xxqqqzme]

44. He s insulated inside a large

green blanket. The only people he will have to deal w/ face to face are people just like him.

[DFW]

41. He's just going home

Dick Cheney has had a house on Kish since before he became (vice-) president. Halliburton moved to the
UAE when it became clear the USA was not going to elect another Republican president in 2008, even with
the help of Diebold and ESS.

Prince can take Michael Dell, Rupert Murdoch and the rest of that bunch with him, for all I care. Let
them spend their money on palaces and harems and leave our country alone.

[Javaman]

42. So is he renouncing his American citizenship as well? nt

[derby378]

43. Yeah, he BETTER run...

How is this going to affect the remaining contracts Blackwater/Xe has with our government?

[timo]

96. it wont

they still keep awarding him contracts, whats that say about the administration???

[tjwash]

48. I guess Argentina has fallen out of favor with war criminals

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[patrice]

62. That's what royalty is for. They have NO other use than to tell YOU how to live your life.

:grr: :grr: :grr: ~

[Uncle Joe]

52. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, maddezmom.

[patrice]

53. How do we charge these sons-of-bittches with the deaths of thousands of U.S. soldiers who died

because of stuff Blackwater triggered amongst the Iraqis with their war profiteering murder for hire and violence.

[louis-t]

56. Why does Eric Price hate America?

Brother-in-law of Dick DeVos, who failed miserably in his bid for repug governor of Michigan and who is also son of Amway co-founder and Orlando Magic owner Richard DeVos.

[progressoid]

58. Are those fuckers still contracting with the govt?

[pattmarty]

59. Don't let the door hit ya in the ass, fucking shitbag. AND, don't come back.

[ladywnch]

83. pull a Charlie Chaplin on him and don't let him back into the country!

[pattmarty]

92. Unless it's in handcuffs.

[MilesColtrane]

63. Not surprising that a killer for hire would go where the money is.

His only loyalty is to currency.

His highest ideal is that he will do anything to get it, including spilling innocent blood.

[saigon68]

101. One filthy excuse for a human being

[timo]

66. they still

get contracts as recently as back in June Obama rewarded them with YET ANOTHER CONTRACT!!!!

WHY? WHY? WHY? does he continue to reward these people?

[alfredo]

70. Don't let the door hit you in the ass.

[senseandsensibility]

73. self delete

wrong place.

[SoapBox]

74. All I can say is Wow....wow...

and this?

“He needs a break from America,” said one colleague..."

Like I said...Wow! Mr. All-American, needs a BREAK from America.

Wow.

...what a scum.

[kenfrequed]

75. Concerning mercenaries...

"Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; and if one holds
his state based on these arms, he will stand neither firm nor safe;
for they are disunited, ambitious, and without discipline, unfaithful,
valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies; they have neither the
fear of God nor fidelity to men, and destruction is deferred only so
long as the attack is; for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war
by the enemy. "

[Ignis]

77. K&R

Not much of a surprise, but why now? It's not like we'll ever actually prosecute him for war profiteering, bribery, etc.

[ljm2002]

78. “He needs a break from America”...

...hey, wait a minute, wasn't this the guy who trumpeted his PATRIOTISM from the rooftops?

Ha ha ha, you always know they're lying anyway.

Good riddance Erik "Killah" Prince. Please stay far, far away. America needs a break from you, too.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

79. I just started reading Jermey Scahill's book....Eric Prince should be in prison

[LaPera]

81. Slimy lying republicans!

[Atticus]

84. Another "fine American" who made his blood money working for George Bush. nt

[lib2DaBone]

85. Erik Prince is movng there to be closer to his mercenaries as the buildup starts

As they pull out American Combat troops... the State Department has plans to send in 7,000 Blackwater mercenaries. Including attack Helicopters, armored tanks and bombs.

We ain't leaving Iraq anytime soon.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/07/12/doubling-the-state-departments-private-army-in-iraq/

Doubling the State Department’s Private Army in Iraq?


The U.S. military is scheduled to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011, but a super-sized diplomatic mission will be staying on in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone. And that means the State Department’s army of private security contractors may more than double.

The State Department has already put in a request for some serious military equipment, including two dozen UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and 50 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected trucks. But according to a joint statement issued by commission co-chairs Michael Thibault and Christopher Shays, the State Department may also need to more than double its private security force, from around 2,700 today to 6,000 or 7,000 personnel.

[cliffordu]

86. Wasn't his plan to form a 'Christian Army" out of Blackwater????/

I'll not be surprised if someone over there who lost a loved one to those fuckers pops a cap in his ass.....

[Blue_Tires]

93. A shame no one in Washington has the sack to actually charge him with something

[Lost4words]

95. not much of an American Mr Eric Prnce, is he? nt

[daleo]

98. Absconding with the loot

A true neo-con patriot.

[classysassy]

99. The war criminals havens

The German war criminals went to Argentina,the haven for American war criminals seem to be Abu Dhabi.

[superconnected]

102. And world corporate criminals - they've been flocking there like crazy the last few years.