Jeremy Scahill: Blackwater Busted?

[babylonsister]

Blackwater Busted?
By Jeremy Scahill
November 14, 2008

AP Images

Plainclothes contractors working for Blackwater USA take part in a firefight, April 2004.


After more than five years of rampant violence and misconduct carried out by the massive army of private corporate contractors in Iraq--actions that have gone totally unpunished under any system of law--the US Justice Department appears to be on the verge of handing down the first indictments against armed private forces for crimes committed in Iraq. The reported targets of the "draft" indictments: six Blackwater operatives involved in the September 16, 2007, killing of seventeen Iraqi civilians in Baghdad's Nisour Square.

The Associated Press reports, "The draft is being reviewed by senior Justice Department officials but no charging decisions have been made. A decision is not expected until at least later this month." The AP, citing sources close to the case, reports that the department has not determined if the Blackwater operatives would be charged with manslaughter or assault. Simply drafting the indictments does not mean that the Blackwater forces are certain to face charges. The department could indict as few as three of the operatives, who potentially face sentences of five to twenty years, depending on the charges.

If the Justice Department pursues a criminal prosecution, it would be the first time armed private contractors from the United States face justice.

But that is a very big "if."

"The Justice Department has had this matter for fourteen months and has done almost everything imaginable to walk away from it--including delivering a briefing to Congress in which they suggested that they lacked legal authority to press charges," says Scott Horton, distinguished visiting professor of law at Hofstra University and author of a recent study of legal accountability for private security contractors. "They did this notwithstanding evidence collected by the first teams on the scene that suggested an ample basis to prosecute. The ultimate proof here will be in the details, namely, what charges are brought exactly and what evidence has Justice assembled to make its case. Still, it's hard to miss Justice's lack of enthusiasm about this case, and that's troubling."

Even if some Blackwater operatives face charges, critics allege it is the company that must be held responsible. "I am encouraged that the Justice Department is finally making progress in the investigation, but I am disappointed that it took over a year and a lot of pressure for the department to take any action," says Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, who introduced legislation that seeks to ban using Blackwater and other armed security companies in US war zones. (She was also the national campaign co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign and is a top candidate to replace him in the US Senate.)

more...

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081201/scahill

[Peace Patriot]

1. What about the criminals who HIRED Blackwater and tried to immunize them against

all crimes, and used them for snuffing people out--whistleblowers? anti-occuptation, anti-oil contract advocates? union organizers? enemies of the Bush Cartel?--and for creating chaos in which the steal the American and Iraqi people blind?

I want the "deciders"!

[Xipe Totec]

2. Fighting out of uniform makes them illegal combatants as I recall n/t

[Vidar]

3. Perfect idea. Since they're not in our official uniform, we could

turn the lot of them over to Iraq to be hung as spies--in the same way Major Andre was in the Revolutionary War.

[salguine]

4. They could load 'em into a van, drive them to this

Nisour Square, open the doors, boot 'em out, and drive away.

[Vidar]

5. Also a good idea.