Mark Hemingway was the wrong man to write about Blackwater

[donsu]

he was on c-span's Wash. Journal this morning. he wrote an article about Blackwater for the Weekley Standard. about who owns/runs Blackwater; where and what their home base is; and what they do.

Mark was the wrong writer because he comes from a military family of officers/teachers, etc.. past and present. he had a hard time not showing his adoration for Blackwater.

did you know Blackwater trains some of our US military? among the other things they do unchallenged. the sunshine does not shine on Blackwater. if it did they would all curl up and die like vampires.

[Solo_in_MD]

1. He was wrong because he was knowledgeable?

It was a more positive piece than others have been, but far from fawning.

You would be surprised how many companies help train US military.

[donsu]

2. you are pro Blackwater?

nt

[Solo_in_MD]

4. ambivalent

While many do not realize it, BlackwaterUSA also does bit more than provide merc meatware. They fill other needs,including training, that need to be covered somehow. If BlackwaterUSA was not doing it, some other company would, and indeed there are others out there. BlackwaterUSA has risen above the MSM radar horizon which give that entire industry some scrutiny, which is a good thing IMO.

I am not horrified at the concept of American mercs. They have been around for generations going back to maritime privateers and later the Flying Tigers.

A minor point, its BlackwaterUSA. There other Blackwaters out there that have nothing to do with the military, including the name of an album by one of my better liked groups (Blackwater by Altan)

[shance]

5. Because these people appear to be in the business of killing for money

That is why.

Does that not bother you?

If everyone has a price on their head, that means it could just as easily be you as their next target.

That is the privatization of corporate wars/commercial killing.

[Solo_in_MD]

6. The OP complained about an author saying

Mark was the wrong writer because he comes from a military family of officers/teachers My counterpoint is that it made for a more knowledgeable article, a piece which was far from fawning.

I've made no comment on the morality of mercenaries other than to point out that they have been around a long time, even in the USA


Edit: Spelling

[montanacowboy]

3. What I found interesting was who the

head of this mess is - right wing christian whacko, tight with James Dobson; he is son of a billionaire who promotes right wing shit through his company Blackwater - a lots of light should be shed on this guy and what his mission really is -

and yes, Hemingway is biased towards the military and was rather proud that Blackwater accepted him because of his military family