Blackwater sues Families of Deceased Employees.

[illinoisprogressive]

these pigs are now building in illinois. I want them out of my state.
here is what is happening and who is helping them to sue.

Raleigh, NC -- The families of four American security contractors who were burned, beaten, dragged through the streets of Fallujah and their decapitated bodies hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River on March 31, 2004, are reaching out to the American public to help protect themselves against the very company their loved ones were serving when killed, Blackwater Security Consulting. After Blackwater lost a series of appeals all the away to the U.S. Supreme Court, Blackwater has now changed its tactics and is suing the dead men's estates for $10 million to silence the families and keep them out of court.
-snip-

Blackwater quickly adapted its battlefield tactics to the courtroom. It initially hired Fred F. Fielding, who is currently counsel to the President of the United States. It then hired Joseph E. Schmitz as its in-house counsel, who was formerly the Inspector General at the Pentagon. More recently, Blackwater employed Kenneth Starr, famed prosecutor in the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal, to oppose the families. To add additional muscle, Blackwater hired Cofer Black, who was the Director of the CIA Counter- Terrorist
-snip-

Over 300 contractors have been killed in Iraq with very little inquiry into their deaths. The families claim that Blackwater is attempting to cover up its incompetence, its cutting of corners in favor of higher profits, and its over billing to the government. Due to lack of accountability and oversight, Blackwater's private army has been able to obtain huge profits from the government, utilizing contacts established through Erik Prince's relationships with high-ranking government officials such as Cofer Black and Joseph Schmitz.

for the full story:
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/53460/

[Buzz Clik]

1. Good lord.

[AlCzervik]

2. WOW!! what a really horrible tactic to use.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. blackwater is really trash.

[slowry]

4. Lets Make The Water Turn Black n/t

[spindrifter]

5. There is something weird about the way

the arbitration is portrayed. Was there some mandatory arbitration clause in the employees' contracts? That is the only way Blackwater could force the families to accept arbitration. Of course, the subtext is that they accept it rather than go through the expense of litigating their claims. Courts seem to be tightening up on "unconscionable" arbitrations--I hope the families prevail.

[alarimer]

6. This is an evil, evil company

Their actions got those men killed. Eric Prince belongs in JAIL. Or better yet, to die in Iraq or some other horrible fate. He is a despicable piece of filth, who happens to be a well-connected Republican.

[Nikki Stone1]

7. "very company their loved ones were serving "??? Who "serves" a company?

You serve a country; you work for a company.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Typical Mercenary behavior

and it is time to call them EXACTLY what they are...money soldiers, nmercenaires, guns for hire...

And this merc outfit will change sides if the Iraqis can find enough money to buy their services.

[cascadiance]

9. Maybe the Doobie Brothers can rewrite their song...

and reissue a single so as to say something like

Oh Blackwater, keep on suing,
One of these days, we'll be doing the suing on you!
Oh Blackwater, keep on suing,
One of these days, we'll be doing the suing on you!
Oh Blackwater, keep on suing,
One of these days, we'll be doing the suing on you!
Yeah, keep on suing your ass off!
We're gonna sue your ass back,
We're gonna make everything all right!
And I ain't got no worries!
cause in the end we're going to get it all!

I think I heard Jeff Baxter was motivated earlier to get into politics! Perhaps he might want to do this! :)

[guruoo]

10. Blackwater mercenary's LTTE from our local paper

(Thanks for the link, illinoisprogressive.) :hi:

LETTERS
Letter misstated links to Halliburton

Ordinarily, a letter such as "Look who profited most from the war" would not even warrant a response. However, since the writer has decided to include me in his letter, I feel compelled. Blackwater USA is not, and has never been, a subsidiary of Halliburton. Also, it was not President Bush who made Halliburton an integral part of the military's total force.

The decisions that led to the U.S. military contracting service support operations to the degree that exists today were made primarily during the eight years prior to the current President Bush taking the oath of office. LOGCAP (Logistics Civil Augmentation Program) turned many critical support functions for military operations over to civilian contractors. It was first used to large extent in Somalia and the Balkans. This program became necessary as a rapidly downsized military fought to keep combat units up to strength.

I am not a spokesman for Blackwater USA. However, I am an employee. I resent the letter's inference that Americans are fighting and dying for my profit. Blackwater USA did not even enter the overseas security business until April of 2002, providing security for U.S. government operations in Afghanistan. Contracts for missions that could not be conducted by a military gutted by the Clinton administration from 1993 to 2001.

Apparently, the writer believes that from April 2002 to March 2003 Blackwater USA convinced the entire American government to go to war on its behalf. America went to war on Sept. 11, 2001 with the military it had on hand. We are at war to keep America safe from future attacks on our citizens, not to provide profits to contractors.

While he apparently memorializes Saddam Hussein, I choose to memorialize Americans keeping the writer safe to express his opinions.

KEVIN MCLEMORE

Clarksville, TN 37043

Pilot, Blackwater Aviation

Currently in Baghdad

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070602/OPINION03/706020337

[ComerPerro]

11. evil corporation sues mercenaries. So?

[roguevalley]

12. this makes me so upset I can't read it. On what grounds do they do this?

[libodem]

13. In another post

it's being discussed that the Mercenaries drove around with loud speakers, blaring, insulting the Iraqis, causing them to run out into the street where they could be shot. If that is what the loved ones were doing, 'baiting' Iraqis, Blackwater has cause to try and hide the truth. The company put these hired guns in danger and they have been less than forth coming with the truth, of what they were doing when they were ripped apart and burned. Blackwater is trying to use coercion to make them stop asking questions.