So what happens now with Blackwater leaving?

[underpants]

They, as far as I know, are the only effective functioning security force in Iraq- are we going to return to the open lawlessness?

What about those who can both afford Blackwater protection and need it? Are we going to have open class warfare?

I don't mean this as an argument for keeping Blackwater just that taking them out of the picture (they are a fundamental supplement to our military forces) changes everything and immediately.

Maybe some other operation or a reorganization of Blackwater (different letterhead) takes its place? Maybe the armed force at the direct command of the President that Bush hinted at in his last State of the Union arises.

[annabanana]

1. Somehow I don't think they're going anywhere...

I mean, leaving Iraq.. They're already everywhere else..

[Oceansaway]

2. .

would be nice if Maliki 'invited' the US to leave Iraq too.....

~~ if they stand up, we'll stand down ~~

[Bluerthanblue]

13. if Blackwater doesn't leave, then * is proving it is an occupation and NOT

the desire to help a "soverign nation" become established-

The people of Iraq are united in their desire to have blackwater out- Malaki has stated this desire- if the US over-rides this, we are acting against the nation we claim to be sponsoring!!

[peaches2003]

3. Blackwater's going nowhere

Please- Blackwater is part of the Bush cabal and got a no-bid contract from Bushie to provide all security. Do you think for a minute the little puppet Maliki is going to be able to kick them out? The Blackwater guys will laugh in his face and tell him to go talk to Cheney.

[spanone]

4. if you think blackwater is leaving iraq, i have a bridge in MN. for sale

[underpants]

8. Is there anything wrong with it?

Do you have a picture of it from say 6 months ago to show that it is structurally sound?

[spanone]

10. take my word for it, a few rust spots but sound

[JHB]

5. Who said they were leaving?

The Prime Minister of Iraq? Him and what army?

[Just-plain-Kathy]

6. My guess is that Blackwater will change it's name. ...n/t

[hatrack]

31. Yes! They can change it to . . . . "Whitewater"!!!!

Then we can just save time and sweat and give them an extra $70 million!!!!

[Just-plain-Kathy]

37. It's funny, I was going something like what you said....

It's like BushCo is having a bit of fun with us. Nothing came of Whitewater, and nothing will come of Blackwater.

[liberal N proud]

7. I bet they just change their name and continue as a bu$h hired thug

[zabet]

9. The day Blackwater leaves Iraq..

will be the day that they begin patrolling the streets
of the United States.

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. They aren't the only ones there, but it is moot.

They aren't going anywhere. Do you really think Bushco will withdraw them just because the Iraqi government asked them to? The Iraqi people, by a vast majority, want ALL Americans to leave - do you see that having any affect on our policy?

BTW, they are NOT a fundamental supplement to our military - they are a privitization of our military, and with the money we spend on keeping 30,000 BW security in Iraq, we could send 3x that many regular military. BW is detrimental to any security effort there.

[catmandu57]

27. They have helicopters!

When I heard an account of the firefight they were talking about two blackwater helicopters providing air support, what the hell else do they have?

[tuckessee]

12. They can't leave.

They are an key element of the US military occupation.

If they leave Iraq, it will put every American soldier in grave danger.

Among the many crucial things they do is guard food & supply convoys coming up from Kuwait. Without Blackwater, the Army would have to forage for food.

[RaleighNCDUer]

30. My god, you're right!

Without Blackwater there the Army and Marines would be defenseless!

[uppityperson]

32. Are you serious? Blackwater is what is holding the occupation together?

[tuckessee]

34. Yes, they are.

Who provides armed escorts for the food & supply convoys from Kuwait? Blackwater. If they go, then the US must supply its troops from the air.

Who provides security for many of the Iraqi politicans & collaborators? Once again, Blackwater.

For the brief period they were banned in Baghdad only the State Dept. was confined to Green Zone. Effectively, the US diplomatic corps was shut down.

Why did Condi make an emergency unscheduled trip to presuade Maliki to keep Blackwater active in Iraq if they aren't important?

Does the US have the spare troops to take up the slack which would occur if Blackwater were summarily booted out? Nope. It would take the equivalent of a full division of regular troops to fill Blackwater's role & the Americans simply don't have that many idle troops lying around.

Like it or not Blackwater provides many of the lynchpin services that keep the occupation rolling.

[uppityperson]

35. Answers in brief, the military should, to make money for someone

The military should be doing its own work, not contracting to mercs, and if they can't, well that is another issue since I feel they should be pulled out asap. Saying they will have to forage, etc, is wrong. They will figure out how to get stuff there, or they will come home.

Why wsa the GreenZone the only place the diplomatic corps could be without Blackwater? I'm not sure but I have opinions ranging from acceptance of reality to pr stunt. If diplomats truly cannot operate without mercs, they shouldn't be there.

Why is the Administration trying to keep Blackwater there? Follow the money.

[americanstranger]

40. You are so right.

The military is supposed to be self-sufficient.

There used to be a Supply Corps - now they're supplied by freakin' Halliburton.

Cheney knew what he was doing all those years ago - setting up his pals for a never-ending gravy train while gutting the military's self-sufficiency. The bastard.

- as

[uppityperson]

41. Did you see this article on Blackwater smuggling weapons into Iraq?

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/21/national/w174703D61.DTL
Federal prosecutors are investigating whether employees of the private security firm Blackwater USA illegally smuggled into Iraq weapons that may have been sold on the black market and ended up in the hands of a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, officials said Friday.
(clip)
Cashwell and Grumiaux pleaded guilty in early 2007 to possession of stolen firearms that had been shipped in interstate or foreign commerce, and aided and abetted another in doing so, according to court papers viewed by The Associated Press. In their plea agreements, which call for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the men agreed to testify in any future proceedings.

[bikebloke]

14. Change their name to Whiteground.

Then stay and continue business as usual.

[EFerrari]

15. This morning, Cahill said Blackwater is now a known entity

all over Iraq and may have just made it impossible to do business because they will draw retribution. They are being accused of something like 20 civilian deaths at the moment. They guard State Dept personnel, so this is a problem.

[backscatter712]

16. Interesting...

I doubt that the Maliki government will be able to make Blackwater leave, but if Blackwater's truly in the crosshairs now, the Iraqi insurgents could make it really expensive for them to stay...

[EFerrari]

17. In his opinion, there's no way the Maliki government could make

them leave. But if they stay, then that government will now look like a puppet.

[Bluerthanblue]

19. if they stay it will reveal the reality that the Maliki gov. is a puppet-

:hi:

blu

[EFerrari]

20. Yep! It's a lose-lose-lose situation. Except for those millions

Blackwater got with their no bid contract!

:hi:

[Jed Dilligan]

18. Maliki is a typical Arab politician--all pomp and bluster

Of course Blackwater will not be kicked out. Who will kick them out, the Iraqi Army? The US is calling the shots, his government is a puppet. The regime's legitimacy hangs ever so tenuously on him acting like he can defy us.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

23. So how does that make Arab politicians any different from politicians elsewhere ? n/t

[Jed Dilligan]

26. Not much nt

[paparush]

21. Condi Rice was lobbying Malikii on Blackwater's behalf not 48 hours after ...

Good dog! Lobby for your corporate masters! Sit up! Beg!

[spindrifter]

22. Like a Phoenix, BW will arise from

the ashes. Even if BW has written itself out of the program by over-muscling in Iraq, the same people drawing BW paychecks will reappear getting a paycheck from some other security firm. This may well call for using more military people for security for State Department and other civilian protection over there.

[KansDem]

24. They come here...

:scared:

Watch for them at your local grocery store, sports stadium, or school crossing...

[BlooInBloo]

25. rofl! Um, it's BEEN lawlessness.

[Jed Dilligan]

28. Kicking this one

It's the story we should have been discussing the last few days IMO.

In fact, I wandered back in after a hiatus looking for discussion of Blackwater and Maliki, and ended up...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

29. Having mercenaries provide "security" is like having the mafia guard banks.

Except the mafia doesn't employ as miserable scum as Blackwater and it's clones.

[Hoof Hearted]

33. I seriously doubt if they're going anywhere. This is where Nouri al-Maliki gets to find out exactly

what kind of a sock-puppet he is.

[Parche]

36. We Send Free Republickers One-Way

:bounce: :hi:

[Disturbed]

38. Bloodywater is an apt name. They are not leaving.

They are back in action as of today. Maliki folded like a cheap suit. Did Rice offer him "a carpet of gold or a carpet of bombs"?

[Swamp Rat]

39. Blackwater will come back to the USA and kill more Americans like they did in New Orleans