Congress weighs rules for private security firms in Iraq

[babylonsister]

Congress weighs rules for private security firms in Iraq
By Barbara Barrett | McClatchy Newspapers



WASHINGTON — The deaths of 11 Iraqis during a shooting involving Blackwater security guards pose the kind of quandary that congressional investigators have been worrying about for years: how to oversee and prosecute contractors accused of crimes in a war-torn country.

The shooting also renews focus on congressional efforts to bring more oversight to security contractors, including legislation sponsored by Rep. David Price, D-N.C., one of Congress' most vocal critics of the lack of oversight of private security companies.

Price has sponsored two bills that would bring all U.S. security contractors under federal criminal codes and require that the U.S. government provide more information about the cost and duties of private contractors.

Iraqi officials said Monday that they would revoke Blackwater's license to operate in Iraq and would insist that its employees responsible for the deaths, which Iraqi officials say resulted from an unprovoked shooting spree by the guards, face Iraqi courts. On Wednesday, Iraqi officials also accused Blackwater of involvement in a number of questionable actions, including engineering the jailbreak of an official accused of corruption.

more...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/19831.html

[liberal N proud]

1. By next week the headline will be something like this:

Congress approves of Blackwater activities in Iraq.

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. Ditto that...

:( There's no doubt they will approve it. Who's going to protect them when they take their BOGUS tours of Baghdad????:eyes: