Blackwater enlarging to sea and air - imagine starting your own military

[donsu]

http://omnipotentpoobah.com/2007/09/21/blackwater-takes-to-the-waves/


-snip-

In the Nay-vee, In the Nay-Vee
Joining what’s already the world’s best-stocked private arsenal will soon be 20 state-of-the art Tucano light-attack aircraft and a remotely piloted blimp for combat, coastal patrol, and port and border security. And don’t forget the armored personnel carrier they have under development. We wouldn’t want the mercs going to war with the armor our soldiers have instead of the armor B-Water can afford. I’m betting they have enough good-quality Kevlar body armor too. After all, you and I are paying for it and so are our well-supported troops…with their lives.

But now, B-Water’s forming their own navy. They’ve purchased a 153-foot ship, jammed with command and control labs, medical facilities, and a helicopter deck to guard those despots and cronies with a taste for the yachting life. Let’s see the French Foreign Legion top that!

America has seen Blackwater-type operations before - the English King’s army of Hessian mercenaries. Like Blackwater, they operated under the thinnest of regulations, laws, or military discipline. In fact, their mistreatment of the colonists resulted in some of the built-in, and quite useful, distrust the framers had for renegade occupying armies. That’s why they placed the power to wage war with the President and balanced it with oversight in the form of Congressional budget powers. There is no amendment for creating a private army on the side if you want to do something a little shady.
-snip-
---------------------------


and a fundamentalist religious military at that.

[MNDemNY]

1. Onward christian soldiers!!!!!!!!! F'n A!!!!!!

[Selatius]

2. In the future, corporations will possess their own private armies, like the feudal lords of old.

I think in the future as more and more power shifts from D.C. to Wall Street, private armies will grow to begin to rival the federal army. The feudal manor has simply been replaced by the corporation, and you are a serf.

[malaise]

9. Looks that way

Frightening indeed.

[gateley]

16. Great. The power shifts from D.C. to Wall Street, which will be the new toy

of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. God bless America.

[OzarkDem]

27. then let them pay for it

They've got the best of both worlds - no taxes and their own private armies - all paid for by working stiffs, including their own employees.

[eleny]

3. And yesterday's Senate hearing on mercenaries wasn't even carried on C-Span

[gateley]

15. I didn't even KNOW about it -- could you give a recap? Thanks. nt

[eleny]

32. Sorry for the delay - it's been a busy day here at the house

This is the thread here at DU when it was on -
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1867876

Earlier today I hunted to see if the video is still available. I couldn't find it. If you come across it, would you please PM me with the url. I missed some parts and would like to watch it all. I've sent the committee an email asking if the video is available.

Btw, if you haven't read Scahill's book on Blackwater I highly recommend it. It's a page turner.

[gateley]

35. Thanks so much -- I'll go hunt for the vid. And thanks for the recommendation.

I'm sure the book would be an eye-opener -- and make my blood boil. Maybe we should suggest that Bush read it too, since he doesn't seem to know much about the company.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Z1tevub9I

[HCE SuiGeneris]

4. And all the while backed by our fucking government...

time is running out.

[librechik]

5. tCheney needs to bypass the actual military to do what he wants

just like he built his own systems which bypassed the FBI, the CIA, the Justice dept and pretty soon the Congress. They build parastructures for their new fascist government which somehow have all the power of the old legitimate govt structures, but without the oversight. Then they work like the devil to make the original versions irrelevant and powerless.

They want to control it all without citizen input, and it looks like pretty soon they will succeed. Hope you enjoyed your democracy while it was there--cuz it won't be soon.

[leftchick]

6. they proudly display this on their website

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/maritime/

[Jed Dilligan]

22. It's cute

I'd like a boat like that to sail around in.

But I wonder if, after the photo op, they repainted it grey and reinstalled the cannons.

[EVDebs]

7. Hopefully without their own nuclear navy ?

[gateley]

17. Don't bet on that. nt

[kenny blankenship]

8. Our Democrats need to be all over this

Private mercenary militaries spell the death of democracy. From a viewpoint strictly concerned with stability and security, the for-profit aspect of a corporate militia does nothing to distinguish Blackwater from the Badr Brigades or Al-Qaida-In-Iraq. An ideologically self-selecting military is a deep rooted threat to the future of a decaying democracy, just as a hereditary warrior-caste or "nobility" impedes the initial development of a democratic governments. We have now a self-selecting, ideologically self-policing military caste that has grown up as a parallel to the civil authority and exists as an somewhat hostile alternative to civil society. Add to this the rise of private militias backed by multinational corporations and you have the formula for 1,000 years of Fascism.

[donsu]

10. some of them probably own stock in Blackwater

wouldn't surprise me.

[Diclotican]

11. kenny blankenship

The building of private mercenary militaries is not good.. And I guess the current Administration want ot "use it" if/when they are schalenget anough.. I guess Congress and the Senat are not willing to sit and get treated this way they have been for the rest of time.. Sooner og later they wil stand up, If they have the guts to do it.. The President cant get what he want allways, and sooner then later the "show-down" vil come.. I do have some hope for the american democracy - but my belive IS smaler and smaler day for day.. Good know what wil happend if US are going into despots and tyrannery...

And for some comfort. Private militas, or private armys would not end in a 1000 year nightmare or facism. The nazis belived to have started the new 1000 year rein for the 3 REICH. But they lastet just 12 year and then the whole thing ended in total and utter defeat.. I do no hope or pray for a end like that for the US. But if US and its peopole dosent act now, that may bee the end resultat when the rest of the world are getting enoght.. US today is the most powerfull military nation on the face of the nation, but even that is not enough, if the rest of the world stand together against USA..


Diclotican

Sorry my bad engelish, not my native langugage

[leftchick]

20. that is a joke right?

a sad one but a joke. :(

[Mojorabbit]

12. This is

damn scary.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. And no one is saying a damn thing. We're just letting it happen, Christ, actually

we're financing this Army, and in the end, they will probably hire out to the highest bidder.

[angstlessk]

14. Why is this any different than the whaco's at Waco? same thing, just

contributors to the repuglican causes. :grr:

[gratuitous]

18. BIG difference from the Branch Davidians

David Koresh's group of nutballs bought their own weapons. Blackwater finances its weapons purchases out of the U.S. Treasury. Big difference. Major difference.

[angstlessk]

28. I stand corrected..they are government sponsored whackos!!!

thanks for injecting reality into my question!

[Pachamama]

19. Great - A Christian Fundamentalist Private Merc Army paid for by US Tax Dollars!

And eventually it will be used against us....

[gateley]

21. So say I'm a PFC dodging bullets and car bombs and Friendly Fire in Iraq.

I'm standing next to a Blackwater guy who's got the shiny new assault weapons, top-of-the line night vision goggles, state of the art communication with his cohorts. I'm making.....what....MAYBE $30K/year? (I have no idea). The Blackwater guy, who doesn't have to wait for congress to okay safer vehicles, probably has input into their tactics and undoubtedly has more freedom than I, makes.....what....$200K a year? So I'm over here fighting in a war that is questionable at best, and we don't even have enough military to fight that war? We have to hire contractors?

Great for morale. Great way to show our service men and woman how much we value them.

[OzarkDem]

26. and mercenaries in combat are ILLEGAL

Private citizens who engage in hostilities are called unlawful combatants. They crossed the line from "security" to combatants a long time ago.

From Wikipedia



Under Article 47 of Protocol I ( Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts) it is stated in the first sentence "A mercenary shall not have the right to be a combatant or a prisoner of war."

On 4 December 1989 the United Nations passed resolution 44/34 the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. It entered into force on 20 October 2001 and is usually known as the UN Mercenary Convention<18>. Article 2 makes it an offence to employ a mercenary and Article 3.1 states that "A mercenary, as defined in article 1 of the present Convention, who participates directly in hostilities or in a concerted act of violence, as the case may be, commits an offence for the purposes of the Convention."<19>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unlawful_combatant#Mercenaries


This also begs the question, if Congress appropriates the funds the funds that go to Blackwater and similar mercenary corporations, does that also make them legally liable? If Bush ends up being tried for war crimes, could Congress also end up in the same boat?

[Bluerthanblue]

30. we opted out of that if i'm right..

we didn't sign on to that part of the GC protocol.

:shrug:

"do as i say...." and all that ... another form of justus.

[kenny blankenship]

31. But if the war itself is illegal in the first place

then mercenaries are A-OK, as is the use of mercenaries. Everything I've seen over the past 6 years has shown me that 2 wrongs make a right.

[kineneb]

34. what happens if BW guy in Iraq gets "fragged"

by a honked off soldier? Is that murder, or an "accident"? I could actually see a really mad (=upset & crazed) army guy knocking off a Blackwater goon to get his equipment.

The thought occurred to me after reading your comment.

[Jed Dilligan]

23. I say, fine...

Let them do ALL the fighting and let the oil companies pay their bills. Then, as soon as ONE civilian gets killed, charge the CEOs of all the companies involved with first-degree murder in a death penalty state.

[earth mom]

24. Ah yes, *s private army, navy, and air force. The question is what's he gonna do with them?

Yes, it's the perfect scenario for a man who considers himself the "decider" and who obviously doesn't ever want to leave office.

Can you say king George? :scared:

[Bluerthanblue]

29. ok

tin foil time-

i hope that is all it is.

but something feels frighteningly prophetic....

[donsu]

36. Blackwater is with the neo cons in south america already

nt

[earth mom]

37. And doesn't * have a little Army of his own in Paraguay? Yikes! nt

[Stalwart]

25. Blackwater and CEO's

Blackwater is providing personal security for CEO's of big corporations. While the impression of a Blackwater mercenary is one of the lowest life form stereotypes, those guarding CEOs on trips out of the USA (or even in the USA?) are most likely college educated, articulate, discreet and more like Secret Service in the performance of their duties. (Ex-Secret Service? What does a SS person do when they retire? Probably what they do best.)

They are always close to the CEO, that is their job. What an opportunity to sell additional "value added" Blackwater services at the top level. Blackwater on the streets of Baghdad is not as dangerous as Blackwater in the corporate jet or otherwise always with the CEO suggesting ways to improve operations ranging from Business Intelligence to armed security operations anywhere in the world.

They have to market their product and grow the operation. Who could imagine a better position from which to pitch the CEO? I would start by intriguing the CEO with some good personal spy and war stories. What CEO would not be hooked by the the allure of intrigue and lack of legal restraint, or assurance of influence in the right places.

[Disturbed]

33. Blackwater only has around 1K members & are not the most

dangerous Mercs, although they are murderous. Other groups such as Dyna Corp., Tripple Canopy & T3 are still under the radar & operating in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Will Waxman's comittee get serious and open up this can of Merc worms? Will he Subpoena the leaders of these Merc Corps?

[auburngrad82]

43. Actually Blackwater's President says he can mobilize 10,000 within 2 months

From http://www.businessnc.com/index.php?src=directory&view=articles&srctype=display&refno=484&category=2007-06">Business North Carolina:

On future battlefields, fast, flexible private military contractors will play increasingly large roles. Black recently told a Defense News security conference that Blackwater was ready to provide a brigade-size — about 10,000 — force for hire for peacekeeping missions in places such as Darfur, where ethnic genocide has left 180,000 dead.

When Jackson talks about the prospect, he vets his words carefully. “We totally believe that’s the answer. We’ve offered several different options, from embedding with regular forces to training, to manning and logistics. We’re not sure the world is ready for it yet, but if it does become ready, it won’t be like, ‘Ask, and we’ll tell you in nine to 12 months.’ It is, ‘Ask, and we’ll be ready next week.’” Blackwater has 35,000 private military contractors in its database. “I venture to guess that within 60 days, if I had to write a platform, I could bring 10,000 to bear.”

Meanwhile, Jackson is building and branding the company with a warrior’s aggressive zeal. Beside the door to his office hangs a framed print. It’s neither large nor overly artistic, but it’s telling. “That shows all our assets,” he explains. It shows men and the armored personnel carrier and surveillance blimp the company is manufacturing in Elizabeth City. There’s also a 220-foot-long ship with a helipad on its stern, suitable for training or possibly naval operations. And a Boeing 767, a jetliner with global reach that can whisk 200 to 300 people across oceans in a matter of hours.

My comments: It's worth noting that this article was written and published before the events of this month so Blackwater was not on the defense like they are now. The article is interesting. And more than a bit scary.



Liberal bumper stickers

[earth mom]

38. I found this very informative as to what's REALLY going on:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5420753830426590918&q=RUSSO&total=5530&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=4

[doni_georgia]

39. Most people haven't a clue

My guess is if you went out on the street and polled people, most would have never heard of Blackwater, or if they had - it might ring a bell, but they would have no idea what Blackwater was. Ask the man on the street could the US use a private corporate-owned para-military outfit to do things the Constitution forbids our military from doing and most people would respond absolutely not. But that's what this administration has been doing in Iraq - and you better believe that if we go into Iran this will continue there. Never mind presidents have been circumventing CONGRESS'S Constitutional power to declare war since WWII, now we have the President using tax payer money to hire what basically amounts to his own private army free from any Constitutionally based oversight. It's a hunta - plain and simple. This private army at any time could be used against American people on American soil - it's just a matter of time if something isn't done soon.

[earth mom]

40. Evening kick! nt

[WinkyDink]

41. They can buy submarines, also.

[donsu]

42. they probably already have. small private subs business is up worldwide

nt

[bobthedrummer]

44. "Security Company Death Squads Timeline" by Dirk Adriaensens and Sarah Meyer

this is also posted as a thread in the Editorials and Other Articles forum, a comprehensive look at mercenaries employed by this criminal administration-takes a while to load, from 9-25-2007 Global Research

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=6881

fair use cited

IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST

[bobthedrummer]

45. Erik Prince links

from Media Mouse.org
"The Far Right in West Michigan: Erik Prince"
http://www.mediamouse.org/resources/right.php?personId=8

from Source Watch.org
"Erik Prince"
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Erik_Prince

IMPEACH CHENEY FIRST