Iraq says no Blackwater move until after inquiry (Reuters)

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Iraq says no Blackwater move until after inquiry
24 Sep 2007 10:54:27 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Paul Tait

BAGHDAD, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Iraq said on Monday
no action would be taken against U.S. private
security firm Blackwater over a shooting in which 11
people were killed until after a joint investigation
with U.S. officials.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had vowed to freeze the
work of Blackwater, which guards the U.S. embassy in
Baghdad, and prosecute its staff over what he termed
a "flagrant assault" eight days ago but Iraq has since
appeared to soften its stand.

-snip-

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said that
Blackwater's future would rest on the outcome of a
joint inquiry by Iraqi and U.S. officials into the
conduct of private security companies.

-snip-

"The government will take the necessary legal measures
against Blackwater depending on the investigation's
results," Dabbagh said in a statement issued from New
York, where Maliki will attend the U.N General Assembly.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24471510.htm

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. Shrub made sure Blackwater along with other US

contractors were immune from Iraqi law.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/09/AR2005090902136_2.html?nav=hcmodule

Employees of private security firms are immune from prosecution in Iraq, under an order adopted into law last year by Iraq's interim government. The most severe punishment that can be applied to them is revocation of their license and dismissal from their job, U.S. officials said.

[EFerrari]

4. Cahill said their license expired months ago. n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. I just found this

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14691

The Iraqi government says it has revoked Blackwater's license to operate in Iraq, although CorpWatch understands from knowledgable insiders that the company's license (issued by the Ministry of Interior) had expired a while ago. Although the Ministry has issued licenses to a number of private security contractors, many companies do not bother to get licenses because they know that there is no enforcement mechanism against them. Indeed, Paul Bremer of the Coalition Provisional Authority issued an executive order that specifically gave private contractors in Iraq immunity from prosecution.

[Squatch]

2. "Puppet regime" comes to mind...

[Lasher]

3. Wanna guess how long the joint investigation is gonna take?

A familiar tactic, eh?

[acmavm]

5. Nuri needs to change his phone number. That way when he decides to

stomp his foot and make it look like he's somebody he won't have to take bush**s call telling him to straighten up and fly right.

He looks like a fool.