DU pointed out Erik Prince - CIA connections way before MSM bought a clue.

[Octafish]

Erik Prince points to a not-so-pretty picture.



This guy is connected every way to dominionist Sunday,
turning his start-up Blackwater into a no-bid billion dollar federal contractor
that "somehow" morphed into America's Murder Inc.


Of course, DU was on to his mixing patriotism and profits
more than two years before Corporate McPravda.

The great DUer seafan, for starters, a couple years back, noted:

Oliver North vs Erik Prince: Different decade, same attitude.

The great DUer ProSense found the Treasury paid out a tidy sum:

Erik Prince, Blackwater War Profiteer...

The great DUer bobthedrummer and friends asked what should we know around then:

What questions would you like put to Blackwater's founder, Erik Prince, next week?

The great DUer hissyspit and friends noted another nice connection:

Confirmed: A.B. 'Buzzy' Krongard, Brother Of State Dep't IG, Sits On Blackwater's Advisory Board.

The great DUer Faygo Kid and friends pegged 'em, as did many, many DUers:

Blackwater goes deeper than you think. I am posting this from another response; it's worth a look.

This DU thread brought up the work of Tim Shorock and R.J. Hillhouse, who chronicled the privatization of US intelligence.

'Spies for Hire' 'The Secret World of Intelligence Outsourcing'

bobthedrummer and the dear, departed great DUer seemslikeadream and friends pegged the, eh, superpatriotic fellah:

Why isn't J. Cofer Black a household name? He should have recognition with we that know our BFEE.

PS: The great DUer BabylonSister suggested this thread in Blackwater CEO's CIA Paycheck Unravels Key Mysteries.

[libnnc]

1. k&r

:kick:

[Octafish]

2. arcadian

A Blackwater primer. - My own investigation into Blackwater. *pic heavy*

[jasi2006]

41. DU is always ahead of the media. MSM holds back until it is

impossible to cover up the mounting evidence. We really do not have a "free press" in this country. It is owned and controlled.

[dgibby]

3. Thanks for compiling all this for us.

Too bad the MSM doesn't get a clue and check with DU to find out what's going on. Guess they're too busy with Tiger, baloon boy, etc.

[Octafish]

4. MinM

Scahill: Obama may be afraid of Blackwater

[seafan]

5. Thanks for compiling this, Octafish. Here are a few more.

2002: Secret CIA contract goes to Blackwater.. 2002: CIA tells Gang of 4 of enhanced interrogation


Blackwater Accused of Creating 'Killing Program': Cheney asked CIA not to disclose to US Congress


State Dept. IG Howard "Cookie" Krongard: My ‘Foremost Mission Is To Support Bush Administration’


Blackwater and the Brothers Krongard: How Cookie Crumbled

[blm]

16. There it is!!!!

thanks, buddy....

[L. Coyote]

21. L. Coyote Dec-09-07 - "Does anyone on DU believe Blackwater is NOT a CIA or MIA front? "

Hey, I'm felling left out of the vast CROWD who knew! :rofl:

L. Coyote Dec-09-07 - Does anyone on DU believe Blackwater is NOT a CIA or MIA front? Just asking.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2434635#2435163

The old-fashioned intelligence front served a variety of purposes, especially deniability.
The basic modis operandi is do all the things you might need to deny in this manner.
And, reap rich rewards on those willing to undertake your dirty work, of course, with kickbacks to politicos.

Why would anyone think this is not just more of the same old, same old, tired trick, a front for certain operations?

Plenty more links back (Deja DU's) in this thread:
JackRiddler Thu Dec-03-09 11:26 AM
Blackwater's Erik Prince to step down, reveals CIA role
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4169822

[Hissyspit]

31. Yeah, that post title certainly fits the theme! Pretty funny.

But my TPM post was first! :D

Jeez, I can't believe those were posted TWO YEARS ago. Time flies supersonic.

[L. Coyote]

34. Blackwater's Secret War In Pakistan

Blackwater's Secret War in Pakistan Revealed
By Jeremy Scahill, The Nation. Posted November 24, 2009.
http://www.alternet.org/story/144153/blackwater%27s_secret_war_in_pakistan_revealed/


An elite division of Blackwater plans targeted assassinations of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives in Pakistan. And everyone's denying it.

At a covert forward operating base run by the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, members of an elite division of Blackwater are at the center of a secret program in which they plan targeted assassinations of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, "snatch and grabs" of high-value targets and other sensitive action inside and outside Pakistan, an investigation by The Nation has found. The Blackwater operatives also assist in gathering intelligence and help run a secret US military drone bombing campaign that runs parallel to the well-documented CIA predator strikes, according to a well-placed source within the US military intelligence apparatus.

The source, who has worked on covert US military programs for years, including in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has direct knowledge of Blackwater's involvement. He spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity because the program is classified. The source said that the program is so "compartmentalized" that senior figures within the Obama administration and the US military chain of command may not be aware of it ..................

[Octafish]

24. starroute

8. And Betsy's brother is Eric Prince, founder of Blackwater

[Soylent Brice]

6. K&R

:applause: BRAVO, Octafish!

and

seafan
ProSense
bobthedrummer
hissyspit
Faygo Kid
seemslikeadream (RIP)
BabylonSister

[Octafish]

26. donsu

Blackwater's top brass - Erik Prince - neo con gang member

[Soylent Brice]

7. this needs 100+ recs, hands down.

[Octafish]

27. Virginia Dare

Romney hires Bush/ Blackwater official Cofer Black...

[blm]

62. It SHOULD, but, I doubt it will. Too many have invested themselves in the sand they keep their

heads buried in and will NOT acknowledge the truth. The Bushes and Blackwater have some famous Dems who protected them the last two decades.

[supernova]

8. K&R

Thank you for all the compilations.

[Octafish]

28. BrklynLiberal

PNAC intentional destruction of US military in order to privatize it?

[blm]

9. huge kick for truth....

.

[Octafish]

29. Ichingcarpenter

Blackwater used in DEA Raid on Marijuana Medical Clinic in California-Photo

[bananas]

10. k&r nt

[Octafish]

30. DeepModem Mom

Blackwater's Erik Prince is generous donor to Republicans, Pennsylvania Greens

[Hissyspit]

32. She quit D.U. after Obama's inauguration.

Too bad. She is missed.

[Starry Messenger]

11. kick

[Octafish]

45. maddezmom

Blackwater Contracts, Short on Detail(169 pages of 323 are blank or mostly blank)

[chill_wind]

12. Octafish, DU would not be DU without you. Kicking. n/t

[Octafish]

46. mitchum

What is the significance of the name "Blackwater"?

[Sinti]

13. Another excellent and informative thread K&R

Thanks for your efforts, they are much appreciated

[Octafish]

47. ck4829

Romney hires vice chairman of Blackwater as senior campaign adviser

[Sinti]

65. I'm sure he's an expert on terrorism

been terrorizing people for years. Shouldn't mercenary armies be made illegal worldwide? After all, depending on mercenaries in war causes nations to have an incentive to maintain poverty levels - so they can get more cannon fodder.

Cofer Black just plain scares me - and he's a pioneer privatizing intelligence services now... "bring CIA-style intelligence services to Fortune 500" . Woo hoo Go Team Mammon. I wonder if all the players really "get it" or if they're just going along, because they want to be in the game.

We need to develop good strategies to fight back against this mind-murdering perspective we've taken on as a nation.

[juno jones]

14. K&R! n/t

[Octafish]

48. Javaman

So is blackwater our modern version of Rome's Praetorian Guard?

[ellie]

15. I see this asshole

and it provokes a violent, visceral reaction in me. I get very, very angry.

[Octafish]

49. Octafish!

What? You thought I was gonna say, "%&*#@&%$#!"? Ha!

[G_j]

17. absolutely!

and that is just one of many crucial issues,

:thumbsup:

[Octafish]

50. drm604

Blackwater, the CIA, and Regent University Law School.

[Joanne98]

18. The MSM is worthless!

[Octafish]

51. Ninga

Not one article in my Sunday paper about Blackwater/Hillary/Penn. What about yours?

[leftstreet]

19. K&R

[Octafish]

52. maxrandb

Is Blackwater even Constitutional?

[chill_wind]

20. Update: Uzbekistan! (Scahill on Maddow)

video

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x409727

[Octafish]

54. fooj

From Whitewater to Blackwater

[L. Coyote]

22. Results 1 - 100 of about 1,870 from democraticunderground.com for "Erik Prince".

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=&as_epq=Erik+Prince&num=100&as_sitesearch=democraticunderground.com

[L. Coyote]

25. ***** Waxman Hearing on Blackwater: Eric Prince, CEO ***** Prince lied??

And where, other than DU, would you find "Official" LiveBlog of the Congressional hearings?

Official Thread # 1 = http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1957867
Official Thread # 2 = http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1958372
Official Thread # 3 = http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1958984
Official Thread # 4 = http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1959806

Where we see on DU evidence Erik Prince likely LIED to Congress = "only defensive operations."

[Octafish]

55. HysteryDiagnosis

Blackwater snipers doing what they do best.

[DireStrike]

23. Hm, I always pictured him looking fiercer

He looks like a typical chickenhawk douchebag.

[Octafish]

56. Marleyb

WHAT THE $#@^#! BLACKWATER AND THE RED CROSS

[L. Coyote]

33. VIDEO: RM: Blackwater - Erik Prince - CIA assassins - Afghanistan

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x409975

To what extent is DU essential to researchers doing MSM shows like Rachel?

[L. Coyote]

38. Is Erik Prince 'Graymailing' the US Government?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7158581

[Octafish]

61. Guy wants to avoid the fate of anyone who knows anything.

...when so many don't want anyone to know something.

Even Poppy has survived some scary stuff.

[H2O Man]

35. Great OP/thread.

Recommended.

[Octafish]

57. Robbien

Blackwater mercs in New Orleans since Katrina and still there now

[JNelson6563]

36. K&R

:toast:

The kind of stuff that keeps DU on the Worthwhile List.

[Octafish]

60. BeatleBoot

Blackwater, DeVos Connection

[mother earth]

37. You and others you've named and credited, are some of

DU's finest. Keep shining the light, we know their game, and always it leads to them, woven into the CIA with our tax dollars and a blanket of secrecy they wrought their evil.

I'm glad the masses are finally connecting the dots, it's important they do.

[blm]

44. wish it was the 'masses' mother earth, but, it's still too few who have bothered to wrap their

brains around this and other crucial matters that had have been downplayed and/or covered up over the decades.

[mother earth]

66. I truly believe we have more company than we know. I feel

it's the others who are in the minority, but they don't know it. They like to throw stones and cry CT, but they are the ones who don't have it right, they are just too arrogant to know it.

[moodforaday]

39. Blackwater now destabilizing Pakistan

From a Pakistani paper today:

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Khawaja Muhammad Sharif served notice on the Interior secretary for not replying to a petition against the alleged activities of Blackwater in the federal capital.
. . .

Barrister Zafarullah, the petitioner’s counsel, cited several news reports according to which American and Dutch nationals were found patrolling the federal capital’s streets with sophisticated weapons. He said the diplomats and marines of both the countries had also beat up the people. He said the “culprits of these incidents” were set free and no action was taken against them for violating the law of the land.
. . .
Illegal weapons: Seeking search of US embassy, he said the day Blackwater had stepped into Pakistan, terror acts and suicide attacks had been scaled up. The counsel also alleged that in the US embassy illegal arms and ammunition were being stored, which were being used for “sabotage acts” in the country.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C12%5C05%5Cstory_5-12-2009_pg7_7

[Octafish]

58. Remember those crazy Royal Army SAS Commandos in civilian terror garb who killed a cop?

The Brits used tanks to break into their Iraqi jail cells, to free them before they could be questioned. They never did answer for the bomb-making equipment found in their car.

[malaise]

40. Bookmarked

Great post

[DemReadingDU]

42. bookmarked for all these great links, n/t

[moodforaday]

43. Kick

[OnyxCollie]

53. Kick and bookmarking for later. nt

[WorseBeforeBetter]

59. This is the DU I know and love. (n/t)

[newspeak]

63. and that's been my concern

the privatization of the military. Remember the Business Plot? Big greedy industrialists allegedly with their own private army to overthrow FDR. To me, it's a very, very chilling thought. People no longer would have to worry about the Geneva Convention; and these corporations could hire the thugs of the world to maintain control of the populace. Call me tinfoily, call me paranoid--but I thought of that when * was privatizing the military. Instead of MP's protecting our bases, we've got private contractors--some who are very disrespectful to those in the military.

[Octafish]

64. People in the military are loyal to the Constitution.

People in Blackwater are loyal to the guy who signs their paycheck.

Big diff, when it comes to following orders and shooting at civilians -- like in NOLA -- and stuff.