Another Holiday, Another News Dump...Charges Against Blackwater Killers Dropped...

[Junkdrawer]

Judge dismisses Blackwater shooting charges

WASHINGTON - A federal judge dismissed all charges Thursday against five Blackwater Worldwide security guards accused of killing unarmed Iraqi civilians in a crowded Baghdad intersection in 2007.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo Urbina said Justice Department prosecutors improperly built their case on sworn statements that had been given under a promise of immunity. Urbina said the government's explanations were "contradictory, unbelievable and lacking in credibility."

The decision throws out a case steeped in international politics. The September 2007 shooting in busy Nisoor Square left 17 Iraqis dead and inflamed anti-American sentiment abroad. The Iraqi government wanted the guards to face trial in Iraq and officials there said they would closely watch how the U.S. judicial system handled the case.

....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34645192/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa

[debbierlus]

1. KICK

Don't let this thread drop people.

[liberal_at_heart]

2. I'm getting pretty tired of them using holidays do keep things under the radar too

But just because it doesn't get on the news doesn't mean we will forget about it when it is time to vote.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Thanks for catching that. Sucks that this "tradition" is ongoing.

[NJmaverick]

4. I can't help but wonder if that misconduct was deliberate

that the bush prosecutors deliberately screwed up to get these people off.

[Junkdrawer]

5. That thought will cross a lot of minds. Here and in Iraq....

among other places...

[gratuitous]

10. Well, I'm sure they'll understand

After all, prosecutorial misconduct is quite serious, and just because some alleged murderers got off scot-free is no reason anyone in other countries should do anything, you know, rash. Or hold it against us.

[niyad]

6. k and r

[intheflow]

7. WTF?!

:grr:

[pleah]

8. Well that isn't going to help with the

"inflamed anti-American sentiment abroad" now, is it? :banghead:

[Bigmack]

9. Hey... they were brown people...

so no foul.

Let them stay out of their country if they don't want to get lit up!

Deep, dark, mercenary :sarcasm: intended.

[Junkdrawer]

11. Kick

:kick:

[lpbk2713]

12. While they laugh it off and drink another beer.

Nothing ever changes.