Blackwater's Erik Prince Floated Idea of Civilian Reserve Corp!

[RamboLiberal]

Now if that don't scare the bejeebers out of everyone!

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/175406

<snip>

The president's proposed Civilian Reserve Corps was not his idea alone. A privatized version of it was floated two years ago by Erik Prince, the secretive, mega-millionaire, conservative owner of Blackwater USA and a man who for years has served as the Pied Piper of a campaign to repackage mercenaries as legitimate forces.

In early 2005, Prince – a major bankroller of the president and his allies – pitched the idea at a military conference of a "contractor brigade" to supplement the official military.

"There's consternation in the (Pentagon) about increasing the permanent size of the army," Prince declared. Officials "want to add 30,000 people, and they talked about costs of anywhere from $3.6 billion to $4 billion to do that. Well, by my math, that comes out to about $135,000 per soldier." He added: "We could do it certainly cheaper."

And Prince is not just a man with an idea; he is a man with his own army. Blackwater began in 1996 with a private military training camp "to fulfill the anticipated demand for government outsourcing."

<snip>

Further privatizing America's war machine – or inventing new back doors for military expansion with fancy names like the Civilian Reserve Corps – would represent a devastating blow to the future of American democracy.

[PDJane]

1. There is a mercenary army

in Iraq at the moment.

That's one hell of an expensive way to wage war.

[mitchum]

9. And we the taxpayer$ are footing the obscene bill

[Tellurian]

14. All part of the PNAC Plan... A BS story if I ever heard one!

damage control, giving Bush the appearance of innocence!
Please!

[sofa king]

19. Expensive and dangerous.

Forgive me for not citing this week's "sixty bodies turn up in Baghdad" story, but our mercenaries aren't just expensive, they're also dangerous to us and the local populace.

Mercenary forces cannot conduct their missions in the same way that ordinary foot soldiers (or for that matter in Baghdad, also combat engineers and sometimes logistical support troops) conduct business in Iraq. It's true that the mercs usually have more experience and often more training, but they're also alone, without backup except perhaps another carload of guys just like them.

I think that makes them far more likely to shoot first and ask questions later, particularly since they fall outside of military legal code, the press is gagged and the federal government is actively supporting the cover-up of such incidents.

Ever wonder how all those dead bodies manage to pile themselves up together without ever hearing a single "truckload of bodies pulled over in Baghdad" story? I think that's part of a mercenary's job--hiding the bodies they create because it's easier to murder than it is to pacify.

[illinoisprogressive]

2. Bush sees a totally privitaized America

[Tellurian]

15. Not exactly- He sees you as one of his subjects...me too! nm

[Captain Hilts]

3. The Toronto Star has done some great reporting on the war. nt

[RamboLiberal]

10. BTW I found the Houston Chronicle had same story

before Toronto Star picked it up.

[Edweird]

4. If they want to play soldier

draft 'em. these guys are supposed to have military experience, right? o.k. then Recall them (it's involuntary) that'll take the wind out of their sails. Hold contractor job fairs and turn them into sting operations. " You have experience?" "go through that door" do not pass go, do not collect $200,000, go directly to Iraq.

[Tellurian]

16. They're in Iraq now..

I'm sure Bush is going to house them in our vacant Military Base Camps, until he declares Martial Law!
Then they can be easily deployed to every state with ease.

[TahitiNut]

5. The brother-in-law of Dick DeVos (Cretin-Amway), GOP candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2006

He lost. Thank god! Corrupt bastards!

[and-justice-for-all]

6. When * opened his lie dispenser...

...during the State Of the Union rant, Black Water had already (and for sometime now) been operating in Iraq, as well as other regions, as a "private security firm." I recent downed Helicopter was a Black Water chopper, not US military.

* shit for brains "decides", since he is the "decider", to make things know to valid persons AFTER he has already implemented his agenda. This is NOT our War this is fucking *Co damn War!

I am sick of these pieces of shit, fucndamentalist, theocractic, warmongering, lying aasslljkfiashglahsdgljalgkjagd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[laststeamtrain]

7. Link to a bunch of J. Scahill's articles about Blackwater from The Nation;

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060508/scahill

Here's the publisher's description of his book due out in March:

Blackwater: The Rise of the Most Powerful Mercenary Firm in the World
Book Description
Meet BLACKWATER USA, the world's most secretive and powerful mercenary firm. Based in the wilderness of North Carolina, it is the fastest-growing private army on the planet with forces capable of carrying out regime change throughout the world. Blackwater protects the top US officials in Iraq and yet we know almost nothing about the firm's quasi-military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and inside the US. Blackwater was founded by an extreme right-wing fundamentalist Christian mega-millionaire ex- Navy Seal named Erik Prince, the scion of a wealthy conservative family that bankrolls far-right-wing causes.
Blackwater is the dark story of the rise of a powerful mercenary army, ranging from the blood-soaked streets of Fallujah to rooftop firefights in Najaf to the hurricane-ravaged US gulf to Washington DC, where Blackwater executives are hailed as new heroes in the war on terror. This is an extraordinary exposé by one of America's most exciting young radical journalists.

[SanCristobal]

8. The Civilian Reserve isn't about creating a mercenary force,

it's about establishing a permanent occupation government which would fulfill the role the CPA played in Iraq:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=69373&mesg_id=69373

[Tellurian]

17. If you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell ya!

That mercenary force will be deployed here for use when Bush declares Martial Law!

[SanCristobal]

25. The mercenary force already exists, no need to create it.

They do, apparently, need people ready to govern other countries on a moments notice. Read the draft proposal, this is obviously what is being established.

I can't believe no one else is questioning the fact that someone thinks we need this.

[Tellurian]

26. If that were so...There would be no need for Bush to mention it in the SOTU Address..

He mentioned it because he wanted to amend their use to be 'domestic' as well as in the ME!

[SanCristobal]

28. Read the draft proposal. It makes it clear that the Civ Res

would be a standby occupation government. It specifically states the Civilian Reserve would not take the place of current contractors. This is to establish a readily available occupation government to be used the next time we feel the need to start a war. Bush is putting the tools in place for a like minded successor.

People should be talking about this, but are not.

[Tellurian]

29. Don't be ridiculous...It's Bush's private army..

No matter how you chose to slice it. The fact remains, these mercenaries are serving at the pleasure of Bush.. Change a word or two in the "DRAFT" which isn't a Final draft or anywhere near the final declaration stating or defining what the Civilian Volunteers will be used for..

Whatsmore, the owner of this company of highly trained mercenaries is a huge Bush donor!

"Further privatizing America's war machine – or inventing new back doors for military expansion with fancy names like the Civilian Reserve Corps – would represent a devastating blow to the future of American democracy."

[mitchum]

30. Hey that Sharpton avatar didn't fool me (nor do I imagine it fooled many)

Rest In Something

[WinkyDink]

18. Weren't there Blackwater guys in New Orleans?

[lvx35]

11. Oh, THAT's where our democracy went...

to that privately controlled standing army we permitted to exist back around 2006, oh yeah, I remember... :(

[JohnnyLib2]

12. Recommended. This needs plenty of attention.

How about links to Cheney?

[Solly Mack]

13. recommended

[Tin Man]

20. Revealed: the origins of the "WAR IS PEACE CORPS", errr... the Civilian Reserve Corp

...I'm not the least surprised. K & R

[formercia]

21. It was all planned in advance.

"to fulfill the anticipated demand for government outsourcing."

A done deal in 1996.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

22. When other countries have these, we call them militias.

Generally, they are a destabilizing force because they are loyal to some faction, like the Shia militias in Iraq.

I'd hate to have a militia created in the US loyal only to the profit motive. It's bad enough that the current mis-administration is loyal only to the profit motive. I don't want an army based on greed.

[InkAddict]

24. Like this? Yet another layer of "protection"

Ohio's very own state-funded, volunteer, elite protectorate to keep the worthy safe and healthy, just in case Ohio's NG is "busy" and the RA "can't make it" -- what, in case of sessesion, martial law, or should all of Cleveland and Toledo try to border cross at the same time into MI,PA,IN or Canada without their proper (shudder) papers(?) LOL... Ah yes, the Governor can call on the Commander to call out the troops to protect the "rank" elite corporatists and/or to keep the "file" moving in an orderly manner, of course, to the, pick one, Iodine/Cipro/scrapnel delivery tents. Well,then again, maybe only armed to direct traffic safely away from tornado-prone Xenia. We need to be prepared, folks! I'd be willing to bet their funding can pay for a tent at the state fair, LOL.

Here is more of Ohians' military/industrial taxes at work for a paid and trained sanctioned military activity which, according to one member, is oh so underfunded) and on the job! Wonder if they've got their own intelligence unit too?

Without habeus corpus, well, uh...., now remind me again WHY WE NEED additional instant MILITARY POLICE? Ah, yes, if the Constitution guarantees the legality of this militia, then Ohio MUST have one, Walter Mitty, though it is for those so "employed", when, at the lowest level of civility, alledged evildoers of whatever type MAY NOT be guaranteed the right of habeus corpus. What's wrong with this picture?

Could it be that there are Ohioans who just want to hedge their bets that they'll be giving orders instead of taking them at the, what, behest of the Governor. Worked well in NOLA, no? More and more guns aimed at civilians! The jobless, homeless, hungry, healthcareless of Ohio are sooooooooo blessed to be so protected! Could not these militia-types do better individually in their regular workplaces to protect and defend those that are in danger by reason of the more indirect threats of joblessness, homelessness, hunger, injury and disease, than to train to draw weapons on some unknown assassin(s) of democracy?

http://ohmr.ohio.gov/

[Blackhatjack]

23. Can You Say "Republican Guard of America"??? (Dictator Version)

That is exactly what we need --a private military force made up of paid mercenaries who have no loyalty to their country, but rather to those who pay their exorbiant salaries.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

32. Or maybe "Knights Templar"

killers for Christ. Righteous beyond any question or doubt.

[Hubert Flottz]

27. "Death Squads" in Iraq might just be the work of the new private

BushCo Einsatzgruppen. Abu Ghraib too.

[martymar64]

31. Or Death Squads in Los Angeles

or New York or Seattle or Detroit or Miami or Denver.

[Disturbed]

33. Why would a person join the US Military?

Signing up with Black Water or other Merc Orgs. pay better and have less restrictions. This new movement encourages people to bypass the US Military for a better deal. Congress needs to investigate this ASAP!

[Flabbergasted]

34. Could someone please tell me how Wes Clark got the idea then?????

http://www.clark04.com/misc/003/