Blackwater

[nlm]

Since some of us were talking about Blackwater Security yesterday, and an article appeared on them today - I thought I'd post it.

A very private war

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2138917,00.html

.......

Most worryingly of all, perhaps, powers that were once the exclusive realm of national governments are now in the hands of private companies whose prime loyalty is to their shareholders. CIA-type services, special operations, covert actions and small-scale military and paramilitary forces are now on the world market in a way not seen in modern history.

While the private military/security industry rejects the characterisation of their forces as mercenaries, Blackwater executives have turned the grey area in which they operate into a brand asset. The company has been quietly marketing its services to foreign governments and corporations through an off-shore affiliate, Greystone Ltd, registered in Barbados.

In early 2005, Blackwater held an extravagant, invitation-only Greystone "inauguration" at the swanky Ritz-Carlton hotel in Washington, DC. The guest list for the seven-hour event included weapons manufacturers, oil companies and diplomats from the likes of Uzbekistan, Yemen, the Philippines, Romania, Indonesia, Tunisia, Algeria, Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Kenya, Angola and Jordan. Several of those countries' defence or military attaches attended. "It is more difficult than ever for your country to successfully protect its interests against diverse and complicated threats in today's grey world," Greystone's promotional pamphlet told attendees. "Greystone is an international security services company that offers your country or organisation a complete solution to your most pressing security needs."

Greystone said its forces were prepared for "ready deployment in support of national security objectives as well as private interests". Among the "services" offered were mobile security teams, which could be employed for personal security operations, surveillance and countersurveillance. Applicants for jobs with Greystone were asked to check off their qualifications in weapons: AK-47 rifle, Glock 19, M-16 series rifle, M-4 carbine rifle, machine gun, mortar and shoulder-fired weapons. Among the skills sought were: Sniper, Marksman, Door Gunner, Explosive Ordnance, Counter Assault Team.

...........

Much more before and after that piece of the article.

[MODU]

I had a good thread on BlackWaters proposal to the UN for contracted security forces to be deployed into regions where UN members states didn't want to send their troops, such as Darfur and others.  I'll have to dig it up.

[Person Man]

Actually, it would be a good idea to have Blackwater security forces to work for the U.N. perhaps the U.N. should have an independent but globally controlled army. An army for everyone. How does that sound?

..but partisan private contractors sounds a little bit like the Shin-Ra.

[nlm]

Actually, it would be a good idea to have Blackwater security forces to work for the U.N. perhaps the U.N. should have an independent but globally controlled army. An army for everyone. How does that sound?

..but partisan private contractors sounds a little bit like the Shin-Ra.

Just remember the down side of using paramilitary forces, that are loyal to the highest bidder, along side regular military forces - and having many of them have multiple paramilitary bases on US soil.

Then think about the edict passed by American occupation authorities in Iraq that immunizes all civilian contractors in Iraq from prosecution.

Also think about how these paramilitary forces were deployed in New Orleans -on American soil.

Also think about this powerful and wealthy new special interest group - complete with lobbyist (yes they have lobbyists) - such as Blackwater and DynCorp, that have a vested interest in war.

Also consider the charges of slave trading and fraud that been brought against some of these paramilitary organizations. These are for profit entities that largely operate outside of the law - and when they get caught, we have seen our government declare it a national security situation and crush litagation against these paramilitary forces.

Paramilitary forces sound interesting on the surface - but they are a very bad idea for us to use.

Remember the words of Karl Popper "'It cannot happen here' is always wrong".

[jokerman]

Blackwater is the deadly, concealed sword of the vast right wing conspiracy.  I find this mix of political, military, corporate, and religious (the head of the company is steeply linked to the religious right) power very odious.  We must disband it.

[Person Man]

Blackwater is the deadly, concealed sword of the vast right wing conspiracy.  I find this mix of political, military, corporate, and religious (the head of the company is steeply linked to the religious right) power very odious.  We must disband it.

Would you compare them to Iran's revolutionary guard?

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Blackwater scares the living **** out of me.  We should not be relying on a private firm to this extent for our national security.

[??????????]

Blackwater scares the living **** out of me.  We should not be relying on a private firm to this extent for our national security.

Why not? The Brits used the Hessians for years.

[Silent Hunter]

Well, Blackwater's certainly famous enough to get a Fictional Counterpart (In The Unit there's a PMC called Blackthorne).

[Joe Republic]

Blackwater scares the living **** out of me.  We should not be relying on a private firm to this extent for our national security.

Why not? The Brits used the Hessians for years.

How does that discourage his opinion?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Most soldiers and vets have a rather dim view of over paid mercenaries who don't have to follow orders.

[CPT MikeyMike]

Most soldiers and vets have a rather dim view of over paid mercenaries who don't have to follow orders.

You hit it on the nose. From what I saw of Blackwater in Iraq was that they were downright LAZY. Blackwater was assigned to protect some State Department bubbas but they had stipulations such as they were only allowed to leave the wire for only a few hours per WEEK! Futhermore, the impression we had what that they would only play with their rules such as bitching when we wouldn't give them SECRET information however they refused to debreif untis after patrols and refuse to provide the force any information.

Simply overpaid people who want to play Soldier and think they are better than anyone else.

I'll also add they did knock up a couple of the female Soldiers from the Support Battalion too.

[opebo]

It is useful to remember that all armies are mercenaries in the sense that they serve and protect the rich.  Of course the benefit of the soldier in the regular army is that he is a poor forced by dire necesity and duped by propaganda into risking his life for no money - a much cheaper alternative to the more aware mercenary. 

Aren't most mercenaries utilized by the West former South African whites?

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

That would explain where Richius is...

[??????????]

Blackwater scares the living **** out of me.  We should not be relying on a private firm to this extent for our national security.

Why not? The Brits used the Hessians for years.

How does that discourage his opinion?

It doesn't. I'm just making a passing comment dude.

[Person Man]

The Hessians needed hugs.

Gee...unreliable and kinda spooky. What next?

[Angel of Death]

No new thread about this yet? The Iraqi government wants to kick Blackwater out of the country now. I'd say that's pretty big news, no? Not often that Iraqi sovereignty is being asserted vis-à-vis the Americans.

[MODU]

From what I've been able to read so far, the convoy was attacked and they retaliated, resulting in civilian deaths.  If this turns out not to be the case, then by all means, they should lose their contract and be sent home.  I think everyone here is waiting for the investigation to begin to gleem some facts out of the case.

What I find interesting though is that 8 civilian deaths is enough to cause the ministers to call for Blackwaters expulsion, but hundreds of deaths by the Mahdi Army hasn't resulted in the ministers calling their their expulsion. 

[nlm]

What I find interesting though is that 8 civilian deaths is enough to cause the ministers to call for Blackwaters expulsion, but hundreds of deaths by the Mahdi Army hasn't resulted in the ministers calling their their expulsion. 

In fairness - the complaints against Blackwater go well beyond this. But you do raise a good point about the private armies that many Iraqi members of parliament have. And that takes me back to why I keep calling the estabishment of a centralized American style democracy in Iraq a pipe dream that we are wasting blood and treasure on.

[tik 🪀✨]

Damn it. I thought this thread would be about the Doobie Brothers.