Can Iraq (or Anyone) Hold Blackwater Accountable for Killing Iraqi Civilians? + Jeremy Scahill, author of “Blackwater” + Iraq for Sale bonus scene: Blackwater (links; video)

Dandelion Salad

Democracy Now!
Tuesday, September 18th, 2007

Can Iraq (or Anyone) Hold Blackwater Accountable for Killing Iraqi Civilians? A Debate On the Role of Private Contractors in Iraq

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As the Iraq government expels Blackwater over the killing of 11 Iraqi civilians, Jeremy Scahill, author of “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army,” debates Doug Brooks, president of International Peace Operations Association, a trade group for the private security industry.

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The Bush administration is trying to stop the Iraqi government from banning the private military firm Blackwater. Iraqi officials say they’ve revoked Blackwater’s license over a deadly shooting that killed up to eleven civilians. Witnesses say Blackwater guards fired indiscriminately after a car bomb exploded near their convoy. Blackwater is denying wrongdoing and says it guards properly responded to an ambush from insurgents. But Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani called the shootings: “a big crime that we can’t be silent about.”U.S. officials have already gone into overdrive to prevent the move. On Monday, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice telephoned Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Malaki and vowed an investigation. But the Iraqi government appears to be holding ground. Earlier today Iraq Maliki’s cabinet said it supports the ban and will review the legal status of all private military companies working in Iraq.The shootout is only Blackwater’s latest controversy in Iraq. The North Carolina-based firm operates under a multi-million dollar contract to protect U.S. officials and facilities. It’s been allowed close to free reign under a murky legal environment that offers little to no oversight over its operations.The author and independent journalist Jeremy Scahill has been closely following Blackwater. He is the author of the New York Times best-seller “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army.” Jeremy joins me in the firehouse studio.And joining me from Washington, DC is Doug Brooks. He is President of International Peace Operations Association, a trade group for the private security industry. Blackwater is a founding member.

• Doug Brooks, President of the International Peace Operations Association. Blackwater is a founding member of the IPAO.
• Jeremy Scahill, Independent journalist, Democracy Now correspondent, author of “Blackwater: the Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army.”

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Jeremy Scahill, author of “Blackwater”

resurgent1 Jeremy Scahill, author of “Blackwater…

Jeremy Scahill, author of “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army,” appeared on CNN and blasted BushCo. for fostering this private militia mentality because he wasn’t able to build an international coalition to invade Iraq.

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Iraq for Sale bonus scene: Blackwater

Iraq for Sale

9/1/2006

LINK

h/t: Glenn-O

see:

An In-Depth Look at Blackwater (The Largest Minority)

US security firm Blackwater banned from Iraq h/t: Glenn-O

What happens to private contractors who kill Iraqis? Maybe nothing h/t: Antiwar.com