Sinking in a Swamp Full of Blackwater

The New York Times ^ | October 3, 2007 | MAUREEN DOWD

[sinclair]

“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster,” Nietzsche said. “And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”

We’re gazing into the abyss all right, and Blackwater is gazing back.

Besides having an army for hire, brave kids who are paid to fight so that most Americans are not personally touched by war, we have the real mercenaries. And they’re a spooky cadre, careening outside the laws of Iraq, the United States and the military.

President Bush continues to preach that we must defeat the “dark ideology” of extremists with “a more hopeful vision.”

But the compromises W. makes to slog on in Iraq, be it with warlords, dictators or out-of-control contractors, are spreading a dark stain on America’s image.

“Blackwater appears to have fostered a culture of shoot first and sometimes kill, and then ask the questions,” said Representative Elijah Cummings, a Democrat, yesterday at a House hearing.

[sinclair]

"The Blackwater desperados are a sinister symbol of how little progress we’ve made in Iraq, that V.I.P.’s — or “packages,” as the contractors call them — can’t make a move in the country without the high-priced hired guns of the State Department."

Obviously Maureen sitting in her ivory tower there in Manhattan hadn't noticed that all of the very rich or politically powerful people just about everywhere in the world hire bodyguards. Even B. J. Clinton (the most beloved person in the world if you listen to some) took along 20 security people to England of all places.

[r9etb]

Rules is rules....

[usmcobra]

Anyone that quotes Nietzsche is part of the abyss.

[bill1952]

Maureen prefers her Blackwater men to look like this:

Sorry Mo, never again

and we have NOT forgotten - you bitch.

[sinclair]

Thank you. Thank you very much.

[weegee]

These are Blackwater contractors hanging from a bridge.

Warcrime much?

The media expresses selective outrage.

[SmithL]

I liked it when we were expected to pay the Slimes money to be exposed to MoDo. Oh well, at least the rules are being followed.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Where’s the SUPER SIZED Barf Alert?

[Piquaboy]

I had not heard or read anything that itch had wrote in a long time and now I see that she is still as stupid as always.

[sinclair]

One of the reasons for Free Republics existence is to expose and discredit this sort of crud to those that would not normally find it.

The images of CZ-J are just the icing on the cake. ;^)

[SmithL]

I'll see your MoDo Blackwater bilgewater and raise you a Morfordite: MORFORD: Britney Spears sucks Blackwater.

[Leisler]

Moreen Dowd(y), expert on all things everywhere. Think of her as a female (source needed) Tommy Friedman.

New York is full of actual experts. Why waste paper with these nitwits? Because it isn’t about reality, it is about the narrative, the story. Friedman, Dowd, the New York Times in general is about fundamental myths for a peculiar sub set of Americans and others.

“All the News Fit to Print” should be changed to “Get Your Daily Zeitgeist Assured Here.”

[sauropod]

Bite me, MoDo.

[Safetgiver]

Like the man said “Arresting a man for murder over there is like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500”. Kill ‘em. Kill ‘em all if you have to.

[Trailerpark Badass]

He and his father both have close ties to conservative Christian groups. His sister was a Pioneer for W., raising $100,000 in 2004, and Erik Prince has given more than $225,000 to Republicans.

Blackwater, in turn, has been the beneficiary of $1 billion in federal contracts, including a no-bid contract with the State Department worth hundreds of millions.

LOL, it's scandal that Blackwater wasn't forced to bid against all the private security firms with liberal, atheist ties.

[sinclair]

"Bite me, MoDo."

Ooooh, brevity the soul of wit! Love it.

[Billthedrill]

LOL! Many thanks, I think. Heck of a note when Morford makes more sense than Dowd.

[massgopguy]

Hey MODO, drinking Doubles don’t make it a party.

[massgopguy]

Howard Johnson in Blazing Saddle is constantly quoting Nietzche until the people of Rock Ridge finally tell him to the shut up.

[steve8714]

A little more oil would have been nice...