Posted on 10/12/2007 7:20:43 AM PDT by freedomdefender
Blackwater USA guards shot at Iraqi civilians as they tried to drive away from a Baghdad square on Sept. 16, according to a report compiled by the first U.S. soldiers to arrive at the scene, where they found no evidence that Iraqis had fired weapons.
"It appeared to me they were fleeing the scene when they were engaged. It had every indication of an excessive shooting," said Lt. Col. Mike Tarsa, whose soldiers reached Nisoor Square 20 to 25 minutes after the gunfire subsided. His soldiers' report -- based upon their observations at the scene, eyewitness interviews and discussions with Iraqi police -- concluded that there was "no enemy activity involved" and described the shootings as a "criminal event." Their conclusions mirrored those reached by the Iraqi government, which has said the Blackwater guards killed 17 people.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Critical “reporting” on the Pres, the VP, the Generals, US soldiers, Halliburton, Blackwater, Iraqi soldiers, police, and government.
But Sadr, criminals, terrorists, Islamic Cult leaders, Iran, are all WINNERS, brave, tactically brilliant, persistent, adaptable, persuasive, and victorious!
First off there are good and bad troops in Levis or BDU’s in country.
That said .....
Everyone here is outraged by what they read vs what happened. ONE (1) contractor was firing wildly into the crowd and was forced to stop by other contractors after an IED attack /ambush they couldn’t drive out of. That individual as well as his employer will pay if the investigation finds he committed a criminal act. I’m sure he will be punished if the investigation finds he screwed the pooch per se.....
If found guilty then this was no less than any other lone whack job that slipped thru the background checks and committed a CRIME in a combat zone be they DOD or under Dept of State contract security.... Be the criminal act conducted by an active duty serviceman or a veteran working for a civilian contractor tasked with moving non combatants thru hostile areas to contribute to the common mission.
I challenge anyone here ranting about wannabes to get a TRY and get a job with blackwater or any other gun for hire contractor right now. So called rambo wannabes are weeded out fast in a three part process....background / resume experience check. Physical Fitness and personal interviews by established professionals with Spec op or SF bonefides. And his or her coworkers / instructors in training that can 99% of the time smell BS a mile away.
DOD is paying big bonuses to keep experienced combat arms specialties, Spec Ops, SF, Intel, EOD, language specialists etc etc
Contractors are paying almost 700$ to 1500$ a day in some cases depending on threat, mission and area etc . A young troop at the end of his initial enlistment or an older retired veteran with the skills desired and still fit and functional will go for the money more times than not per my experience.
Bottom line....they are all veterans of DOD or LEO world pretty much. I treat veterans with the respect they deserve until proven otherwise.
If this guy is found guilty punish him to full extent....
Check your link - it's THE WASHINGTON POST, and the last I heard they were not a branch of the Armed Services.
You can believe every piece of crap that falls off their desk, but don"t expect everyone else to without independent confirmation.
WAPO is known for their lies, and you're swearing by 'em. Ouch.
Given Blackwater’s record to the date of these two incidents being discussed, I’ll continue to give them the benefit of doubt until something conclusive says I should do otherwise.
We’ve been down this road how many times now in five years, folks?
As for the Lt’s comments....curious the Pentagon is trotting him out for the media given the investigation is ongoing.
Allegra, is the supposition by the poster above accurate?"
Thanks!
That is absolutely TRUE.
Actually, the other private security companies here despise Blackwater as well. Most of the other PSCs are OK. I've done a lot of dealing with a lot of them as head of security contracts back in '05 and again in later '06 on two different missions.
Most of Blackwater employees are ex US military. The company does a vital job providing security in Iraq. I am sure that they face some very dangerous situations as they go about their work every day. That being said if any Blackwater employee is guilty of excessive force and has killed for no valid reason then he must be punished in a US court. This has nothing to do with President Bush. If anything those who try to defend the actions of Blackwater employees during this event are only acting our of frustration about the MSM and how it is portraying the war in Iraq.
>>>And if they break their pledge..... Well, they might get fired, or not.
Depending on the degree of pledge break, they can be arrested and prosecuted.
>>>Which is a rather different situation from what would happen if an American soldier failed to follow the ROE.
What is the difference? I don’t know it.
>>>But I think such companies are much more likely to have a higher concentration of aggressive “soldiers” than a military unit, and I think that increases the likelihood that there will be problems.
No, I don’t deny the remarks about security companies in general. Matter of fact, I have an extensive thread on private security firms on FR (looking for link now).
BlackWaterUSA has those checks and balances in place and works very closely with our government in and outside of the MidEast.
Now it’s two different Blackwater incidents on 9/16. It’ll take a while to sort it all out.
Those Blackwater guys sound like they’re spread too thin, maybe makes them a little too trigger-happy. And lack of accountability to U.S. military command is not good.
>>>Matter of fact, I have an extensive thread on private security firms on FR (looking for link now).
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1483299/posts
Armed and Dangerous: Private Police on the March
I don’t know or understand legal; but the judge advocates that work with them do.
bttt
You across the street from MVM Compound ?
Check FReepmail.
So the military is ratting out the civilian rent-a-soldiers?
This should go over well and is probably the start of a rivalry and power struggle...
Notice throughout this war the often used law enforcement type terminology? Bad shoot, excessive shooting, brutality, prisoner rights, with the never ending video of people kicking down doors on dusty ghetto like streets?
This is much more a large police action than what could be described as a "war".
If anyone would know I knew it was you.
Thanks!
you got that right. the new attack victim of choice.
That is the problem, thanks to the downsizing of our Military and the theft of our security dollars for the socialists "Peace Dividend".
That’s your right but he didn’t arrive on the scene until 25 minutes after the incident happened.
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