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Palestinian leader wants Blackwater to take over his security detail[Abbas]
World Tribune ^ | 19 Feb 2008 | World Tribune

Posted on 02/24/2008 10:15:44 AM PST by BGHater

RAMALLAH — Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas plans to replace his security detail with those trained by the United States.

PA sources said Abbas has been discussing the replacement of his personal security force with the Bush administration. They said the PA chairman wants a U.S. contractor to train his bodyguards in Western techniques and in the use of advanced equipment.

"Abu Mazen [Abbas] was very impressed by the security around President [George] Bush during his visit to Ramallah [in January 2008]," a PA source said. "Abbas has already discussed this with senior U.S. officials."

The sources said Abbas, opposed by several senior members of his Fatah movement, has contacted Blackwater USA, a key contractor in Iraq, for the training of a new bodyguard unit. They said Blackwater has quietly been examining the Presidential Guard and Force 17, the two units responsible for Abbas's protection.

"Force 17 has no loyalty to Abbas," the source said. "They are all Arafat's people and this makes Abbas uncomfortable. He does not feel they will protect him."

The sources said the introduction of Blackwater has alarmed PA security officials. They said senior officers sent to retirement have not been replaced and expressed concern that Blackwater would be responsible for all recruitment, training and equipping of presidential security.

So far, Blackwater has not signed a contract with the PA, the sources said. But they said U.S. officials responsible for enhancing PA security support the employment of Blackwater as a means to significantly bolster Palestinian capabilities.

The United States, as part of an $86 million program, has been financing the training and equipping of PA forces. In January, a battalion of PA National Security Force officers was sent for training to a U.S.-financed police center outside Amman. The center trained more than 30,000 Iraqi police officers from 2004 through 2007.

"Abbas likes the U.S. approach to VIP security, which is unobtrusive, quiet and highly professional," a Western security source said.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel
KEYWORDS: abbas; blackwater; palestinian; security
PA actually wants Blackwater Trained guards as his security, not Blackwater themselves. But it is interesting.
1 posted on 02/24/2008 10:15:46 AM PST by BGHater
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To: BGHater

Since we have lost most of our export businesses over the past several decades, is this a new one now opening up? Training Arab terrorists to do a better job of bringing down the West?


2 posted on 02/24/2008 10:19:14 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: BGHater
Hey All LURKING DUmmies!

How ya like them apples?

PS - Don't forget to read up on the latest about St. Pancake! Apparently she's a terrorist enabler too!

3 posted on 02/24/2008 10:20:08 AM PST by IllumiNaughtyByNature (Hillary Clinton - It's OBAMAS Party and She'll Cry if She Wants to?)
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To: BGHater
it is interesting that it takes those outside the US to appreciate the outstanding and professional work done by Blackwater in their field of expertise.

Go Blackwater!!!

4 posted on 02/24/2008 10:21:11 AM PST by elpadre
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To: BGHater

Funny thing about this: Blackwater starts with former spec ops, Rangers, MP’s, etc., and build their PST skills from there.

Something tells me ANY arab/muzzie security detail won’t have the type of background necessary for Blackwater’s training to take hold. The terrorists that Blackwater would be ‘training’ are not good at protecting something, they only know how blow stuff up.


5 posted on 02/24/2008 10:26:24 AM PST by SFC Chromey (We are at war with Islamofascists inside and outside our borders, now ACT LIKE IT!)
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To: IllumiNaughtyByNature

Who is St Pancake please?

Thanks


6 posted on 02/24/2008 10:29:07 AM PST by moonhawk (Fear and Loathing in '08: Hunter/Thompson)
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To: BGHater

Well heck - even these friendly terrorists know a good quality thing when they see it.


7 posted on 02/24/2008 10:30:18 AM PST by prophetic
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To: moonhawk
Rachel Corrie The parton saint of all DUmmies everywhere. It is coming out that it was another fauxtography episode and that she was blocking a tunnel to a smuggled weapons bunker and not a residential house.
8 posted on 02/24/2008 10:32:47 AM PST by IllumiNaughtyByNature (Hillary Clinton - It's OBAMAS Party and She'll Cry if She Wants to?)
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To: BGHater

I talked to a young man who did 1-1/2 yrs. of Blackwater work in Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s now a police officer. I felt very safe while I was in his presence. Dick Cheney did too. I’ll bet even Nancy Pelosi did, while she was over there.


9 posted on 02/24/2008 10:48:03 AM PST by Clara Lou (This is how it is this election cycle: Choose your poison.)
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To: BGHater

Well this Abbas is the one that the US wants to entrust with $100’s of millions of our tax dollars and yet this fat fraud cannot trust his own country men to secure his fat azz? Jeez we gotta pay to keep him alive...when will this cease to be a stupid parody...

Go Condi, out the door and down the sewer you idiot!


10 posted on 02/24/2008 11:03:11 AM PST by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: IllumiNaughtyByNature

Gotcha—thanks.


11 posted on 02/24/2008 2:15:55 PM PST by moonhawk (Fear and Loathing in '08: Hunter/Thompson)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]

----------------------------

12 posted on 02/24/2008 9:20:07 PM PST by SJackson (If 45 million children had lived, they'd be defending America, filling jobs, paying SS-Z. Miller)
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To: BGHater

The so-called PA should go f itself.


13 posted on 02/24/2008 9:57:41 PM PST by onedoug
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