Posted on 04/05/2008 6:29:17 PM PDT by Abathar
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. State Department's renewal of Blackwater's contract to provide security in Iraq "is bad news," an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said.
Blackwater guards shot and killed 17 people, including women and children, last September, prompting an outcry and protest from Iraqi officials.
"This is bad news," al-Maliki adviser Sami al-Askari said. "I personally am not happy with this, especially because they have committed acts of aggression, killed Iraqis, and this has not been resolved yet positively for families of victims."
About 25,000 private contractors from three companies protect diplomats, reconstruction workers and government officials in Iraq. Under a provision put into place in the early days of the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq, security contractors have immunity from Iraqi prosecution. Video Watch Iraqis express anger over the announcement »
Al-Askari said he would push for the Iraqi government to contest the contract renewal.
"The U.S. government has the right to choose what contractors it chooses, but Iraq should also have the right to allow or ban certain contractors from operating on its territory," he said.
Al-Askari said there is a general mood of displeasure within the Iraqi government because of the contract renewal.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said a joint Iraqi-U.S. commission was set up after the shootings, and Iraqis told U.S. officials that the rules of engagement and use of force must be changed.
As a result, a State Department security officer accompanies every convoy manned by contractors, Al-Dabbagh said, and every vehicle is outfitted with a security camera. Recordings from the camera are sent to a command center.
Al-Dabbagh said the Iraqi government still wants Blackwater to come under the jurisdiction of Iraqi law and its courts.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Get over it. Blackwater isdoing what the Iraqies can’t do.
I agree completely.
They finally reach the point were we don’t have to wipe their a** for them and now they act like this.
I have never actually seen any evidence or proof of this. I guess I could have missed it. There seemed to be all sorts of conflicting reports, but never a resolution.
I come at this from the perspective that I think the Blackwater people are pretty professional and not generally inclined to just lose it and slaughter civilians for the heck of it.
Yep, what you said.
re: Iraqis told U.S. officials that the rules of engagement and use of force must be changed
Yes, and U.S. officials told the Iraqis that they are going to have to carry more of their own load. Sounds like a standoff to me!
Bad news for insurgents.
Blackwater in Iraq is contolled, managed and supervised by the US State Dept. They are an extension of the State Dept.
The State Dept is responsible for their rules of engagement and any of the Blackwater people who violate their standards can be fired immediately and sent home.
Blackwater cannot be the bad guy. The people at State are so shiftless that they refuse to own up to their responsiblity for any problems. I guess that is what you expect from these lace panty cookie pushers.
I agree. "After" the war is over.
Until then, its a war zone. Blackwater's job is to get their clients safely from point A to point B alive and well. If they do that, they've done their job. If they make a mess of it, State can terminate their contract. State doesn't seem to be in any hurry to terminate them, or to replace them with any of the other contractors out there.
There is a reason for that. Their own lives are on the line, and they want to get where they are going in one piece. Obviously, they trust Blackwater, regardless of what the press, and rogue congressmen may have to say about it. They see Blackwater as their best shot at making it to the end of their tour alive. When thats no longer true, Blackwater will be gone, and that will be that.
Translation: I wanted to bump off some of Blackwater's clients, but they're better at it than we are.
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