Click image to order bookOf all the insane Bush privatization efforts, none is more frightening than the corporatizing of military combat forces. Jeremy Scahill admirably exposes a devastating example of this sinister scheme.
Michael Moore
On March 31st, 2004, four Americans were set upon by an angry mob of Iraqis in the Sunni stronghold of Fallujah. They were riddled with bullets, burned beyond recognition and two were strung up like charred cattle from a bridge over the Euphrates River. This day marked the unofficial beginning of the Iraqi insurgence and the end of “Mission Accomplished.” These four Americans were not soldiers in the U.S. Army nor were they civilians, but rather highly trained mercenaries from a reclusive private army based in the wilderness of North Carolina.
An army now known to the American people as Blackwater USA.
Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Army tells the story of the creation of one of the most powerful and secretive forces yet to crawl out of the swamp known as the U.S. military-industrial complex. (Ironically, Blackwater started out as a private military training camp located near the black waters of the Great Dismal Swamp of North Carolina). Sounding like it came out of the mind of an over-caffeinated screenwriter, this B-grade Hollywood action film is all too real and its author, Jeremy Scahill shows us a movie that will chill you to the bone.
Blackwater, recently splashed all over the front pages for the indiscriminate killing of 17 Iraqi civilians and the wounding of 22 others, was a My Lai incident waiting to happen. Scahill tells us in riveting detail just how we got to this point. The book is an in-depth expose of a man, Erik Prince, and his company. Blackwater goes inside the war machine to look at the role of this private army as well as inside the minds of the men who reap the benefits from it.
For example, we recently learned that Andrew J. Moonen, a Blackwater mercenary stationed in Iraq got real drunk last Christmas at a party in the Green Zone. He then wandered around shooting off his gun at anything that moved finally killing the personal bodyguard of Iraq’s Vice President. He was quickly shuffled out of the country and the victim’s family was funneled Moonen’s back pay by Blackwater to just go away. But the Blackwater affair will not go away. Currently there is a bureaucratic wrestling match going on between State and Defense as to what do with their bastard stepchild.
We learn that Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater U.S.A, was one of the wealthiest people to ever serve in the elite US Navy SEALS. (His father invented the lighted vanity mirror that you find on your car’s sun visor. He sold it to the auto industry and made a huge fortune.) A major moneyman for George Bush and friends, Prince descends from a conservative Christian dynasty that helped fund the 1994 Republican revolution and the rise of the Bush presidency. All the players are now familiar to us. Blackwater’s vice chairman is Joseph Schmitz, the Bush administration’s former Pentagon Inspector General. Among its top guns is J. Cofer Black, one of the most famous CIA spies in U.S. history. Recently, Bush named Blackwater’s former lawyer Fred Fielding as White House Counsel.
Fifty thousand private mercenaries are in Iraq today. They report to no one but their company heads. They are paid upwards of $1500 a day in some cases. Many have come from death squads and repressive regimes of yesteryear. They are quick on the trigger, have a license to kill and are not afraid to use it according to numerous news reports.
You can watch Blackwater author Jeremy Scahill discuss the rise of the mercenaries here.
At home, Prince commands the largest private army in the United States. This includes some 20,000 men, advanced weaponry, training facilities, military gunships, armored vehicles and assorted aircraft.
Blackwater has openly declared its forces above the law. They have claimed immunity against civilian litigation here in the United States as well as military immunity in Iraq based on order written by one of their first assignments – CPA head L. Paul Bremer.
Eric Prince says that his forces are only “accountable to our country.” And even that depends on who is running it.
Blackwater, now facing numerous lawsuits, has just recently hired infamous attorney Kenneth Starr to represent them on a series of cases that are likely heading to the U.S. Supreme Court.
One of the scariest sections of the book describes Blackwater’s deployment of heavily armed forces into the battered streets of New Orleans following the destruction by Hurricane Katrina. Their troops fanned out through the city to “stop looters” and “confront criminals,” despite not having a contract nor authorization from any government entity.
If you think that was a onetime deal think again. Blackwater recently negotiated with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, among other state governments, to respond to natural disasters. The visual idea of heavily armed Blackwater personnel patrolling through neighborhoods of Los Angeles and San Francisco is truly frightening and surreal.
Up until their recent media setback, Blackwater has been full speed ahead on their plans to become international guns for hire. Sudan is a goal. Jordan is a reality. The Caspian Sea is already part of their history.
Erik Prince has a division of Blackwater in search of contracts for providing military and espionage-type intelligence. This could get real messy.
What’s next? Privatizing the CIA? You guessed it.
Prince claims that he would only follow the foreign policy of the United States in overseas conflicts. Critics see this as a smokescreen. It just might depend on who is making that foreign policy. They have been called the Praetorian Guard for the Bush administration. But if Democrats retake the White House in 2008 and cancel Blackwater’s contracts some feel this right wing Christian militia will simply align themselves with American corporations as their private muscle.
Now even you, the CrooksandLiars reader, can invade foreign countries, kill with impunity and make tons of dough. That’s right you! Get off the couch. Apply to be a Blackwater mercenary TODAY!
Blackwater
The Rise Of The World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army
By
Jeremy Scahill
Nation Books
452 pages
A screenwriter/producer/journalist based in Hollywood, California, Mark Groubert is the Senior Film and Book Reviewer for CrooksandLiars.com. As a filmmaker he has produced numerous documentaries for HBO. Groubert is also the former editor of National Lampoon Magazine, MTV Magazine and The Weekly World News. In addition, he has written for the L.A. Weekly, L.A. City Beat, Penthouse, High Times and other publications. He is currently at work on his memoirs…or so he says.
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And people used to worry about Chinese tanks rolling down their streets.
Breaking: SCHIP has passed again, and Bush has once again vowed to continue his War On Sick Children (the only war he’s capable of winning apparently).
All this chat about who started the fires near San Diego.
Where does Blackwater want to set up the brownshirt camp?
Potrero, CA.
Hmm.
I saw the author interviewed several times a few weeks ago and almost every word he spoke gave me chills. I hope he has a band of body guards around him everywhere he goes.
At one point during one of the shows, they interviewed someone near where blackwater is located and this man said that up until the time the Iraq was was about to begin, blackwater was about to go into bankruptcy.
I knew in 2004 that the four were gun-toting mercenaries, but I didn’t know they were some of Blackwater’s terrorists.
They were probably doing the same crap that got them in trouble this time (vis a vis, killing civilians without provocation) but on that occasion, they got caught.
Keidsl. I’m so glad it passed again and let bush veto it until he turns blue. Make him show over and over what a heartless bastard he really is. Maybe congress will say no to his recent request for war money. If the kids can’t have health care, then he can’t keep his war going.
Hell, if blackwater leaves Iraq, think of all the money we’ll save. And if blackwater has to be replaced, that would look to me like we aren’t making as much progress in Iraq as the administration claims.
Review: Blackwater: The Rise of The World’s Most Powerful Mercernary Army by Jeremy Scahill
He spelled “Anti-American, Right-wing, Terrorist Army” wrong
Hell, if blackwater leaves Iraq, think of all the money we’ll save. And if blackwater has to be replaced, that would look to me like we aren’t making as much progress in Iraq as the administration claims.
-pissed off patricia
Hell, if Blackwater leaves Iraq, think of who is going to be walking down Main Street USA.
The story goes that the four blackwater guys who were killed and burned, were sent into the town by blackwater officials with no map and without enough defense equipment. That’s what their families are claiming. Seems they were supposed to deliver some kitchen equipment like pots and pans or something.
Blackwater….Booshs very own SS….
Dan, I don’t want to think about that because the nightmares that could produce, both imagined and real, are just too frightening.
Keidsl @ 2:
I don’t know if anyone saw it but A repug rep after the vote had a rebuttal…he brought a huge picture of a fetus up to the podium and basically started calling dems baby killers over the schip vote…
dude was actually crying near the end…happened about 1/2 hour ago…
Four Blackwater terrorists walk into a bar…
Can’t wait till these freaks come home from Iraq and REAL American vets kick their asses.
Andy @ 12:
So let me see if I understand this: funding health care for children will harm children? What fucking planet do these 20%ers live on, cus it ain’t Earth?
Andy, did the men in white coats usher the crying Repub away? Man, I wish you knew his name and where he is from. That guy needs some help.
The use of mercenaries by the US government is wrong on so many different levels:
1) The use of military force needs to be firmly under the control of the government.
2) By creating a market for highly-trained military people, the government is essentially weakening the military by encouraging soldiers to obtain the training and then leave to work for the mercenary companies.
3) As with other outsourced services, the cost could easily be expected to go up since there has to be some profit skimmed off the top.
4) The mercenaries will never be as reliable as regular members of the armed forces. If the going gets tough, the mercs can always hightail it with very little consequences.
5) Who are the mercenaries going to be loyal to and for how long?
pissed off patricia @ 15:
He’s been on tweety before…I was watching and the camera didn’t pan back until the end and I was thinking that better not be a picture of a fetus and sure as sheet it was….a 3 foot by 5 foot painting of a giant embryo…I think he was pissed at the provision about covering pregnant mothers,,,,
black·wa·ter
Function: noun
Definition: any of several diseases (as blackwater fever or Texas fever) characterized by dark-colored urine
Ill try to use my word carefully without drawing conclusions that might sound tin foil hatish but, We do need to be concerned here in America about black water, dyncorp, Wackenhu and others like this. War is a raquet. This war is not to end but to be sustained. Read history get informed people. Don’t fall for the “left” foot, “right” foot.
I would look into some of claims of TFhaters.
The military industrial complex
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IetpD63lhk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHDEM5iqDxk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZX1odzHdAo
Andy @ 12:
I guess bringing a fetus and cry about it is like the Chewbakka defense to the GOP.
So if we do away with abortions this will help us have less kids who have no insurance and decent health care? What the hell does one have to do with the other? This guy sounds like some miserable desperate guy who has massive issues.
I would bet PAT TILLMAN had a different view of these guys than we do.
pissed off patricia @ 21:
I know it’s off topic but he claimed to be some big childrens advocate…On tweety he was mega pro war also…..I think his name was Frank. I was half watching…maybe C&L could get the clip…it was friggin weird.
What sort of person goes to work for Blackwater anyhow? I am picturing squinty-eyed, pinheaded Southern folks w/the Deliverance theme song playing in the background…
I just finished reading Blackwater yesterday, and if there is any book that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, this is it. It paints a very dire picture of what happens when politics, deregulation and religion come together at a (to use another book title) tipping point in our history. I am seriously afraid that this country has taken one too many steps down the empire path. In fact I feel like I’m sitting in Rome and hearing that the Huns are on the way.
Scahill was also on On Point this morning. Definitely a podcast worth listening to.
Dr. Who @ 18:
Also.
Black water is the nickname of (bad crap filled water) in a sewer system.
Black water is also a name given to (I believe) Japanese Ninja Mercenaries who would take over small Japanese towns and other areas. I’m trying to source this but I think that it is factual.
just did a blog post yesterday on fear tactics by Fox and included the books of blackwater and others, and listed many of the companies (besides them) who have profited in the billions off this war
http://politicaldiscontent.blo.....scare.html
as for the warped usage of abortions in the topic, a while back Max Blumenthal did one of his great infiltrations of the enemy’s camp, and we had on video Tom Delay making some really warped comments about abortion and the military.. it was just insane.. i added the vid to youtube a long time ago
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3inspkrGVbw
is it funny or frightening how warped this country has become in their thinking? or both? I’m not sure.. but it’s an uncomfortable feeling to have people out there that think like this.
“I feel like I’m sitting in Rome and hearing that the Huns are on the way.”
Bogel of Vanguard Funds said the same thing on Moyers….there are many parallels…do a goog search on the fall of rome.
also, I have to say I’m a bit surprised to see the book being promoted here now, when it’s been out for such a long time, hell i’ve had it listed on my blog for what seems like a yr.. maybe not that long, but still !
tjb @ 22:
dan @ 13:
Yeah. I predict much trouble for blackwater here at home. Those with extended deployments that have to fight tooth and nail for vet benefits and are denied the GI bill… well, the might be JUST a LITTLE resentful at these cowboy assholes not only fucking up ALL of their hard work in Iraq, but getting paid $1500 a day for it.
Personally I think Tillman would pound the living hell out of anyone like this that puts cash so far ahead of country. He didn’t join up for the money, that’s for sure.
I could be wrong. A lot of those blackwater guys are ex-marine and ex-army. I’m sure some young military punks look up to them just because they get paid a lot. But if “Four blackwater terrorists walk into a bar…”
DUCK!
There may be some scary constitutional implications here.
Here’s the 2nd amendment to the US Constitution:
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
It’s ambiguous, unclear and very badly worded, but this sentence is the basis of broad claims by gun advocates that any American citizen has the right to own and use lethal firearms.
What if the hard Right and the NRA, in their devious wisdom, were to assert that Blackwater is a “well-regulated militia”, and therefore constitutionally protected from being disarmed or disbanded? Think about it. It’s not a stretch. The word “militia” can mean many things. No reason it can’t apply to a private, for-profit army like Blackwater, which is more plausibly a militia than Joe Sixpack the citizen gun-owner.
The 2nd Amendment, as written, may provide the basis for constitutional protection of mercenary armies.
Jeremy’s one of the best reporters in the country
Four Blackwater terrorists walk into a bar…
Can’t wait till these freaks come home from Iraq and REAL American vets kick their asses.
Dan,
what the hell are you saying? most if not all these guys were x military men that saw the opportunity to make $30,000 to $100,000 per month with blackwater and bring home some big bucks to their families, so after their duty to the military they decided to go with blackwater… it is their leaders i would assume that turned them into animals, much as our military is except it goes further with blackwater.
we are a nation mostly of human beings and kind people. our military are trained to be cut throat warriors in order to save themselves.. it’s true.. in order to save their own lives in war the military teaches them to toughen up and not give a damn about pulling that trigger and hurting another human being.. the longer they are in the military the more cold blooded they become..
for those who moved onto blackwater just picture it, first they had the training to be cold blooded and unemotional to other human beings, then at blackwater they are trained to believe they are above the law and answer to no one, their soul priority is
to accomplish a mission..
i try to see every side of any issue and these are guys who were toughened up, super toughened up, and brainwashed.
and we do have a lot of military coming back either violent and/or mental disorders who need help.. they say it’s in the 100’s of thousands and a long waiting list for these guys to get mental help, who have seeked out help..
then there are the suicides that no one in the media exposes or discusses.
Scahill’s Blackwater book was not fun to read, but it was definitely necessary. Please wear your vest when out in public (or sitting near windows), Jeremy, we need to keep you around.
We need to keep jamming the S CHIP up Bush’s ass until he bleeds to death or passes it. It’s the least we can do for the kids (and, not so incidentally, our own futures).
Andy @ 28:
Well, now I have another book to read! Thanks for the lead. I found this on Bill Moyers’ site. Fascinating listen….I’ve got it playing now.
BJ @ 33:
I’m sorry but… these are adult men and women, Dan. You act as if they have no choice! They do. One chooses to join the army. Then one might choose to join a mercenary squad.
Are you fighting for your country?
Or are you simply killing for profit?
There’s a big difference, and it looks like it would have been VERY clear to anyone joining blackwater that they were no good mercs. Honest men and women do not and should not follow evil orders. The same applies (or more so!) to joining mercenary death squads.
Gossip spreads. There is NO way that blackwater employees were completely unaware of civilian murders, not to mention the direct (illegal) offensive action by blackwater, rather than the defensive only that they were contracted for. At that very point you are staying in the company of murders and thieves just because you get a split of the loot. It is a simple choice.
Sorry, I have much love and admiration for our regular military, and nothing but contempt for mercenaries that put profit ahead of my country. Fuck them.
To say that money worshiping mercs are exactly the same as our troops (who are of course still interested in adventure and a paycheck as well as patriotic duty) is wrong in my opinion.
So when Cheney declares martial law, if the military refuses to comply, Blackwater steps in. Well, there goes my last hope of freedom. How much is airfare to Canada?
Powkat @ 37:
I wouldn’t worry about that, with a worthless dollar… mercs will do diddly squat.
Powkat @ 37:
Bush administration’s Transport Security Administration has proposed new rules that will require Americans to get government permission 72 hours in advance prior to being allowed to board a domestic flight.
Better hurry
Well, then time to join the Resistance. Vive la liberte!