Must Read: The Families of Four Contractors Killed in Iraq Sue Blackwater
I don't have time to post excerpts from this Democracy Now interview and Nation article about the families of four security contractors killed in Fallujah who are suing the company Blackwater, but they are must reads. Read them when you have time because there are many layers to this story and lawsuit:
This month marks the two-year anniversary of the first US siege of Fallujah, in which at least 600 Iraqis were killed. The U.S. attack was sparked by the gruesome killing of four private contractors inside Fallujah.
The men were working for Blackwater USA, one of the biggest security firms operating in Iraq.
Altogether an estimated 20,000 non-Iraqi civilian contractors are now working for the United States inside Iraq. About 6,000 of these are security contractors.
According to Department of Labor statistics, at least 425 U.S. civilians have died in Iraq including at least 22 Blackwater contractors.
These men and women are never included in the death tolls provided by the Pentagon or reported on in the media.
While the Iraq war has helped the company Blackwater USA see its profits soar, the company is facing a major battle here at home - this time in court.
The families of the four men killed at Fallujah have filed a lawsuit charging the company with wrongful death. Blackwater has fought to have the case dismissed by claiming that all liability lies not with the company but the U.S. government.
posted by storiesinamerica @ 1:46 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
This should be all over the place. Guess what? I haven't seen it anywhere. I'm sure it'll beon Fox tonight.
Here's more from think progress:
The Bush administration has shown itself more than willing to call in Blackwater in place of U.S. troops.
In Aug. 2003, the Bush administration awarded Blackwater a $21.3 million contract to guard then Amb. Paul Bremer. The average senior special operations officer makes $50,000 a year from the U.S. government. Employees in private security firms in Iraq often make more than $1,000 a day from government contracts. This arrangement is “depleting the ranks of the special forces,” luring them into lucrative private jobs.
Some military analysts initially welcomed the administration’s private security arrangement with Blackwater because it allowed “regular military troops to concentrate on fighting.” But Blackwater’s new proposal would shift some of the fighting to the private sector, further diminishing the role of the all-volunteer army.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/30/blackwater-army/
So how will timmy defend blackwater?
I haven't looked into this beyond what's posted here by Rose and "Bush supports the troops" comment above, but I certainly don't feel much sympathy for the military if they don't want to match Blackwater's offer. I'm glad to see those special forces guys get the chance to use some good old fashioned free market competition to their advantage.
Soldiers of fortune, America now needs them badly to fight their conflicts around the world, rather it may be president Bush or a new preseident of the US these are the only soldiers that can and will finish the job that needs to be done on time.
United States better wake up and get their military on line to fight the right kind of war with the right equipment and their Politicians needs to stay out of the Generals who are trying to fight that war or the Soldiers of fortunes will have to be used with a cost of the United States Government.
Post a Comment
<< Home