Blackwater lives on

[Scimitar]

Sorry gents if this has already been posted, been out of the loop a bit with a hectic contract.

Not a surprising outcome really, unfortunately

[URL="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24545049/"]

Blackwater unlikely to face charges in Iraq case
But security contractor employees still could be indicted in civilian killings

WASHINGTON - Blackwater Worldwide, the security contractor blamed by an angry Iraqi government for the shooting deaths of 17 civilians, is not expected to face criminal charges — all but ensuring the company will keep its multimillion-dollar contract to protect U.S. diplomats.
Instead, the 7-month-old Justice Department investigation is focused on as few as three or four Blackwater guards who could be indicted in the Sept. 16 shootings, according to interviews with a half-dozen people close to the investigation.
The final decision on any charges will not be made until late summer at the earliest, a law enforcement official said. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.

The State Department publicly raised the question of Blackwater's corporate liability last month when it extended the company's contract by one year. The contract could still be canceled if criminal charges are brought, but the department said it was unlikely to penalize the corporation if only its employees were charged.
"I think that's really what the FBI investigation needs to look at: Is the company culpable or are the individuals culpable?" Greg Starr, the department's top security officer, said last month.
Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd declined to comment.
Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said, "If it is determined that there are any individuals who need to be held accountable, we support that."
Gunfire at Nisoor Square
The shootings began when a Blackwater convoy, which was responding to a Baghdad car bombing, entered the Nisoor Square traffic circle. Blackwater says the convoy was ambushed by insurgents, touching off a firefight. Iraqi witnesses, however, described an unprovoked attack in which security guards fired indiscriminately, killing motorists, bystanders and children in the square.
The shooting enraged the Iraqi government, which originally sought to expel the company from the country, and strained diplomatic relations between Washington and Baghdad. The shooting also raised questions at home and abroad about the U.S. reliance on heavily armed private contractors in war zones. With nearly 1,000 personnel working in Iraq, Blackwater is the largest State Department security contractor; critics have compared its guards to mercenaries.
Since the shooting, Blackwater has come to symbolize the legal gray area in which such security contractors operate. Iraqi officials wanted to charge Blackwater guards in Baghdad, but U.S. contractors are immune from prosecution in Iraqi courts. U.S. prosecutors believe they have jurisdiction to bring a case in Washington, but that's an untested legal theory.
Secret grand jury interviews
This week, the Justice Department continued its secret grand jury interviews in the case with the testimony of a U.S. military official. An estimated 40 witnesses have so far been brought before the grand jury in Washington, including Blackwater security guards and company managers. Iraqi witnesses also are expected to testify in coming months, according to people close to the case.
Companies are sometimes charged for the wrongdoing of their employees, but the standard is high. Prosecutors must prove that the corporation — not just the employees — intended to break the law. One recent example is Chiquita Brands International, which was fined $25 million after admitting it paid Colombian terrorists to protect its most profitable banana-growing operation.
"The law tries to get at the idea of moral responsibility," said longtime Washington corporate lawyer Thomas F. Cullen. "To be morally responsible for someone else's criminal act, you need to be somehow involved in their criminal intent. Did you direct it?"
Blackwater could still face charges if, for example, prosecutors conclude the company lied to investigators, destroyed documents or obstructed the probe. Blackwater says it is fully cooperating with the Justice Department. The Department gives credit for such cooperation when deciding whether to bring charges.
Court battles ensue
Even if Blackwater avoids prosecution for the shooting, its legal problems will continue.
Families of the Nisoor Square victims are suing Blackwater under a wrongful death claim in civil court. The lawsuit does not specify how much money they are seeking from Blackwater, its 11 subsidiaries and founder, Erik Prince, all of whom are named as defendants. The standard of proof needed to win is lower in civil cases than in criminal cases, which require proof beyond reasonable doubt.
Separately, federal prosecutors in North Carolina are investigating whether Blackwater played a role in a weapons smuggling case linked to the Kurdish militant group PKK, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. Blackwater denies involvement in the case.

[Ret10Echo]

July 28, 2008 - 3:04pm

The Inspector General of the Small Business Administration on Monday released a report saying Blackwater Worldwide might have misrepresented its small business status in order to obtain 39 contracts worth more than $100 million.

The report was a response to a request from Congressman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), who asked SBA to look into whether Blackwater improperly obtained contracts intended for small businesses.


************************************************** *
Inspector General Questions Blackwater Small Business Contracts

In response to a request from Chairman Waxman, the Inspector General of the Small Business Administration released a report concluding that Blackwater may have “misrepresented” its small business status in order to win 39 government contracts worth more than $100 million.

(Documents and links on this page)

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2126

[stickey]

Having lived right up the road, other side of the state line, from Moyock, i have to say that I think that BI is getting overly scrutinized. I am almost done with reading that liberal book by Jeremy Scahill, Blackwater and have to say that i don't get why so many people are upset with the company for doing what they are paid to do. (by no means am i condoning or support firing on innocent bystanders). I'm sick and tired of hearing people arm chair things.

[jbour13]

If you don't work on behalf of the company, then you yourself are armchair'ing things, yes......no?

As we all know companies are made of fine men and women. Some have a good number, some lack the upright, moral standing citizen. I've a friend that works for BW, great guy, and I would go to the ends of the Earth for.

But in the big picture, a company is a direct reflection of it's leader, and likewise.

FWIW

BTW, I've taken a number of courses offered, and utilized their facilities for training and recreational shooting. I like what I get.

[Ret10Echo]

My observation has been that BW has become the poster child for any and every politico that wants to get his name in the paper....

Sometimes you're just "that guy" or in this case "that company"...

[stickey]

Originally Posted by jbour13

If you don't work on behalf of the company, then you yourself are armchair'ing things, yes......no?.

I didn't mean to sound like i was arm chairing....correct, i do not nor have I worked for the company, but my opinion was more directed at the idea of not blaming a company as a whole or assuming that they do not do good or benefit US efforts. That's all i was trying to convey.

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by jbour13

If you don't work on behalf of the company, then you yourself are armchair'ing things, yes......no?

As we all know companies are made of fine men and women. Some have a good number, some lack the upright, moral standing citizen. I've a friend that works for BW, great guy, and I would go to the ends of the Earth for.

But in the big picture, a company is a direct reflection of it's leader, and likewise.
FWIW

BTW, I've taken a number of courses offered, and utilized their facilities for training and recreational shooting. I like what I get.

Well then it’s a company of ill trained cowards, murders, and religious zealots. That’s what I got watching erik prince babble through his hearing.

How else would one give reason for the training of mall security guards and foreigners to shoot women and children in the back, murdering 17 and wounding 49 and then attempt to justify the shooting, by first, denying them, second, calling it an "ambush" where not one enemy shell casing were found, then informing the world no one in blackwater will be prosecuted for the murders and then later stating that maybe the ones that did the murdering will/could be prosecuted, and then calling it “defensive force” in a congressional hearing.

Having never attended any blackwater courses this must be something erik prince in his weeks of military service made up and put into his blackwater training, because until I heard the moron called erik prince testify I never heard of “defensive force”. It was amusing all the idiots that bought the “we used defensive force” story.

Funny how the FBI has not yet determined the true nature of the shootings or sent anyone to jail yet. I’m 99.999% sure the FBI will NOT make their findings public until after Nov 4th.

Blackwater, shooting women and children in the back and getting away with it., now that’s training!!!


Team Sergeant

[FROST18E]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Well then it’s a company of ill trained cowards, murders, and religious zealots. That’s what I got watching erik prince babble through his hearing.

How else would one give reason for the training of mall security guards and foreigners to shoot women and children in the back, murdering 17 and wounding 49 and then attempt to justify the shooting, by first, denying them, second, calling it an "ambush" where not one enemy shell casing were found, then informing the world no one in blackwater will be prosecuted for the murders and then later stating that maybe the ones that did the murdering will/could be prosecuted, and then calling it “defensive force” in a congressional hearing.

Having never attended any blackwater courses this must be something erik prince in his weeks of military service made up and put into his blackwater training, because until I heard the moron called erik prince testify I never heard of “defensive force”. It was amusing all the idiots that bought the “we used defensive force” story.

Funny how the FBI has not yet determined the true nature of the shootings or sent anyone to jail yet. I’m 99.999% sure the FBI will NOT make their findings public until after Nov 4th.

Blackwater, shooting women and children in the back and getting away with it., now that’s training!!!


Team Sergeant

That was my team in Nisour Square. I was there. I am neither an ill trained coward, a murderer, or a religious zealot. I have testified twice at the grand jury in DC and I do believe that indictments will be handed down, just not to the people you think. Why would the FBI disclose their findings to the general public while the grand jury is still empaneled?

Just like at group, there are a lot of good guys who know their stuff and do their job well, and then there are the ones that slipped through the cracks and made it there anyways.

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by FROST18E

That was my team in Nisour Square. I was there. I am neither an ill trained coward, a murderer, or a religious zealot. I have testified twice at the grand jury in DC and I do believe that indictments will be handed down, just not to the people you think. Why would the FBI disclose their findings to the general public while the grand jury is still empaneled?

Just like at group, there are a lot of good guys who know their stuff and do their job well, and then there are the ones that slipped through the cracks and made it there anyways.

It's a real simple question, did you shoot unarmed people?

If the answer is "no" then we have no problem.

Team Sergeant

I'd sure like to know the background of the individuals that did in fact shoot unarmed women and children in the back.