Lets not kid ourselves...Eric Prince is a ego driven, evil man that will let nothing stand in his way of building a Mercenary driven fortune as he creates the largest PRIVATE ARMY on planet earth...when his beloved Blackwater took an serious image hit, fix that image WITH A NAME CHANGE! Brilliant and devious move, but WHAT IF THERE IS MORE TO IT, what if the United States Government is helping Blackwater rebrand itself for what they justify as American best interest when it comes to matters of National Security.
OH GAWD, call me a conspiracy nut, as I don't care. I think that the Pentagon, the State Department,and perhaps even the White House are helping to rebrand Blackwater so that they can IGNORE THE WISHES OF IRAQ, keep Blackwater as their security force that GUARDS STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES. Iraq denied Blackwater the necessary permissions they need to operate in Iraq for using EXCESSIVE FORCE...can we say MURDER in carrying out their jobs. Simply stated, Blackwater is no longer allowed to operate within the borders of Iraq, which creates a bit of a problem for America and specifically the State Department, and a lot of private contractors who have employed the thugs at Blackwater to provide them protection.
No problem says the Pentagon...take your vehicles off the road for a few days, we'll change your logo, maybe even give your vehicles a new look, you change your name, apply for a license to operate inside of Iraq using a NEW COMPANY NAME.
OH GAWD, call me a conspiracy nut, as I don't care. I think that the Pentagon, the State Department,and perhaps even the White House are helping to rebrand Blackwater so that they can IGNORE THE WISHES OF IRAQ, keep Blackwater as their security force that GUARDS STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES. Iraq denied Blackwater the necessary permissions they need to operate in Iraq for using EXCESSIVE FORCE...can we say MURDER in carrying out their jobs. Simply stated, Blackwater is no longer allowed to operate within the borders of Iraq, which creates a bit of a problem for America and specifically the State Department, and a lot of private contractors who have employed the thugs at Blackwater to provide them protection.
No problem says the Pentagon...take your vehicles off the road for a few days, we'll change your logo, maybe even give your vehicles a new look, you change your name, apply for a license to operate inside of Iraq using a NEW COMPANY NAME.
Iraq bars Blackwater security firm in wake of deaths
By SINAN SALAHEDDIN Associated Press
Jan. 29, 2009, 11:00AM
BAGHDAD — Iraq said today it will bar Blackwater Worldwide from providing security protection for U.S. diplomats because its contractors used excessive force, sanctioning a company whose image was irrevocably tarnished by the 2007 killings of 17 Iraqi civilians.
The move will deprive American diplomats of their main protection force in Iraq.
The decision not to issue Blackwater an operating license was due to “improper conduct and excessive use of force,” said Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf.
13 comments:
Well, I see the writer didn't bother to use his name with this blog. Just as well. To say he's misinformed is an understatement. Let me confuse you with some FACTS.
1. If you look on their websites, you'll see that Dyncorp and Triple Canopy among others have already placed bids for the Baghdad Iraq contract that BLACKWATER currently holds. So no, Blackwater will NOT apply for the Iraq contract under a new name.
2. Out of the thousands of missions that Blackwater ran in Iraq from 2004-2009, deadly force was used in less than 1% of the missions. That's a fact! Out of that 1% even less than the 1% resulted in injury or death to anyone.
During that same time period, not ONE STATE DEPARTMENT VIP was killed or injured while under Blackwater's protection.
So, to sum up these little facts....THOUSANDS of missions, deadly force used in less than 1% of all those missions and not ONE Diplomat hurt or killed in arguably the most dangerous city in the world.
The military can't come close to that kind of success record, nor can any other entity you care to name.
Before you throw out words like "murder", "thugs" and the like, why don't you wait and see what the FEDERAL TRIAL records reveal about the Nissoor Square Shooting. I know for a fact you weren't there, I know for a fact you have NO inside information from anyone that WAS there so you're really just spouting out nonsense on this website without backing it up with ONE SINGLE FACT. Nice job! Keep up the good work!
Mr. Royce Penstinger,
I'm guessing this is your blog site?
Let me ask you something.
Did you ever watch the video of Nick Berg's beheading in Iraq?
Did you watch the beheading a few days ago of Polish hostage, Piotr Stanczak?
Right now as we speak, American Hostage and peaceful UN worker John Solecki is sitting somewhere in Pakistan wondering if his murder and beheading are imminent.
If we asked all three of these men, if they would now consider Blackwater Security Detail protection, what do you think their answers would be?
See Mr.Penstinger, it was watching Nick Berg's execution that led me to apply and work for Blackwater. I was already "serving" my country as a United States Air Marshal at the time. That was as a result of me watching the planes hit the Twin Towers. Prior to that I was serving my community as a Police Officer for 9 years. Prior to that I served my country as a United States Army soldier for 4 years. So you see, unlike you, I didn't just "rant" when these world events took place. I stood up, I made sacrifices and I went and SERVED. To make a difference. To say to the extremists of the world..."Not on my watch, not ever again". So far, I and my fellow co-workers have been successful in making sure this never happens again. Just like my fellow Air Marshals and I did our best to prevent another 9/11. You want to throw out words like "murderers", "thugs" yet you've never met one of us in person. Tell you what. I'm currently in Afghanistan, STILL serving my country, STILL doing my job. Next time I'm home on leave, meet me for a beer....or a coca cola if you prefer. Sit down with me. Get to know me. Let's talk. I won't divulge classified info but maybe you'll actually have something other than assumptions and blind ignorance (no disrespect intended, it's meant in the dictionary sense of the word) to base your opinions for this blog site on.
I'm proud of the work I've done, the work I'm doing and I'm proud of the men who stand side by side with me.
Now unless I am mistaken, didn't one person already cop a gilty plea? How many others are facing murder charges? Four I think? The two wrongs make a right thing never worked for me. How much safer are we from George Bush's invasion of Iraq after the tragedy of 9/11? How much of America's current economic WOES can be squarely laid at the feet of the Iraq War, and George Bush's need for REVENGE...he lied to take us to war, and now our nation is paying the price.
Blackwater...I never was one to embrace the concept of PRIVATE MERCENARY ARMIES available to the highest bidder. Changing the name of a company does not change what that company is. We should applaud Blackwater/Xe because they are changing the primary scope of their business model from being murdering mercenaries to merely training them?
You disappoint me Mr. Penstinger. You did not address ONE point I made.
Instead you skirted around the issues and didn't directly take on my points. So let's try again. Since you asked "how are we safer since 9/11?" As I told you, for one thing, not one single U.S. airliner has been hijacked. That's in part thanks to the work of the U.S. Air Marshals among many other measures taken. Don't worry, I don't expect a thank you.
You don't strike me as someone that's naive. I've read some of your posts.
So, let's talk like grown ups. One guy pleaded guilty? You think that means something? I assure you, if the Federal Government with all it's weight told you that you're looking at a life sentence without parole if you don't cop a plea, you MAY just take that deal if you think the government is stacking the deck against you anyway. I could go into the MANY mistakes already made in the investigation but I'll hold my peace until the trial is over.
Did I say applaud Blackwater for changing it's name? No, I never said that. What I did say is argue my FACTS. Show me where a 1% use of force rate, out of thousands of missions in Baghdad, somehow points to the guys who risk their lives everyday PROTECTING Diplomats to be murderers and thugs as you call them. In fact in one of your posts you called us rapists. So again, let's ask the current hostages who they'd prefer to be protected by? You? I don't think so! It's guys like us. Guys who will put our lives on the line over and over again to protect people we don't know. That's who!
I can see you have no interest in debating serious points but instead just want to regurgitate old liberal rallying cries. That's not gonna cut it. I agree with some of your immigrations points and government corruption and waste views but when you talk about Blackwater, you talk about a subject you have NO FACTS on. I'm just calling it the way I see it.
You know, did you ever consider that your tactics are part of the problems we face today. You want to cram your viewpoint down people's throats. You don't want to have an educated discussion based on facts. You want to use fear, hatred, vulgarity among others to get your point across. There is no middle ground in this country anymore. Everybody wants to paint others as the villains. It's why we're stuck in the quagmire of a political mess we have now between the Democrats and Republicans. I offered to debate the FACTS with you, not point fingers without any proof as you want to do. You have some kernels of truth in some of your posts. Things like our current President, immigration, Government waste and abuse. But your points are getting lost in your delivery and your anger. If you think Blackwater guys are murderers and thugs, based on your temper on these blogs, I'd hate to put a machine gun into your hands, lol.
Here's some points to ponder. Research your facts, tone down the delivery and it will become even more powerful and you'll increase your readership. Good luck to you.
T...
I dissappoint you...I can accept that, I am sure I dissappoint a lot of people. On the flip side, people, especially in business, and in our own government dissappoint me. I am dissappointed that up to 300,000 illegal aliens will get jobs instead of LEGAL AMERICANS because President Obama and our Congress deliberately left E Verify out of the Stimulus Bill. I am dissappointed that we do not put 50,000 troops on our Southern Border with the right to used deadly force to stop the invasion of both drugs and illegal aliens into America...that's just me, but then I have always been a bit of a red neck when it comes to people stealing what is not theirs.
The claim of no planes hijacked since 9/11 is a Red Herring arguement. Clinton could have made a similiar claim about attacks on American soil when there were no further attacks for years after the first World Trade Center Bombings, it is the same tactic that the Nuclear Industry has used in watering down the DBT for nuclear reactors. Sure we could have quite the chat over a few beers on the Design Basis Threat for nuclear reactors and why it puts American in harms way.
You want to do something for America, get Blackwater to guard our nuclear reactor sites which are far to vulnerable for my liking...only half serious here, since I already know that NEI and the entire nuclear industry are a bunch of skin flints unwilling to pay a fair days pay to bring in quality security forces.
Meanwhile, a couple of talented men with 50 Cal. Rifles and the right kind of ammo could in my opinion take out a nuclear reactor if they wanted too...as example, the guard towers only use bullet resistent glass. Us average citizens are not supposed to know about these things, and the NRC has removed discussion of them out of public perview...shrug. (A rabid anti nuke here, so know quite a bit about it.)
My tactics...care to talk about the Lincoln Group and their 100 million dollar contract to run propaganda for the Pentagon in Iraq...I did a whole expose about the company I think back in 2003, some of my facts used in a story that appeared in the British papers. My tactics...Obama went on NATIONAL TELEVISION AND LIED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CLAIMING THERE WERE NO EARMARKS in the Stimulus Package. Bush lied to take us to war. Reagon lied to us back in 1986 when he said THIS IS THE LAST AMNESTY, you people on Main Street pay the price for this one, and WE WILL SECURE OUR BORDER, WE WILL ENFORCE OUR LAWS. SAd thing is I actually believed him all those years ago.
Merely showing you, I have a RIGHT TO BE PISSED OFF, and a RIGHT TO MY TACTICS...fight fire with fire I always say...my country wants NICE, then maybe they should start giving us a bit of HONEST, stop with the bull shit, stop with the lies, stop with the propaganda and sit down with us for some straight talk. Like it or not, the same could be said with Blackwater...besides, done some reading on Erik Prince here, and was never one to take a liking to arrogant bores...YMMV.
Kernals of truth...I have a lot more than KERNALS of truth...people though don't really care about truth these days, or they find it inconvenient, or it just does not matter to them much. So I do what I can to WAKE THEM UP...as you say, tactics. How many of our young men and women would actually going into the military if the recruiters TOLD THEM THE WHOLE TRUTH? How many others would refuse to fight for America if they knew the whole truth about their own government selling them and their families down the pike.
Me...I am just a dumb middle aged ass hole...or am I? Maybe I like being antagonistic because it makes people think, or because it gets them pissed off, or maybe because it makes them research something to prove me wrong. You just might be surprised at some of the things I write under other names I use on the Internet, or not.
I can tell you one thing..I am tired of the lies on the part of every part of our government, including the Pentagon...my brother spent years stationed at the Pentagon in Logistics, another brother was in the Marines, and had an Uncle (Green Beret) that spent some time in Nam. My brief stint in the Navy is not even worth mentioning. My point is that I might know just a bit more than I let on, and I know for a fact that the Pentagon spends far to much of its time blowing smoke up our asses instead of shooting straight from the hip, and that is BULL SHIT.
Now see, you will get NO argument with me on most of the things you said. However, you contradict yourself in some areas. First off, let's get one thing straight. I agree with you on immigration. I do find it curious however that you want to station troops on our border with the right to "use deadly force" yet you accuse myself and the men I work with of murder for defending ourselves in Iraq and other places while trying to protect our diplomats. Let's get one other things straight. I never have and I never will say that there have not been some that work for our company who have not done wrong. Can you name me ONE job where that isn't true? Cops have shot the wrong people many times but do we refer to all cops as murderers?
That's where you and I differ. I don't paint people with one broad brush over a few's actions.
I agree with you about our government. They have lost COMPLETE touch with the people. They no longer even PRETEND to represent the American people. They used to at least do us the courtesy of lying. Now they make it so obvious that they are pushing their own agendas and nothing else. This "stimulus" package? Give me a break. But you see, I already wrote my Congressmen AND Senators during the very FIRST bail out package and told them I would NOT vote for them in the future if they passed it. They did and I will keep my word. I knew from the start what kind of president we would have with Obama. Look at the choices we were presented with. Were these candidates REALLY the best our country can put forward??!! I see nothing but dark days ahead until the people hold the government accountable. I didn't agree with going into Iraq but like I said, that doesn't mean I'm going to stand by and watch my countrymen be beheaded by these extremist pieces of cr*p! And I do believe that whether we pull out of Iraq, Afghanistan or wherever, they will continue to come at us. The resent our way of life, our freedom and to be quite frank, they are JEALOUS of us. I've learned that after 4 years of working in these countries. We remind them of everything they are not. The Arab male in my opinion is very, VERY insecure in general. So us pulling out won't help, yes it will place less strain on our economy but I firmly believe that as of now, we are occupying their attention and directing their efforts toward us in Iraq and Afghanistan rather than having the time, luxury and money to plan elaborate attacks on our nation. I could be wrong, just my take on things.
Call me old fashion...killing someone for country is different than killing for hire...just my own slant on it. If I did not feel that way, I might have a different slant on Blackwater. It is why I gave up my one and only security job decades ago shortly after I got out of the Navy. Some justify their jobs for private firms such as Blackwater with the salve that they are still working for our government, just at a higher rate of pay...sorry, I do not buy it. For the most part, do not buy it, because the Blackwaters of the world make it too easy for corporations to suddenly have their own inhouse military, and I have reason to believe that some companies already have gone there.
There is always truth and contradiction in life, in what we do, and in what we say...what is right in one situation isn't necessarily right in another though they both involve the same actions. Illegal Aliens are threatening the sovereign borders of MY NATION...yes, I would take up arms for that, and if our nation were to put a bounty on the head of illegal aliens as they do with other criminals, I would be sorely tempted to get involved. When you look at the remittances they send out of America, couple that with 200 a billion in wage depression for our middle class, a $10,000 bounty on Illegals would be a bargain price to get rid of them. Yes, I see that differently than I would see working for say a Blackwater in Iraq...maybe because I disagree with the war...it is even worse than the police action that was Vietnam, but that is another discussion.
Wrong in every profession...no argument there from me. I happen to think there is such a thing as a good prostitute, and being a betting man, would even bet some of the Pro-Life side that are having a hard time with LADY WHACKO that just had eight kids when she already has six at home. Wonder how many millions those kids will cost the American Tax payer before it is over and one. As is, between Social Security payments on three of her kids, and almost 500 a month in food stamps she was raking the system for close on 30K a year...not bad when you are still living at home with Mom.
Cannot argue your facts because you and I BOTH KNOW that Blackwater is NEVER going to let me look at their books. You can make the claim, I can disagree with it, but neither of us can prove our so called facts! Blackwater is not going to let you show me enough paperwork and internal documents to convince me that you are right in your one percent claim...its like the documents that Dick Cheney's attorneys told me I could not see because Cheney was claiming priviledge...I am still willing to bet the White House has pictures of him with Abramoff, but my FOIA was still denied.
I say bring our troops home...you and I both know that Obama right now is trying to figure out how to sell America on what it will cost us to properly BEEF UP OUR FORCES in Afghanistan in both money and blood. By my way of thinking, no VICTORY in a foreign land is worth bankrupting a nation over, and America has done a pretty good job of late almost bankrupting the likes of me...at 53, I'd like to keep a few nickles tucked away for my old age, and at the rate the government is destroying personal wealth here in America, that is looking less and less likely, and a huge flow of troops and machinary into Afghanistan...which is what is needed to have any chance of a non military victory there is just not a cost that I think America should take on right now...like it or not, there are 75 MILLION of us Boomer getting close to or retiring, and expecting us to do it in abject poverty is not a workable recipe.
Well I you're right in your argument that BW won't give you access to their books. I have no reason to lie to you though and I can tell you based on MY experience in Iraq with BW, that 1% holds true. I can only speak for my team and the teams I worked with on loan as a DDM (counter-sniper). I know for a fact we showed great restraint and so did my friends and colleagues on other teams.
Rarely did we use deadly force in the year I worked there which was 2005-2006, a very difficult and dangerous time period there. During that time I can tell you that I saw many of my friends killed and injured. I definitely saw more of our guys killed and injured than any Iraqi's that were hurt or killed by us.
Here in Afghanistan, in THREE years that I've been here, deadly force was used ONCE. ONCE! In three years. That's after crisscrossing this country from north to south and east to west. I've been to some of the most dangerous provinces here and never once did we use deadly force. I was on a team that was attacked by a vehicle suicide bomber. Even though one of our guys lost a leg, several others were injured and many, MANY Afghans were caught in the middle of this mess, not ONE shot was fired by our side and not ONE Afghan was hurt. That's the kind of restraint we've shown. I have no reason to lie about that. It's the simple truth.
I can't agree with you on your solution to the illegal immigration. I don't think anyone should be injured or killed for trying to seek a better life for themselves. Having said that, I don't believe we should have open borders that invite millions of illegal aliens to come into our country. They say building a wall/fence and patrolling it with sufficient forces is cost prohibitive. I don't buy that. I think we CAN secure our borders for LESS than what it's costing our economy to support these illegals.
I'm 43 and believe me, I wonder every single DAY if after years and years of me paying into Social Security, it will be there when I retire. It's another reason I took this job, to try to put away SOMETHING for my retirement. You can't even trust the business you work for these days not to steal your retirement.
I will say this about your feelings on "mercenaries" and corporate armies.
If I'm working DIRECTLY for the U.S. State Department and protecting THEIR Diplomats, all the way to the highest levels of our government, I DO believe I'm working for MY COUNTRY and not just for the highest bidder.
Having said that, had BW been around during the slaughter in Rwanda, or the Ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, I would have had no qualms about going in and stopping the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocents. Clinton didn't have the guts to do it and stood by while millions were butchered. I just can't do that. When I see things like that, I want to do whatever I can to put a stop to it.
I didn't like Bullies in school and I still don't like Bullies now that pick on the innocent and weak.
It's why I became a police officer, and it's why I later joined BW.
Now I could go on and on about the differences I have with the company I work for. I think every employee disagrees with loads of policies their company has. I signed on to do a job though and I'll do my best to carry it out. For me it's simple. I'm paid to protect our nation's diplomats in hostile locations. My job is to make sure they don't wind up on the evening news sitting in between two Ak-47 toting extremists with a video camera about to record their head being chopped off. That's my job, plain and simple.
My parents were concerned when I took this job, so much so that my mother called the owner of the company, lol!
The goal I set for myself was simple. Go to Iraq/Afghanistan, protect the people I'm paid to protect and return home being able to look at myself at the mirror without flinching. That means having conducted myself with honor and integrity. So far I've done that and I'll continue to do so
It pains me that while I'm here I have to witness my country at home sliding into such an abyss.
I have a family, children and of course I want the best for their future. I see my government squandering their future's away and then have to read bonehead journalists describing Obama's stimulus as the greatest thing since Roosevelt's "Great Deal". It makes me sick to my stomach.
All I can do at this point is vote my conscience, discuss my concerns with as many people as will listen and encourage them likewise to speak with their votes.
Maybe if we vote enough of them out, install term limits so there's no more lifetime politicians, and enough of us speak out, things will change. I'm not holding my breath but I AM hoping for the best.
One last thing I forgot to mention. You state killing for your country and being paid to kill for profit are two different things. I want to make this perfectly clear. The GOVERNMENT contract we are on is not to go and KILL anyone. It's not "direct action", we're not paid to go out and hunt insurgents or terrorists. That's NOT our job. The military takes care of that as well they should. We are paid to PROTECT American Diplomats. Nothing else. So how that can be equated with "killing for profit", I'll never understand. We are paid a substantial salary based on the risk. A Secret Service Agent of Diplomatic Security Agent back home gets paid upwards of
$70,000 to protect certain diplomats and to give their lives if necessary to carry out that job. We are in WAR ZONES doing the SAME job and get paid a little more due to the risk increase. It's really as simple as that. We are bound by ALL State Department rules of engagement, use of force and other policies. So many policies it pains me to even think about it. I can tell you that we are definitely DEFENSIVE in nature and respond with force only when attacked or when we feel an attack is imminent and immediate. I honestly wish there was more transparency in what we do so that people back home could see what's going on. My Police Department back home use to have "ride-a-longs" for civilians to come out and experience what it's like for the police patrolling their neighborhoods. Some officers didn't like having riders because they felt it was a distraction. I enjoyed it cause I liked seeing people's reactions when they saw what we dealt with day in and day out, the risks we took and the sacrifices we made. I would have NO ISSUE if they allowed people to come here and ride along. I doubt many would take the chance and do it but it would be a great way for people to see just what we do on a daily basis. Maybe then there wouldn't be so many false reports and assumptions being made about us.
Illegal Aliens coming here for a better job...fact...ten percent of Mexico (their poorest and their least Educated) now reside within the borders of America...that is an invasion, one perpetrated deliberately by and encouraged by their government. With the drop in oil prices, drugs shipped to AMerica, and remittances sent back home are positioned to be the Nation of Mexico's number one and two resources generators. Meanwhile, their nations lanquishes in poverty because the rich elites refuse to raise the HIGHEST tax rate above ine percent so that they could build infrastructure and create jobs...I have no pity for them, nor do I have compassion for their citizens coming here to steal our jobs. I will state for the record...it is my own belief based on the conversations I hear in some of the bars, that our nation is on the verge of a civil war here on the home front, and that American Citizens in some areas are on the verge of taking the Illegal Alien situation into their own hands. I will hate to see that day come, but when it does the blame lies squarely at the feet of Washington DC and their own greed.
A lot of what you may say could be true...probably is true based on stories I have heard from sources I trust...which in America today is FEW, and FAR BETWEEN. PRoblem is, Blackwater, and our own military are their own worst enemies. Lincoln Group and their founder had stench written all over them, and the Pentagon killed the story of their own Propaganda machine before it did too much damage, but enough information got out.
As one example...Lincoln Group and their 31 year old Oxford Educated founder helped George Bush get elected president...now if George Bush had not been working on his plans to invade Iraq before he was elected, and LONG BEFORE 9/11, how is it that Lincoln Group had enough savy to ALREADY BE IN IRAQ putting down roots when the war came? Coincedence...don't insult me.
WE have Marines...they are quite capable of guarding, and should be guarding our Diplomats. By the way, for the record...my information says Blackwater also provides security for Corporate Sources who are only in Iraq to reap HUGE PROFITS...further, I have seen photographs that verify this enough for me to make the claim. So not sure you are being fair in presenting them as only hiring themselves out to the State Department. Looking at what Wall Street has cost just me personally, looking at their criminal behaviors, looking at some of the companies that Blackwater has been linked to, it makes them guilty of hiring themselves out to Corporate Robber Barons...people are going to take issue with that. Personally, not so sure some of those executives deserve the private security that I know they have...I live in a very affluent area, we all know who does and does not have security of their own around here.
Lastly...Blackwater does not just train Americans...in short, a lot of expertise that was gleened by being in the US Armed Forces is now being shared by Blackwater with nations and individuals that could and in many cases would do harm to America. THat is just a matter of simple deductioon...how many training centers do they have AROUND THE WORLD...and though I know you will take exception with this next statement, what makes those TRAINING CENTERS different from the ones run by say Al Quida? Blackwaters contracts? What is protecting us from the company going rogue, or worse training people who already are?
Not saying that Blackwater is Al Quida, but pointing out, there is an argument to be run that one man, or a company operating training bases around the world for their own agenda is no more or less dangerous than another doing the same thing, as agendas do change.
Personally, though not politically correct, I believe there is a simple way in which to get Muslims to real in their own radical fringe. If every time a terrorist attack was tracked back to Muslim Terrorists we blew up a Mosque, it would not take the moderates long to get a clue...clean up your own houses, control your own fringe and this retribution will end. Lets be honest...the training of these radicals starts with their clerics...so, lets go to the source...I am not one that cares much for being politically correct...I like results, and it is my belief, and the belief of at least one Congressman who expressed publically similiar sentiments that such a plan would get seriously results.
Back to the discussion though...that's the problem with Private Armies...they are FOR PROFIT organizations, and are going to go where the MONEY IS. You personally might seek other employment if Blackwater ceased having Diplomatic Duty available, but others would stay, would follow the money. If America suddenly has no money for the likes of Blackwater, do you really see them closing their doors, mothballing their corporation and accepting the fact they are out of business...FORGET ABOUT IT...they, and probably even you will go where the money is. That simple fact, that reality makes you a Mercenary...if you can live with that, that is your walk, not mine.
By the way...on Social Security...if you do the math, something is FOUL in Washington. Between my wife and I, we have pretty well tapped out at the MAX for decades now, so to factor in our early years lets say we contributed on average $5,000 a year and had that matched by our employer for a total yearly contribution into Social Security of 10,000 a year. Assuming a retirement at 64, we will have contributed that sum into the system for a total of 48 years for a total...without interest...of $480,000 dollars. Even at pass book savings interest, that money in that period of time would have at least TRIPLED in value giving me around $1.5 Million.
Uncle Sam is promising us about $1800 a month when we retire...could be a bit more or a bit less, just ball parking it here. That comes out to just under 22 K a year. If we live to be 84, collect for 20 years on what we put in (with no inerest) we are still in the RED...sorry, but where is OUR MONEY, why is the system broke?
Number DO NOT LIE...the money SHOULD BE THERE...ih short, our government has FUCKED US, OUR GOVERNMENT HAS ROBBED FROM THOSE OF US THAT CAN AFFORD IT THE LEAST. Is that what our young men and women in uniform are fighting for...don't they and others (including myself) deserve better?
I am just a dumb old country boy here, but I can see the writing on teh wall...America is NOT THE NATION IT USED TO BE, and to be perfectly honest, without drastic changes in our course, it is no longer a country I am willing to die and fight for.
I want to be clear that I was talking about the contract that I'm on. You're 100% correct, BW DOES have many other contracts that are not in the Diplomatic Protection field. It's this contract I chose because I felt I WAS working for my country and providing a service that was and is needed.
U.S. Marines guard U.S. embassies. They don't escort the diplomats once they leave the embassy grounds.
You really don't want to mix military and diplomatic missions. It defeats the purpose of diplomacy. If you show up somewhere surrounded by U.S. Marines, it's not the ideal ice breaker. That's why the U.S. Diplomats have ALWAYS used the civilian DSS as their protection and not the military.
The problem was when these wars broke out, there were not near enough Federal Agents in the DSS to cover all the Diplomats in the USA and in the two war zones. This is why the protection was contracted out.
As far as other contracts and training other nations that could potentially harm us..... our military has been doing that for years. We (the USA and it's military) send trainers and advisers to 3rd world countries who may or may not be on our side at the time and equip and train them to fit our nations strategic interest at the time. If that interest shifts, we leave and who knows what happens to all the weapons and training that's been provided up to that point. Is it used against us? Sure that's happened before, long before BW came along and it will continue to happen in the future. We've never been the best country for looking 20 years into the future and basing our decisions on the that future instead of the present. Our politicians tend to see only the hand that's in front of their face and not much beyond that.
Don't forget it was "mercenaries" that trained our first Continental U.S. Army in our nation's fight for Independence.
You're right, each person must decide morally, ethically what is right for their choice of work. I'm fine with this contract and with what I do. If things change, I'll re-evaluate. I worked for much less wages than I'm making now as a soldier, as a Police Officer among other jobs I've held. I have to problem returning to Police work if this work heads in a direction I'm not comfortable with.
As I've stated in my previous posts to you, I never took this job for just the money. I'm not a slave to my salary by any means.
I agree with you 100% on Social Security. I've done the math myself and if they steal my money, I'm gonna have issues....serious issues with them.
Not that they're not already stealing but currently they are doing it in a more indirect way than if they simply take my Social Security.
I've heard the same conversations you've heard in the bars, and not just in regards to the illegal alien issue. I don't think our government realizes HOW FED UP the American people are. I don't think they realize just how much the pot is boiling beneath the surface.
Time will tell what's gonna happen. I exercise my Second Amendment rights and will continue to do so.
I don't blame you for your anger about the state our country is in.
There's many people out there that feel the same way as you well know.
I just wanted to set the record straight that in no way am I or the people I work with on the same level as murderers, thugs or rapists. That's simply not true. We do an important job and we do it to the best of our ability.
T...qhwn you say you so youe job the best way ythat you know how, and that you and your friends you work with are not rapists, murderers and thugs I believe you. Have a feeling the two of us probably have a lot more in common that we have in difference.
That said, you are NOT Blackwater. Yes you work for them, but in a very limited capacity in a specific area that you are comfortable with...guarding the Diplomatic Service people while in theatre.
I'd sit down and have a beer with you...even put a couple thick Porterhouse steaks on the grill. That said, have a feeling when it comes to Blackwater, that you and I are always going to see what they do from different perspectives.
As for our governments short view on life and politics...they would make a lot fewer mistakes if they viewed life and politics from the perspective of the man that swings the hammer, instead of from the perspective of the man that writes the checks. One wants to build things, the other wants to own things...I know which one I would rather spend time with.
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