Something to do about Blackwater

[pecunium]

Kathryn Cramer points something out.

We know what Blackwater does when someone does something, "against policy". They fire them.

So Congress ought to start issuing subpoenas. First the personnel records.

Then the actual personnel.

We have 122 people to look up; call before the senate/house.

People who won't have the money to hire the sorts of counsel and influence which the profits and contacts Eric Prince has have made possible to buy.

People who might not have a vested interest in protecting Blackwater.

Write those reps, letters to the editors, etc.

If no one makes any noise, it will vanish beneath the waves; just like everything else.

Comments

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see a law firm in the US representing the Iraqis shot at suing Blackwater. I'd *love* to see Bush & Co. claim executive privilege in this arena, because they'd be itching to.

The current SCOTUS would probably uphold it. Which would be fine, because we could start impeaching them.

[al-zorra.livejournal.com]

We at least have a chance to do this, since:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/05/washington/05cong.html?hp

[ With the armed security force Blackwater USA and other private contractors in Iraq facing tighter scrutiny, the House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would bring all United States government contractors in the Iraq war zone under the jurisdiction of American criminal law. The measure would require the F.B.I. to investigate any allegations of wrongdoing.

The bill was approved 389 to 30, despite strong opposition from the White House. It came as lawmakers and human rights groups are using a Sept. 16 shooting by Blackwater personnel in Baghdad to highlight the many contractors operating in Iraq who have apparently been unaccountable to American military or civilian laws and outside the reach of the Iraqi judicial system. ]

The election results are going to be interesting -- not the presidential part.

But in the house and the senate, with so many seats so-long filled by gops, gone vacant, not re-running (as NM's Dominici just did, etc.

The voters are very, very angry.

Of course then, the real battle will be authentic elections vs. voter suppression.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Maybe. It seems there was a law passed in 2000(?) which was meant to cover some of that gap (and this before the war). But it's not being used, and may be flawed.

What I heard about this law was that PMCs operating with US forces would be subject to UCMJ. If that's the case, the State Dept. contractors would still be home free.

[al-zorra.livejournal.com]

Yup.

Announced today to be under the supervision of Condi.

That's going to change things so very -- not so much.

Love, C.