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pecuniumBlackwater has been told they are not allowed to operate in Iraq; again.
They have said they will leave; again.
If, that is, the US gov't makes them.
Which is what they said last time. Balckwater avers it is so essential to the safe operation of the US State Dept. in Iraqi that to force them to obey the Iraq Gov't's lawful orders to quit the country, "Wouldn't be prudent."
Ok, all snark aside, what was actually said was worse. "Our abrupt departure would far more hurt the reconstruction team and the diplomats trying to rebuild the country than it would hurt us as a business," Prince said in an exclusive interview with the AP.
Got that... Blackwater is so integral to the reconstruction that being kicked out (and one presumes losing the contracts which allow them to pay people $500-1,000 a day, for a 90/30 rotational schedule) would inconvenience them, and cripple the state dept.
Worse he seems to think making it seem the US is actually still in charge (what else can you call it when one gov't tells a private firm it has to stop doing business in the country it's supposed to be running and another one has veto power over the decision?), isn't going to hurt the reconstruction effort.
In fact, if Prince is to be believed, losing the contract would hurt, but given the huge growth of the modern condottierri we call "Private Military Companies" and "Security Contractors" and such other euphemisms to avoid saying, "Mercenaries", I suspect he'd right. It would sting, but they'll manage to pull down at least 3/4s of a billion dollars, next year. With airplanes, helicopters, and a Blackwater Navy I don't think they intend to close up shop.
One wonders what will happen if/when the huge market in guns for hire dries up? Historically the people who made their livings selling their swords didn't go back to the plough when the fighting dried up. Rather they took the trade they'd learnt (beating people up) and went independent (i.e. became bandits, or petty warlords), or found some new place where someone was willing to pay them to be the muscle.
I somehow suspect the people whoo are being paid to live the adrenaline filled lives of Dynacorp, Aegis, Blackwater, et. alia are going to be getting the same sort of money to sell things "back home" (and some of them weren't all that savory when they were hired).
Reports from New Orleans imply they aren't all that restrained when the law is said to explicity cover them (and let there be no mistake about it, there are laws; stateside, which cover these people. It's just that the last administration wasn't willing to use them, lest [I think] some light be shone into some dark corners).
So takng them down now (when they are small-ish) is probably the best thing, all things considered. Because the track record they have already Aint So Hot.
And those are just the overseas problems. Here At Home they have some problems too.
This isn't something which is going away, not without some effort. The citizens of San Diego (a "red" slice of California, not disinclined to supporting the military, with two Marine Corps Installations, and a trio of Naval Bases) went to the mat and recalled the members of the Land Use Board, when they were looking to let Blackwater build a training camp in the area.
It's tiresome, and repetitive, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and sunlight is the cure for corruption. Call your reps, call your senators; send them e-mails, faxes and post cards. Let them know the U.S. doesn't support mercenaries. We can put these people out of business.
We have to, because no one else will.
They have said they will leave; again.
If, that is, the US gov't makes them.
Which is what they said last time. Balckwater avers it is so essential to the safe operation of the US State Dept. in Iraqi that to force them to obey the Iraq Gov't's lawful orders to quit the country, "Wouldn't be prudent."
Ok, all snark aside, what was actually said was worse. "Our abrupt departure would far more hurt the reconstruction team and the diplomats trying to rebuild the country than it would hurt us as a business," Prince said in an exclusive interview with the AP.
Got that... Blackwater is so integral to the reconstruction that being kicked out (and one presumes losing the contracts which allow them to pay people $500-1,000 a day, for a 90/30 rotational schedule) would inconvenience them, and cripple the state dept.
Worse he seems to think making it seem the US is actually still in charge (what else can you call it when one gov't tells a private firm it has to stop doing business in the country it's supposed to be running and another one has veto power over the decision?), isn't going to hurt the reconstruction effort.
In fact, if Prince is to be believed, losing the contract would hurt, but given the huge growth of the modern condottierri we call "Private Military Companies" and "Security Contractors" and such other euphemisms to avoid saying, "Mercenaries", I suspect he'd right. It would sting, but they'll manage to pull down at least 3/4s of a billion dollars, next year. With airplanes, helicopters, and a Blackwater Navy I don't think they intend to close up shop.
One wonders what will happen if/when the huge market in guns for hire dries up? Historically the people who made their livings selling their swords didn't go back to the plough when the fighting dried up. Rather they took the trade they'd learnt (beating people up) and went independent (i.e. became bandits, or petty warlords), or found some new place where someone was willing to pay them to be the muscle.
I somehow suspect the people whoo are being paid to live the adrenaline filled lives of Dynacorp, Aegis, Blackwater, et. alia are going to be getting the same sort of money to sell things "back home" (and some of them weren't all that savory when they were hired).
Reports from New Orleans imply they aren't all that restrained when the law is said to explicity cover them (and let there be no mistake about it, there are laws; stateside, which cover these people. It's just that the last administration wasn't willing to use them, lest [I think] some light be shone into some dark corners).
So takng them down now (when they are small-ish) is probably the best thing, all things considered. Because the track record they have already Aint So Hot.
And those are just the overseas problems. Here At Home they have some problems too.
This isn't something which is going away, not without some effort. The citizens of San Diego (a "red" slice of California, not disinclined to supporting the military, with two Marine Corps Installations, and a trio of Naval Bases) went to the mat and recalled the members of the Land Use Board, when they were looking to let Blackwater build a training camp in the area.
It's tiresome, and repetitive, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and sunlight is the cure for corruption. Call your reps, call your senators; send them e-mails, faxes and post cards. Let them know the U.S. doesn't support mercenaries. We can put these people out of business.
We have to, because no one else will.
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no subject
Date: 2009-01-30 07:42 pm (UTC)In a sold-out talk in Portland recently, Michael Pollan made the point that just because you've elected someone who agrees with you, doesn't mean you don't have to prod them. They need you to email, and agitate, so that they can say "See? My people want this."
I just zinged off a few emails to my Congressthings asking them to do what it takes to see that Blackwater is made to respect Iraqi law.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-31 07:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-31 12:25 am (UTC)Whether or not Blackwater is out of Iraq before then? I sure as hell hope so. But my opinion of them is... less than positive, and that's strictly from second-hand information from folks who were in-country, and news reports. I'm sure I'd like them even less if I'd ever had to personally deal with them.