For Blackwater mercenaries, terrorizing and killing Iraqis was sport, payback time

These A*#holes need to be removed from any association with our military. That behaviour makes it that much more difficult for our military men and women to do their jobs, and endangers them, as well as the innocent civilians.

Our military, besides fighting an enemy, has also been working hard to establish a working relationship with the citizens by fostering trust.

Lots of bad stuff coming out about these private, for profit mercenary hords.

I don't know what administration first began utilizing these private mercenary armies, but I doubt they were wanting crap like this to be happening.

I remember long ago the concept being floated about, about privatizing lots of things in government, but it has NOT worked out for the better.

These private armies have turned out to be highly skilled, but far from disciplined. I vote for pulling the plug on the Private armies, that could easily turn on us, as easily as they have on innocent civilians in other countries.

So why is Blackwater and Halliburton still on our payroll?

Bush and his gang privatized these operations out of cronyism not because they could provide good services.

This is the same kind of thing that went on with Bush and his death squads in South America and managed to stop the countries from becoming democratic governments.

Its bad enough the cowards we call congress allowed Bush to start two wars for profit.

Its bad enough the cowards we call congress allowed Bush to start two wars for profit.

Yeah, Jack, Congress most definitely wears the white hats here. They "allowed" all of this. Yep, that innocent bastion of our government.

Just out of curiosity, where in the article does it say:

Blackwater mercenaries competed who can hit an Iraqi civilian with a water bottle or smash a windshield or a window.

And this statement is incorrect:

Some bragged about their "body counts and viewed killing Iraqis as payback for 9/11."


The article states one member named Raven 23 did this, not some members.

And this statement:

were a part of the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

add Obama.

Savo, this situation is serious enough, please don't add to it to create more controversy.

Bush didn't start these illegal wars because he loved the Iraqi people so much he murdered over a million of them? Its Obama war now but it was started by the Bush gang for profit.

Why don't you look up some Bush/bin Laden history to see why the person hates the Bush gang so much and has no other way of bringing him to Justice except the freedom war they are fighting in Afghanistan now.

What does that have to do with my comment?

Look up some Bush/bin Laden history? Why? Do you think it changed any? WTH?

Cathi, if you could only read.

"For sport, they rolled through the streets of Baghdad hurling frozen oranges and water bottles at civilians and nearby vehicles, trying to smash windshields and injure bystanders."

Raven 23 is a Blackwater security team, not a person.

Do you need someone to draw it for you?

Raven 23 is a Blackwater security team, not a person.

One member of the Blackwater security team known as Raven 23 regularly bragged about his body count and viewed killing Iraqis as "payback for 9/11."

Gee Savo, apparently we both need to read, but it's still one member, not SOME members.

For sport doesn't say it was a competition.

Draw what you want but you are still hyping up something that doesn't need fictional aggrandizement. It's already bad.

"Some bragged" means some members of the team... "some bragged" can also mean one member of the team bragged.

It doesn't say "some bragged."

This company is the worst I have ever seen... they are teh Corporate version of Natzi Storm Troppers...not only should they be closed but Erik Prince should be hung for treason.

"please don't add to it to create more controversy."

Please stop invading sovereign countries and murdering innocent people... you are part of it, you pay for it, even for these Blackwater murderers...

Savo, don't try to turn my words. Adding fictional controversy on top of reality is just as bad as the acts these Blackwater members are accused of. We need truth, Savo, not hype.

This is the problem. The American public doesn't even grasp the simple truth that that's what we do; invade sovereign countries. Just take Iraq for example. The invasion was described by the Sec Gen of the UN as illegal, described by the International Commission of Jurists as illegal -- It was clearly illegal. And what happened when we wanted the UN to come with us on this venture? Countries like France said; no, more time is needed to validate the WMD issue. To this day, many Americans resent the French because of this - Guess what? The French were right, and here we are still there 6 years after the WMD excuse fell apart. And what about Afghanistan? Originally we invaded because the Taliban was sheltering bin-Laden, but hey -- we're still there 8 years after bin-Laden departed.

This isn't just the fault of Bush and Obama, it's the people who can't or won't understand what's really going on.

If another country, say Iran had said, six years ago, that Saddam had WMD and they needed to invade to protect themselves, and they were still occupying all this time later, what would be said about that in the US? Or what if it were China who made the WMD claim, was there 6 years later when the oil was being contracted to ...PetroChina -- what would we be saying.

Powerful smell of mendacity and hypocrisy around here.

Please stop invading sovereign countries and murdering innocent people.

Please stop peddling arms to police states and terrorist havens. Please stop selling weapons to Libya, Syria and Venezuela.

I agree Cathi.

Savo, since you, nor Cathi, nor I are personally "invading sovereign countries and murdering innocent people" it is disingenuous to command any of us to stop doing something we are not guilty of.

If you had graciously accepted the correction, I would respect your writings. However, with your "attack dog" backlash, I will no longer trust what you write to be truthful.

Nora, you are paying for this invasion and the murder of innocent people. Think about that next time you ask "why do they hate us."

I don't really care what you think about my writing....

Robert, yes we do need the truth. I think Americans are finally asking themselves, "what the hell are we still doing in Afghanistan." We are nation building now in a nation that has no interest in being re-built.

Nato and the international forces in Afganistan are now using an applied policy of a theory that they will arm, support and create an Afgan state, a proxy state if you will. And this will create an army of 260,000 in one report I have read. Unlike Iraq, that does have natural resources, and can in various ways actually support the creation of a police and military state, Afganistan does not.

This so called 'plan' is nothing short of an even worse plan than anything pitched earlier. Most of the local people are brave but not trust worthy. You may be able to form local battalions, or maybe a division or two in the large cities like Kabul, but beyond, its like water in the desert.

There is not the money, the motivation, or the long term ability to sustain this plan in any way. And its been hatched and stated as the way forward because the Allies cannot afford the current losses, or costs being incurred. Even if you get control of the larger areas, it does nothing at all about the Pashtun issue and the porus border.

Most cases of people talking in public are people lying and simply towing the line, with a 'hope' that following a loose plan like Iraq will provide the same results. Afganistan is not Iraq. The entire plan and its aims, resources, and how things are done needs re-engineering before we talk garbage about social re-engineering of people jammed in the 7th century where most cannot read, write. The whole thing is incredibly bad led, badly run, and the troops on the ground are paying the price. Much of the same is applicable to the aid programs, and that is a bigger disaster than the military side. Enough of the aid is going direct to the militant forces. We are killing our own men.

Good comment Cathi, we agree (on most of that) again. We've got to break that pattern and get into an old fashioned argument.

Savo's comment regarding why "they hate us." Tragically Americans, for the most part, don't have a clue about this. They think we're innocent victims. The reality is if another country had done to us what we've done to many countries, many Americans would support the kind of terrorist acts against that country that are so reviled here.

I don't think Americans as a whole will see this. This country is too divisive on politics, and too interested in little fringe arguments. Afghanistan remains the "forgotten war" and until we get truth from government and truth from media, we will remain with our heads in the sand and continue to complain about Obama's type of mustard, Obama addressing school kids, Obama's dog, Obama's type of beer, and who made it on American Idol. It's almost comical, that is, if it wasn't for so many dying while this is going on.

All the things we've done to other countries? You talking about the billions we contunually hand out, like candy, to everyone but our own? Are you forgetting the Muslim plan to take over the world? As far as I'm concerned, anyone who saws people's heads off, with obviously dull knives, deserves to be completely wiped from the face of the planet. Now, I suppose you're going to say, we sawed their heads off first or you're going to justify all the beheadings? Liberals alway.. ALWAYS... blame the wrong people for the criminal's actions. And your hate for ole Georgie, places blame on him for anything you desire to blame him for. I'm no Bush lover, by any means, but I certainly get tired of blanket statements, such as ones made in this article, as Cathi previously pointed out.

Some folks just love to hate and spread it like butter, in any manner they can. I find the OP guilty as charged.

Regardless of the supposed "whys", you folks best be pulling your heads outta that dark, moist hole you have it in, and wake up to the fact that Muslims hate Infidels... period. And no.. before you ask... I trust no Muslim, in America or anywhere else. Spend some time researching the plans the muslims have for not only Israel, but for the world. Look at England and how England has to bow and scrape to PLEASE them, in their own sovereign nation. It's happening here, also.

As for mercenaries. Mercenaries are hired killers. They work for the highest bidder. You are bound to find hard core "killers" in any group of mercenaries. But even at that, it doesn't make ALL mercenaries bad people, because some do their job with the same pride and honor, you do yours. Labeling ALL mercenaries as "bad people" or "killers of innocents" is just wrong headed.
I'm finished with this article. It's been a waste of my time.

And the American public continues to allow and pay for mercenaries, without even knowing how much mercenaries we are paying them. And Obama hires another 60,000 without the public raising an eyebrow. Business as usual.

You are so right Robert.

My personal opinion is to get every last American soldier and mercenary out of all hostile countries and let them all kill each other off. Might help solve the world's population problem.

Is Blackwater Too Big to Fail?

This article is worth checking into. It has some pretty relevant points on why we are so tied with Blackwater.

They are the military arm of the Right wing fake Christians

and we call the Iraqis terrorists or enemies for trying to live their lives in their country

No wonder Sudanese president Omar Hassan al- Bashir thinks he is without responsibility for the atrocities he allowed.