NPR: Iraq Cancels Blackwater's Operating License

Iraq Cancels Blackwater's Operating License

The Iraqi government says it's canceling the operating license of U.S. security firm Blackwater USA after accusations that it was involved in a deadly shootout in Baghdad. The firm provides personal security for many U.S. officials working in the country.

Agence-France Presse reports that the shootout Sunday in a Baghdad neighborhood, which involved a U.S. diplomatic convoy, left at least eight people dead and 13 others wounded. Officials say that most of the dead and wounded were bystanders.

"The interior minister (Jawad al-Bolani) has issued an order to cancel Blackwater's licence and the company is prohibited from operating anywhere in Iraq," interior ministry director of operations Major General Abdel Karim Khalaf said. "We have opened a criminal investigation against the group who committed the crime."

All Blackwater employees have been told to leave Iraq immediately, except for those involved in the shooting, the BBC reports. Blackwater hasn't commented so far.

As Jackie Northam reported recently for Morning Edition, there are thousands of private contractors in Iraq — with little oversight. Critics say the contractors often are not trained properly, the BBC reports.

11:16 AM ET | 09-17-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

A while back I went into youtube (and who doesn't) to take a look at Blackwater downloads. In one video, that was allegedly from Blackwater, there was this group of company employees in a humvee, driving along the highway shooting at anything that moved. Just blasting away at passing automobiles. Laughing as they watched the riddled Iraqi vehicles crash into one another. It was not only amazing that they filmed themselves performing drive-by shootings at civilians. They posted it on youtube (but who doesn't?).

These Blackwater guys would have made Nixon proud.

fred call

PS.....
Patriots 38
Chargers 14

Any questions?

Sent by fred call | 12:14 PM ET | 09-17-2007

I can't believe its taken this long to realize the disasterous concequences of having US paid mercenaries in Iraq!
Now its Bush's turn... will he recall his private army?

Sent by Alan Harben | 12:28 PM ET | 09-17-2007

It's about time, this isn't the only incident they have done this and worse, I wonder why it took so long for people to open their eyes. They have only been doing this since they got there. Borrow Jeremy Scahill's book, 'Blackwater the rise of the world's most powerful mercenary army' from your library (or buy a copy)

Sent by acer | 3:25 PM ET | 09-17-2007

Kicking our American mercenaries out of Iraq could be grounds for our conventional troops invading the country one more time. Three times is a charm.

Sent by dans | 10:33 AM ET | 09-18-2007

"All media work us over completely. They are so pervasive in their personal, political, economic, aesthetic, psychological, moral, ethical and social consequences that they leave no part of us untouched, unaffected, unaltered. The medium is the massage."
-- Marshall McLuhan

McLuhan said that all media are tranquilizers, but these hot-and-cold media have an especially potent numbing effect: They seduce us into lengthy engagement, offer us a feeling of empowerment and then glut our senses till we become indifferent - Scott Rosenberg "Taking the Internet's Temperature."

Mercenary Drive By Shooting ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?search=&mode=related&v=6BDByPfIavQ

Sent by fred call | 11:32 AM ET | 09-18-2007

I'm a security contractor. I don't work for BW but I can say from experience working with them that what the public sees as indiscriminate or random fire is everything but. These men represent the most highly skilled ex SF,SEALS and SOG anywhere. Their job is protective security and that's exactly what they do. The insurgents are notorious for firing blindly and spraying bullets into crowds in our direction. They're undisciplined, unskilled and irresponsible. The insurgents have no more regard for civilian lives during a firefight than when they detonate carbombs in public or suicide bombers. I find it hard to believe the civilians who died here weren't killed by the carelessness of the insurgents themselves like usual.

Sent by PSD tinman | 1:22 PM ET | 09-18-2007

The famous YouTube trophy video someone referred too of contractors firing from SUVs wasn't by Blackwater USA. That was a UK based PMC called Aegis.

Sent by PSD tinman | 1:26 PM ET | 09-18-2007

As reported on PBS Frontline series:

By all accounts, Scott Helvenston, who joined Blackwater in March 2004, was well prepared for security work. He had been a Navy SEAL instructor and was a world class athlete. But he was in debt and Blackwater's pay -- about $600 a day -- was a chief reason for signing on for a two-month contract.

Aegis Defence Services was initially awarded a $293 million contract by the Pentagon in May 2004.....Because of a tangled chain of contracts, it is difficult to determine any final accountability:........

Blackwater denies responsibility for the contractors' deaths and says it doesn't know who directed the March 31st mission. Blackwater was contracted through a Kuwaiti company, Regency, to a Cypriot company, ESS, the food caterer. ESS has refused to tell FRONTLINE exactly whom they were working for.

The following month, Lawrence Peter, the U.S. official in charge of regulating the security business in Iraq, was dealing with the difficulties security contractors were having getting licenses to import guns -- many of them turned to the black market which contributed to lawlessness.

frontline: private warriors | PBS... profiled in this FRONTLINE report. Plus, a Sept.'06 update on Blackwater contractors killed in Fallujah in '04. ... FRONTLINE home + WGBH + PBS ...
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/warriors/ - 16k - Cached - Similar pages

fred call

Sent by fred call | 3:00 PM ET | 09-18-2007

Let's see. We got West Point. We got the Naval Academy. We got the Air Force Academy. We spent 250 years creating disciplined and well oiled military. And we turn it over to the vigilantes?
Wahoo!! I can't wait til we roll the Guillotine out.

Sent by dans | 7:01 PM ET | 09-18-2007

U.of Florida

NCAA Football National Champions

NCAA Basketball National Champions

NCAA Tasering National Champions

Goooooooooo!!! Gators!!!!!

Sent by fred call | 10:01 AM ET | 09-19-2007

the reason some want blackwater out of iraq is because they do not like the fact that blackwater agents shoot back. If the agents employeed with blackwater need to protect themselves they do and should, at all cost as should our Military. There is no mention of how many blackwater agents and our U S Military have been kidnapped by Iraqis, tortured, dismembered and their heads cut off, I think that justifies
'kill before being killed" , this attack on the USA has to stop it will not happen with conversations. We need to protect our selves and family. God Bless us.

Sent by Tammy. weatherford Texas | 9:22 PM ET | 09-29-2007

It's about time Murder Incorporated was booted. This is actually the first sign of hope that the Iraqi gov't actually has a will of it's own.

There is nothing lower than a mercenary. They have no sense of honor or duty. The have no respect for life and therefore, their lives have no value. Blackwater is nothing more than a domestic terrorist organization and the next time they're deployed on American soil like they were during Katrina, we should show them exactly why we love the second amendment.

As far as former military personnel are concerned, if you are presently with Blackwater your service to your country is negated by the fact that you are prepared to turn on your own people. Just remember that unlike innocent Iraqi men, women and children, we have guns too. And will not hesitate to use them.

Sent by captainkona | 1:03 PM ET | 12-08-2007

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