NPR: Rice Orders New Measures for Security in Iraq

Rice Orders New Measures for Security in Iraq

It appears that the days of little oversight of private security contractors in Iraq are ending.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced today an overhaul of U.S. security practices, introducing new measures that will allow the State Department to keep a tighter rein on contractors hired to protect government convoys.

The Associated Press reports that Rice accepted preliminary recommendations of an internal review board calling for "Diplomatic Security agents to accompany every convoy, the installation of video cameras in security vehicles, audio recordings of radio traffic between the embassy and such convoys and improved coordination and communication between convoys and the U.S. military."

This announcement comes the day after members of the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation holding U.S. contractors overseas accountable to U.S. law.

Rice ordered a review of security procedures after a Sept. 16 shooting involving Blackwater security guards that killed several Iraqis. Blackwater has denied its employees did anything wrong, but the Iraqi government has said the security contractors fired first. The Washington Post quotes a senior U.S. military official who says that military reports "indicate that [Blackwater] guards opened fire without provocation and used excessive force against Iraqi civilians."

12:56 PM ET | 10- 5-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

While you are talking about women in politics, let's talk about Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton has already said that if elected, she can't be expected to end the war in Iraq. And the Democratic Party fat cat party bosses who've sold out are backing Hillary to the bitter end.

The antiwar movement has become a parody of fat cat Silicon Valley Republicans who are devoted to keeping the American news headlines off of domestic policy. While the war in Iraq gets the headlines, the fat cat robber barons rob the domestic coffers. Cause nobody is looking.

The antiwar movement doesn't want to open their finance books to the public. Because the public will see who the biggest contributors are: the domestic fat cat robber barons.

The Democrats are becoming a parody of being marionettes manipulated by these fat cat domestic thieves.

The result: America's infrastructure collapses while the fat cats gather up the real estate at cost.

America is being turned into a New Orleans Katrina victim.

fred call

Sent by fred call | 12:59 PM ET | 10-07-2007

And, while you are talking about black Republicans, let's talk about Alan Keyes.

The other night I finally got to see the movie Borat. Yeah, I do get late behind in my movies. And there was Sacha Cohen talking to Alan Keyes. I'd forgotten all about Mr. Keyes. So, I went looking to see what he's up to. Now, this whole race (pardon the pun, I meant campaign race) issue thing is getting real interesting. Barack the Democrat. Keyes the Republican? You know what. All this '08 election need is Joe Lieberman and all the bases are covered.

Fred call

Alan Keyes Running For President
By Eric Kleefeld - September 16, 2007, 1:30PM
Frequent candidate Alan Keyes announced on Friday that he has filed a statement of candidacy for president with the Federal Election Commission. Keyes, a former diplomat in the Reagan administration, ran for senator from Maryland in 1988 and 1992, for president in 1996 and 2000, and for senator from Illinois in 2004.
A press release on his Renew America site says that Keyes will seek to attend the September 17 Values Voter Presidential Debate in Florida. Will they let him in?
Late Update: Keyes said on Janet Parshall's radio show on Friday that he has in fact been invited to the Values Voter Debate. But will he show up at any other debates, such as the ones on cable news channels?

RenewAmerica
Alan Keyes' website for grassroots activism -- designed to foster a nationwide movement to restore America to its founding ideals.
www.renewamerica.us/ - 67k - Cached - Similar pages

Alan Keyes excluded from Oct. 9 Michigan Presidential Debate
Michigan conservative leaders appalled

Sent by fred call | 1:04 PM ET | 10-07-2007

Diverting the message thread away from topics you don't care for and toward that which you do, again, huh F.C.? In this case, Hillary bashing and promoting an obscure GOP candidate. Looks like no one bit this time. Well, I'm sure you'll try again at the next opportunity o'l buddy.

Sent by John R. Otten | 7:51 PM ET | 10-10-2007

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