http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/seeking_accountability_for_contractors Comments for "Seeking accountability for contractors" en http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/seeking_accountability_for_contractors <!-- Begin check for Blog Icon --> <img src="/sites/projects.newsobserver.com/files/pricehead_100.jpg" class="blog-icon" /> <!-- End check for Blog Icon --> <!-- Begin check for Teaser Toggle --> <div class="field-item"> <p>An international human rights organization said today that a lack of political will – not a fuzzy legal framework – should be primarily blamed for the dearth of prosecutions against private security contractors accused of abuses in Iraq.<br /> </p><p><a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/">Human Rights First</a> said the <a href="http://www.usdoj.gov/">U.S. Department of Justice</a> has failed to hold such contractors, including <a href="http://www.blackwaterusa.com/">Blackwater USA</a> of Moyock, accountable for accused abuses, amounting to what the organization calls a “culture of impunity,” reports Barb Barrett.<br /> </p><p>“The biggest obstacle is not the law, but political will,” said <a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/about_us/staff/byrnes_m.htm">Maureen Byrnes</a>, executive director of the group.<br /> </p><p>Still, the group said that clarifying the law – along the lines of a <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.369:">bill</a> authored by U.S. Rep. <a href="/dome/profiles/david_price">David Price </a>of Chapel Hill – would ensure that prosecutors have a path for investigating alleged criminal activities by guards.</p><p>Read more after the jump.</p> <div class="node-blog-teaser-footer"> <div class="node-blog-teaser-readmore"> <a href="http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/seeking_accountability_for_contractors"><img src="http://projects.newsobserver.com/sites/8830.newsobserver-drupal-projects.apps.prod.nandomedia.com/themes/nao/images/dome_read_more.gif" width="74" height="23" border="0" /></a></div> <div class="node-blog-teaser-comments">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/seeking_accountability_for_contractors#comment"><img src="http://www.newsobserver.com/images/front_new/icon_discussion.gif" width="11" height="7" border="0" /> Comments (0)</a> <!-- If permissions, display edit link at end of teaser --> <!-- End edit link code --> </div> </div> </div> <!-- End check for Teaser Toggle --> <!-- BEGIN AUDIO ATTACHMENT CODE --> http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/seeking_accountability_for_contractors#comment Barack Obama Blackwater David Price Human Rights First Iraq Maureen Byrnes security contractors U.S. Department of Justice Under the Dome Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:20:14 -0500 bkrueger 4402 at http://projects.newsobserver.com