newsobserver.com projects - security contractors - Comments

Blackwater runs deep

James_Protzman — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:00:35 -0500

Erik Prince is an opportunistic war-profiteer who took advantage of his personal connections in Washington to create a mercenary army operating outside the rule of law. He recruited top military professionals, skimming billions out of the Pentagon budget, resulting people who remained on active duty working for chump change. Blackwater is (for now) a US corporation. Our court system can and should look into Blackwater's activities and hold both individual contractors and executive leadership accountable for whatever crimes they may have committed. The IRS should also be looking into Blackwater's payroll policies to determine if Prince is evading tax laws.

James Protzman
Veteran
2nd Anglico, Camp Lejeune (1974 to 1977)
USNA '72

Re: Price: Let courts decide on Blackwater

Dirigo01 — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:50:32 -0500

Erik Prince is a hero who took the bull by the horns and provided a service that our Government could not. He protected arguably the most threatened targets in the world to day (Paul Bremer at one time had a $43 million dollar bounty on his head while travelling in Iraq!) and did not lose one! You people know that these cowardly terrorists hide behind women and children as a matter of policy as Hamas has recently proven. I hate that innocent people died to but you know these guys, some of the best disciplined in the business, did not just start shooting unarmed people. Moreover, State and DoD cannot simply rewrite policy retroactively and on a whim. By their own memorandum the courts have no jurisdiction here! I knew when the bookkeepers and accountants that make up the FBI got involved this would become a goat*&%*.

Gary A. Shaw
Veteran
Retired Police Officer

Re: Price has fought Blackwater since '04

Wildgoose — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:09:01 -0500

Fat chance Marshall. You getting elected in the 3rd District will be when our hog farms fly!

Price has fought Blackwater since '04

marshall_adame@yahoo.com — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:07:28 -0500

Congressman Price had the right idea in 2004. He recognized the potential for abuse and maybe even the Administration's deliberate actions to create the right to lawless behavior and mayhem on the part of Blackwater and other security companies in Iraq and Columbia.

Now that all of Congressman Price's concerns have manifested themselves in Iraq, with killings and destruction over the past few years, his call for more control is wholly inadequate.

When elected to the US House in 2008, I will offer my services, partnership and advice to Congressman Price to write legislation regarding Private Securty Companies which will serve the public's interest and our countries goals and needs.

MARSHALL ADAME
Democratic Candidate NC-03

Closing loopholes isn't enough.

Anglico — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:14:35 -0500

The United States government should not be in the business of using mercenary armies for anything. The "loophole" that needs closing is the one that allows the government to use armed contractors in the first place.

Congressman Price has been on this for many years, but his focus on accountability and oversight misses the broader and more important issue. It's time to stop the privatization of war in every way, shape and form.

Re: Price bill headed to House floor

bellaparola — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:23:37 -0400

I was curious as to who Blackwater's flack was and where she had worked before. I found this search very interesting.
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Anne+Tyrrell%22+Shirley+%26+Banister

Contract work

Anglico — Fri, 11 May 2007 16:16:40 -0400

They'll just lie.

I applaud Congressman Price's desire to get to the bottom of this, but I have zero hope of getting a straight answer. BushCo doesn't care what Congress thinks and has proven again and again that they won't answer Congress's questions. They will just lie.