Hired guns unaccountable (6,000 Mercenaries in Iraq)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.newsobserver.com/505/story/421071.html

About 6,000 non-Iraqi security contractors are operating in Iraq. During nine months in 2004-05, contractors reported firing into 61 civilian vehicles; no one was ever prosecuted. Security analysts say it is likely that such incidents are vastly underreported.

Security contractors supporting the U.S. effort in Iraq regularly shoot into civilian cars with little accountability, according to a News & Observer analysis of more than 400 reports contractors filed with the government.

In the documents, which cover nine months of the three-year-old war, contractors reported shooting into 61 vehicles they believed were threatening them. In just seven cases were Iraqis clearly attacking -- showing guns, shooting at contractors or detonating explosives.

There was no way to tell how many civilians were hurt, or how many were innocent: In most cases, the contractors drove away. No contractors have been prosecuted for a mistaken shooting in Iraq.

[MadMaddie]

1. I remember reading somewhere that it was written in their

contracts that they couldn't be prosecuted for crimes...it may have been on DU...maybe someone remembers..

[Mandate My Ass]

2. blanket immunity

for troops, mercs amd American contractors for the duration of the war.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/HAS505B.html

[MadMaddie]

3. That's it....Thanks for finding that...

I am guessing that if and when the Hague gets involved a lot of these people will be prosecuted....

[Mandate My Ass]

4. you're welcome

war crimes are being committed every day. You don't grant pre-emptive immunity unless your intentions are very, very bad. I pray for justice but I don't hold out much hope for it. :cry:

[MadMaddie]

5. I am in agreement with you...they went in knowing that

massive crimes were going to be committed....

This is a crime....in itself...The Hague won't excuse the people at the top for these crimes...

Only if the Dems get back in power will we see some inquiries into these crimes..

[jukes]

9. don't count on it

the democratic party does not represent the will of the people, either; it's just the lesser of two evils. both parties represent the rich getting richer.

[Marie26]

20. Wow. Just disgusting

This is why I come to DU. You all are so informed about stuff the media doesn't even touch. The article mentions the immunity in passing, but here's the actual order Bush signed.

Bush's Executive Order "Protecting the Development Fund for Iraq and Certain Other Property in Which Iraq Has An Interest."

I hereby order:

Section 1. Unless licensed or otherwise authorized pursuant to this order, any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process is prohibited, and shall be deemed null and void, with respect to the following:

(a) the Development Fund for Iraq, and

(b) all Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products, and interests therein, and proceeds, obligations, or any financial instruments of any nature whatsoever arising from or related to the sale or marketing thereof, and interests therein, in which any foreign country or a national thereof has any interest, that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons.

Recent DU thread on the CPA's corruption & robbery of Dev. Fund money: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2176912

The "Development Fund" for Iraq was the $23 Billion dollar fund that the CPA was supposed to manage. Instead, they raided & looted the fund almost completely. However, no one can sue the CPA for these actions, because Bush has given them immunity from judicial process. The US also took an unknown amount of Iraqi oil during the CPA's term - no one knows how much, because the oil meters were "broken." Luckily, this order also gives blanket immunity to anyone involved in the marketing & sale of Iraqi oil.

This Administration reminds me more & more of a mob operation. You've got your low-level mercenary thugs enforcing the peace, the shady lawyers cooking the books & laundering the money, and the crooked officials bribed to look the other way (Congress). All to keep the money flowing to the Defense/Oil contractor Mafia dons; & the ultimate don, Bush himself.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

6. but I thought contractors were construction workers building schools!

what's a mer-son--airy?

you mean they ain't construction workers?

Why own earth would they be shootin people?
They must be mistaken-

Wait--I remember--
Aren't they those ones who're on a mission of "mercy"--
a Christian group-
the mercy nairies-
The Antioch Baptist Church I go to sent some there-
they collect in church for 'em ever Sundee.

[cantstandbush]

29. I really think these are the people behind the mosque bombings.

They are there to incite sectarian war not help in any way.

[ronnie624]

31. I absolutely believe these "people" are behind

the mosque bombings.

Political stability in Iraq would not serve the intention of the elites who prosecute this "war" which is to take physical possession of Iraq's oil reserves.

These false flag tactics are a reflection of the much larger strategy of western policies in the Middle East for decades which is to foment a low level of violence and chaos in the region. It is a dangerous strategy and one that will eventually explode in all of our faces, but the one thing those in power in the west fear above all other things is sovereign political and economic organization in that region of the world.

[Marie26]

7. Mercenaries are the second-largest force

in Iraq, after the US Army. The British army is third. They're a huge part of the occupation & the media almost never reports about them.

[saigon68]

11. They are Thugs and Murderers

Too bad the Hague is so panty waisted when it comes to these War Criminals who murder little children

[pocket]

13. Pfff, our army is basically mercenary

they reenlist for tax-free cash bonuses, not because they believe in anything.

[Marie26]

17. Dunno about that

There are more profitable lives than an army private & certainly safer ones. I think many still have that old-fashioned duty, honor, country mentality - and this Admin. takes advantage of that. I respect the soliders; the mercenaries not so much.

[Dulcinea]

8. Last night's "Law & Order" was about mercenaries.

That seems to be the only place this has been discussed on TV!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. You beat me to it

Don't you think it is telling that they were brave enough to address this? After all, Fred Dalton Thompson and some others on the production staff have been doing their best to make the show either apolitical or move it more to the right. This ep was a surprise to me.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. Last night's Law & Order addressed this issue

It was a very interesting episode about one of those contractors getting murdered by another one because the first guy basically sent men on suicide missions-anyway, they made the point that the contractors were above the law-and in the story, the murderer got off scott free because he gave the Feds information on where the mercinaries were holding one of the key terrorists they were looking for.

Law & Order is one of the oldest dramas on TV and still has a big audience. That they came out with an episode this critical of Bushco (there was more than just about the mercinaries) is telling, imho. The best part was watching Fred Dalton Thompson have to say his lines that made his character look snivelling and, better yet, made out Bushco as being inept incompetants!

[EC]

14. I wonder how many people would make the connection to

Blackwater? Or even knows there are many mercenary groups over there, being paid a lot more than the soldiers and not accountable to anyone...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

16. People were making the connection on the L&O boards

It was just starting when I posted there this morning, but I haven't been back. Hopefully there's a discussion about it, and not just comments about what the actors wore.

[0007]

15. That may be a low count. I understand that there are around 15,000

mercenaries in Iraq from the United States.

[seemslikeadream]

19. DOGS OF WAR = BLOOD MONEY

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=125&topic_id=9558

Hired Guns with War Crimes Past
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=529670

CACI in the Dark On Reports of Abuse (Employee Still Working in Iraq)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=534154

Diary of an interrogator: After a tough day's questioning
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=542297

Family praying for hostage from Mississippi (Halliburton employee
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=479031

[RamboLiberal]

25. And those damn bastards at CACI are sueing Randi Rhodes

Hope they lose and she counter-sues!

[Divernan]

18. GIs offered early discharges & BIG $$$$ to hire on as mercenaries in Iraq

Someone posted that story here on DU some weeks back. U.S.soldiers already in Iraq were reporting that they were offered early discharges from their tours of duty and big signing bonuses,plus of course up to triple their military pay if they would sign employment contracts with the mercenaries.

So this is just FUBAR how the U.S. military forces are serving as unreimbursedtraining centers for the private mercenaries - another form of corporate welfare.

[Marie26]

21. Is there a link to that? nt

[Divernan]

24. Sorry - I don't have a link,

nt

[mitchum]

23. I know a reservist who had already put in a year in Iraq...

after she came home she still owed 2 years. She was informed that she could finish out her obligation by serving as a Haliburton employee for 1 year in Afghanistan. At a salary of $100,000. Otherwise, she still owed the 2 years. And it was likely that she would be deployed back to Iraq.
Absolutely incredible. But true.

[mitchum]

22. Your tax $$$$$$$$$ at work (paying thugs and murderers)

[Lisa]

26. welcome to the New Roman Empire ...

After the second century AD, the empire began to depend on mercenaries ... and it didn't end happily.

[Blue_Tires]

27. and the N&O JUST NOW figures this out?

even before the invasion, there was extensive research (MotherJones had a great piece a few years ago--it would be interesting to compare the then and now) into the increasing U.S. Government reliance on these 'merc' organizations...Just about all of them are founded by some former general/admiral with plenty of golfing buddies still working in the pentagon...these mercs are paid exhorbitant sums for black-bag operations with our tax dollars with NO accountability--they are profiteers, in the same ilk as Halliburton and the Oil companies (the only 2 other entities, along with the 'security firms' to increase their profit many times over because of the war)

They are scum...and remember, it is only a matter of time before someone hires Blackwater or someone else to train their guns on fellow americans

[yellowcanine]

28. King George's Hessians.....

[oneinok]

30. Bush now has his private army

Just how many are there?