Here is the company where the 4 guys who were killed today in Iraq worked

[NNN0LHI]

http://blackwatersecurity.com/

[aquart]

1. Let me guess: Providing mercenaries to oil companies worldwide.

I dunno. Are they perhaps less skilled than advertised?

[DoctorMyEyes]

2. How did you find out?

mercenaries, huh?

[webtrainer]

13. MSNBC refers to the company . . .

Contractors worked for security company
U.S. officials, who spoke with NBC News on condition of anonymity, said that all four contractors were Americans who worked for Blackwater USA of Moyock, N.C. The company later issued a statement confirming that, but said their identities had not yet been established.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4551230/

[DoctorMyEyes]

16. Thanks

Did anyone notice the irony of the burning car posted on their home page.

[maddezmom]

29. thanks for the link n/t

[NNN0LHI]

20. 4 Killed in Iraq Worked for Security Firm

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040331/ap_on_re_mi_ea/civilian_deaths&cid=540&ncid=1473

MOYOCK, N.C. - The four civilians killed in Iraq (news - web sites) on Wednesday worked for a North Carolina security firm that hires former military personnel from the United States and other countries.

Blackwater President Gary Jackson and two other company leaders are former Navy SEAL commandos. snip


The company says it provides "mobile security teams" made up of former U.S. special operations troops or intelligence operatives. Those teams "stand ready to be deployed around the world with little notice in support of U.S. national security objectives, private or foreign interests," the company's Web site says.


___


On the Net:


Blackwater USA: http://blackwatersecurity.com

more

[DrWeird]

3. Armed combatants.

Isn't that what we call them?

Non-uniformed combatants?

I wonder if they were testing the latest developments in weapon technology on the Iraq people.

[Bandit]

30. If they aren't in uniform they are spys

I would believe that this company is a CIA Front. Sort of like Air America in the sixties.

[maddezmom]

4. not a surprise

where did you get the info?

[Eureka]

5. Well I guess one persons 'civilian contractor'

is another person's 'mercenary'

Still, there is no excuse for what happened to them. I think there are lines you can step over, even in war. (but I've never been, so maybe I don't know shit anyway)

[Killarney]

6. Damn, you guys.

These were real, live people with families back home. They are dead now. Burned alive and dragged through the streets. Have some fucking respect.

[DrWeird]

7. Tell you what...

I'll respect them when you respect the tens of thousands of civilians they helped kill.

[Killarney]

9. Fuck you for sayinig that I don't respect the thousands of civilians kille

Every life lost in this war bothers me. From an innocent Iraqi civilian, to American troops, to reporters, to whoever these people were and whatever company they worked for.

I have respect for human life. Period.

These people are dead right now, their body parts littered in the streets. Have respect for the dead is all I'm saying. American, Iraqi, HUMAN.

[DrWeird]

11. Hey, you assumed I didn't respect these dead guys.

Turns out I don't, but you don't see me getting all upset about it.

[alcuno]

14. I agree with you, Killarney

And I hope the American people get to see what was done to those men. I saw the pictures of a charred torso and a dead man with his feet on fire. These were fathers, brothers, and sons. Likely, they loved and were loved.

[frylock]

17. these people knew the dangers they were placing themselves in..

that's why they get mad coin.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

10. Blame Bush, don't blame them.

They wouldn't have done it if the President hadn't hired or given them orders to do it.

Seriously, show some respect.
Use your rage to defeat Bush in November.

[camero]

19. Not only Bush is to blame for this

That was a private contractor that employed them. They got their orders from the corporation. More reason to be against the corps.

[prolesunited]

25. Who showed a lack of respect?

Someone just pointed out what company they worked for? Is that not permissable? :shrug:

These weren't exactly innocents. Do you think that perhaps in their line of work, they may not have killed people before?

The savagery that was displayed was surprising, but hardly unimaginable. You place people in inhumane conditions, fuel it with death and destruction all around them and you're really surprised to see them act in less the humane ways.

Tell you what. If we caught some of these perpetrators, including the children, and place them in a pit of freepers, do you think they would be treated humanely or tortured and shredded limb from limb. Already there is a renewed call to glass Iraq.

Killing does not stop killing. It just leads to more killing.

[KoKo]

31. How do you know this wasn't repayment for what these Mercenaries did to

these people in Falluja? How do you know. Check out Blakwater's website or the links I posted about this. It's like some kind of James Bond Villian Web Site.

How do we know that this wasn't revenge for something these "hot shots" did? Mercenaries....they have loyalty to no one...Geneva Convention, nothing...

[FlemingsGhost]

8. Dogs of war.

A dying breed, whose purpose is fast becoming obsolete.

Fade away...

[adriennui]

24. remember the film with christopher walken?

dogs of war was one of the most intriguing adventure movies ever made. beautifully written and acted. it showed the shadowy somewhat lonely lives these freelancers have.

[mmonk]

27. Alot of times when there are reports of Americans getting killed

especially in the Middle East or Africa, they are usually corporate and usually "dogs of war".

[Vickers]

12. They knew what they were getting into

Sad that folks died, and gruesome what the Iraqis did with the bodies, but these guys knew the risks, perhaps even more than the average combat soldier.

[notadmblnd]

15. do you think

they are an offshoot of the cia or just a group of ex-agents doing their part to cash in on the endless war on terrorism?

[theHandpuppet]

23. NBC4 (Washington, DC) reported...

... that at least one of the men was carrying a Dept of Defense ID.

[alfredo]

26. The CIA does contract out their dirty work.

Mercenaries are there for the money, and where a soldier would stand a chance to be treated with some respect, a mercenary will be shown no respect, no mercy. A soldier fights and kills for country, or ideals, a mercenary does it for money.

These may have been decent guys, they may not have been. They took the risk and lost.


I feel bad for their families and loved ones, but I have a hard time feeling anything for the dead mercenaries.

[SoCalDem]

18. KoKo01 posted their "curriculum" on the dyncorp thread

Rent-a-soldiers , Inc. :(

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1318689&mesg_id=1318689

[KoKo]

21. Here are more photo's and stuff about them. I just researched it on SoCal

's Post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1318689&mesg_id=1319290&page=

and this: with photos

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1318689&mesg_id=1319624&page=

[Mari333]

22. Bush admin hiring security guards with your tax dollars now

to keep the troop deaths down for re election. Nonetheless, 5 soldiers died today anyway.
Think of the word DRAFT burn it into your brain
www.bushdraft.com
thats what is next. C Span ran a whole segment today on the troop morale, lack of re enlistment, lack of resources, anger of the families (they have no idea), and the furious concern of the soldiers on the ground.
think DRAFT because thats what will happen if Bu$h gets in again.
www.bushdraft.com
the security companies he is hiring will cut and run because of this.

[NNN0LHI]

28. I hate death. All death. But live by the sword, die by the sword

I personally would not put my family through something like this for a few pieces of gold. Even if you make it back just think about how these guys wives and kids have to worry while these jokers are out playing John Wayne. These guys are sick in the head. I feel very sorry for their families.

Don

[KoKo]

32. Don, I live in NC the website for this Blackwater group sent chills down

my spine. Seeing the stuff there, (Please click on my links) makes me want to leave America...It's really bad stuff, and while we focused on DynCorp and Vinell this crap is going on right under our noses but we American's never knew about this!

[KoKo]

33. My NC map says this is near "Outer Banks" close to VA Border in NC, and

yet all my internet searches using search engines "Google" and everything else I could find wouldn't give me the location. It's near Camp LeJune in NC... If you noticed they are opening up "new branches."

[Jacobin]

35. Mercenaries-R-Us

"A branch near you opening soon."

[notadmblnd]

38. a private army for corporate amerika?

nt

[Huck Cooper]

34. I know one of these contractor types.

I know a guy who does work similar to this. While in the USA, he works for a well known Civil Rights organization. His job is basically body guard/threat assessment. He does noble work that is useful when you think about all the crazy people out there.

He has had a chance to go over to Iraq, and help bodyguard some of the new Iraqi Officials. He didnt go, but if he had, I would say that he wouldn't have deserved to die over it.

I think it is an outright lie to call these people mercenaries. They aren't there to kill people. They are there to defend people and save lives.

[thebigidea]

36. and if in the course of defending people, they kill a few - well...

... that's business!

[KoKo]

39. Absolutely! We may all have to become "mercenaries" with "Downsizing"

and it's a great opportunity for our kids who were put on Ritalin. All that "agressive energy" can go into working for the "private military" who pay better than our US Military.

Great answer to "outsourcing" for our kids who will be "left behind."

[KoKo]

37. I can understand your point. Not all these people are bad. BUT they

don't serve under "International Law" or the "Geneva Accords" put in place after WWII. They are not answerable to ANYONE for their actions.

And, given that most Americans have no idea that we have this "Mercenary for Hire" Army independent of Congressional and Military Oversight, this is something we as a "Democracy" and "Citizens of the US" need to hash out.

Do we want "Soldiers of Fortune" privatized like folks who work for "corporations" or do we want a Military which is "answerable" to the People of the US?

This is the question in my mind. I am a person who doesn't see everything as black and white, and look for shades of grey.. But Private Military Mercenaries gets my "radar" up real good as a "patriotic American" who is horrified by what's going on.

And it was POPPY BUSH who started this "Privatization" when he started closing many of our military bases. He listened too much to Rumsfield who would have been very happy serving "Imperial Rome," and got caught up in this "Private Military Contractor/Mercenary/THING!!"

It blows my mind that we have been "hoodwinked" into this Shit!

[KoKo]

40. No one cares about this issue...it's dead...folks here think it's great

end of discussion. It' makes me sick to be on DU sometimes. But, Hey, I undrstand...Get the Hell Off and "don't let the door hit you on your way out!" LOL's

Fugeddaboutit!

[0rion]

41. Hired Mercenaries.

Guns for hire.

[diamond14]

42. "BSC does not hire you; we contract you as an independent contractor"

http://blackwatersecurity.com/employment.html

-snip-

BSC does not hire you; we contract you as an independent contractor (IC). BSC will provide a 1099 at the end of the year to IC’s that documents all funds paid during the year. The IC has make provisions for all the tax issues. BSC provides overseas insurance (Defense Base Act) when working on a U.S. Government contract.

[ithacan]

43. these guys are combattants

just read their home page. This piece in particular is important:

Blackwater Security Consulting has it roots in the Special Operations community

These were not Peace Corps guys, they were over there helping the Bush regime in its illegal occupation of Iraq. They knew what they were doing, they knew the dangers they were in, just as any warrior knows.

Too bad this happened, but war's hell. And Bush's wars are extra hellish.

[KG]

44. seems the iraqi's considered these guys 'enemy combatants'

and outside international rule of law.

seems that gitmo/'enemy combatants' thing could be coming back to bite the US on the ass.