Overkill: Feared Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans

[marcus_b]

This is frightening to me...

NEW ORLEANS -- Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal force. Several mercenaries we spoke with said they had served in Iraq on the personal security details of the former head of the US occupation, L. Paul Bremer and the former US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte.

"This is a totally new thing to have guys like us working CONUS (Continental United States)," a heavily armed Blackwater mercenary told us as we stood on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. "We're much better equipped to deal with the situation in Iraq."

Blackwater mercenaries are some of the most feared professional killers in the world and they are accustomed to operating without worry of legal consequences. Their presence on the streets of New Orleans should be a cause for serious concern for the remaining residents of the city and raises alarming questions about why the government would allow men trained to kill with impunity in places like Iraq and Afghanistan to operate here. Some of the men now patrolling the streets of New Orleans returned from Iraq as recently as 2 weeks ago.

(...)

"When they told me New Orleans, I said, 'What country is that in?,'" said one of the Blackwater men. He was wearing his company ID around his neck in a carrying case with the phrase "Operation Iraqi Freedom" printed on it. After bragging about how he drives around Iraq in a "State Department issued level 5, explosion proof BMW," he said he was "just trying to get back to Kirkuk (in the north of Iraq) where the real action is." Later we overheard him on his cell phone complaining that Blackwater was only paying $350 a day plus per diem. That is much less than the men make serving in more dangerous conditions in Iraq. Two men we spoke with said they plan on returning to Iraq in October. But, as one mercenary said, they've been told they could be in New Orleans for up to 6 months. "This is a trend," he told us. "You're going to see a lot more guys like us in these situations."

Emphasis added.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0910-07.htm

[Skidmore]

1. Why do our representatives not have a problem with

mercenaries being unleashed on the citizenry?

[longship]

2. NOLA Graib

Comin' right up, the next scandal.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Scary story...

Where is that link supposed to go???

[marcus_b]

5. Oops, fixed link. Thank you. n/t

[bigbrother05]

4. It's to late there already here

link goes to some weird du html page

[Catrina]

6. Whaaaaat???????

Is this for real???? Where IS Congress? Mercenaries on US streets?? If there is not outrage throughout the country over this, then this is no longer America ~

This is a disaster area!! Are they saying that the black people of LA are enemies of the US?? This is a private security firm, with a horrendous human rights record, Abu Ghraib etc.!! Who are they supposed to be protecting and is it legal for the US to hire mercenaries in the first place?

Unfuckingbelievable, but I know one thing, this will put my wavering Republican friends over the edge ~

Welcome to Bush's American where the disabled, the poor, minorities die of starvation as we watch on television, and pets are shot in the streets of a US city after a disaster. And mercenaries patrol the streets, protecting .... who? Are the vulturous defense contractors arriving after the citizens have been disarmed and forced out, to do a land grab?

Welcome to Bush's American. Coming soon to a city near you!!

[Raksha]

7. This is terrifying! n/t

[adadem]

8. Blackwater is owned

by Eric Prince who is the brother of Betsy DeVos - wife of Dick DeVos co-owner of Amway and running for Gov of MI in 06. Billionaire Repug sickos.

[ismnotwasm]

9. Oh just fucking great

I officially live in a bad action/thriller novel. Only it's for real.
WHAT trend? So we're going to have mercenaries at protests? Our government taxpayer supported troops are going to be tied up in useless wars, so a PRIVATIZED private army can be used where the national guard is supposed to be? And who in HELL are they accountable to? The president? This makes me sick.

[ryan_cats]

10. Is this to finish off the minorities left?

Why are these guys even here? This is so screwed, do they get a license to kill? Is that the real purpose?

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. Sometimes sardonic humor meets reality

[applegrove]

12. I guess the contract was already signed with Homeland security &

when Bush had to send in the 40,000 troops there was no getting out of it.

They don't need people getting $350 a day on the streets today or yesterday. They have more than enough people getting about $10 an hour on the streets. Man - even the cops doing overtime are not getting that much money.

Ridiculous.