State Department won’t renew Blackwater deal

[unhappycamper]

State Department won’t renew Blackwater deal
By Matthew Lee, The Associated Press
Mideast edition, Sunday, February 1, 2009

WASHINGTON — The State Department said Friday it will not renew Blackwater Worldwide’s contract to protect American diplomats in Iraq when it expires in May.

"The department notified Blackwater in writing on Jan. 29 that it did not plan to renew the company’s existing task orders for protective security detail in Iraq," said Joanne Moore, a State Department spokeswoman.

She said the contract will lapse because of the Iraqi government’s decision to deny Blackwater a license to operate. The Iraqis informed the State Department last week of the denial, which was made amid lingering outrage over a September 2007 shooting in Baghdad’s Nisoor Square that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead.

"All foreign and domestic security companies in Iraq require operating licenses. The U.S. government expects its contractors to comply with Iraqi laws and regulations," Moore said.

A senior department official said that renewing Blackwater’s contract was "basically a moot point because they were not going to be allowed to operate in Iraq anyway." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has yet to be announced publicly.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60392

[izzie]

1. Does any one think this means the end of this type stuff?

Up the DOD money so it can pay for bigger armies that have no over sight to the tax payers? I think the whole govt. is sort of run this way. A right wing take over of the govt. in sort of a back handed way. It is going to be hard to get people out of govt. that thinks they were 'born to rule' and 'know best' what is good for us common people. It is an endless battle that society seems to have to fight for ever. It is still iffy if our system can work and we must keep at it. It is a good move to get rid of this company and we do not pay for it in this place any how.

[unhappycamper]

2. Actually I see it as one down, two to go:

We still have Triple Canopy and one other (still on my first cuppa coffee) merc to get rid of.

[rakeeb]

3. I wasn't aware that Triple Canopy

has been charged with anything...