FBI to probe Blackwater role in shootout

Yet more troubles for local private security firm Blackwater USA. To me the moral is that when a nation resorts to basically hiring mercenaries much in the manner of ancient Rome, do not be surprised when abuses and other misconduct occur. Sadly, however, the image of the USA gets further sullied by such conduct when government contractors act like thugs from some banana republic. Based on the way Blackwater's income from government contracts has sky rocketed, one cannot help but wonder who is in charge of accountability (my bet, is no one up until now). Here are highlights from a Yahoo News story (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071001/ap_on_go_co/blackwater_iraq):

WASHINGTON - Amid questions of reckless behavior by U.S contractors, the FBI is sending a team to Iraq to investigate the role of Blackwater USA in last month's shoot-out in Baghdad that killed 11 Iraqis, an FBI spokesman said Monday.

FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko said the agency was making the move at the request of the State Department to examine evidence in the Sept. 16 shooting and to pursue possible criminal charges in light of allegations that guards working for Blackwater might have shot innocent Iraqi citizens. "The results of the investigation will be reviewed for possible criminal liability and referred to the appropriate legal authority," Kolko said.

Private security contractor Blackwater USA has had to fire 122 people over the past three years for problems ranging from misusing weapons, alcohol and drug violations, inappropriate conduct, and violent behavior, according to a report released Monday by a congressional committee. That total is roughly one-seventh of the work force that Blackwater has in Iraq, a ratio that raises questions about the quality of the people working for the company.

In more than 80 percent of the incidents, called "escalation of force," Blackwater's guards fired the first shots even though the company's contract with the State Department calls for it to use defensive force only, it said. "In the vast majority of instances in which Blackwater fired shots, Blackwater is firing from a moving vehicle and does not remain at the scene to determine if the shots resulted in casualties," according to the report.

The staff report paints Blackwater as a company that's made huge sums of money despite its questionable performance in Iraq, where Blackwater guards provide protective services for U.S. diplomatic personnel. Blackwater has earned more than $1 billion from federal contracts since 2001, when it had less than $1 million in government work. Overall, the State Department paid Blackwater more than $832 million between 2004 and 2006 for security work, according to the report.

For more information on on Blackwater USA and its federal dollar gravy train, see this report to Congress: http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20071001121609.pdf