AMERICAN MERCENARIES LICENSE PULLED BY IRAQIS

By the Associated Press, September 17, 2007

BAGHDAD (AP) -- The Iraqi government said Monday that it was pulling the license of an American security firm allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of civilians during an attack on a U.S. State Department motorcade in Baghdad.
The Interior Ministry said it would prosecute any foreign contractors found to have used excessive force in the Sunday shooting. It was latest accusation against the U.S.-contracted firms that operate with little or no supervision and are widely disliked by Iraqis who resent their speeding motorcades and forceful behavior.
Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul-Karim Khalaf said eight civilians were killed and 13 were wounded when security contractors believed to be working for Blackwater USA opened fire in a predominantly Sunni neighborhood of western Baghdad.

Not many Americans know about Blackwater and its abuses in Iraq. Blackwater is a company who employs and trains mercenaries. The U.S. government pays Blackwater millions of dollars for its supposed security work in Iraq including guarding American big shots such as General Petraeus, the U.S. ambassador and, previously, Paul Bremer.

If we support our troops, we should be insisting that our government pull Blackwater and other “security firms” from Iraq. These mercenaries are so hated by Iraqis because of their killing and abuse of civilians that it makes our troops work more difficult and exposes them to more danger.

Remember Fallujah and the horror of those burnt bodies hanging from the bridge? Those were Blackwater employees. That’s why we went into Fallujah and leveled the city. Should the U.S. military be taking revenge on Iraqis because of Blackwater?

Blackwater is a danger to democracy because they are beginning to use their thugs in the United States. They were part of the “security” after Katrina but with little publicity. Arnold Schwarzenegger has recently been talking with Blackwater about contracting with them for projects in California, including keeping order after major earthquakes.

Oh, yes, I need to point out that the owner and CEO of Blackwater is Erik Prince, from the well-known Holland family, brother-in-law of Dick DeVos and brother of Betsy DeVos. Do you think that Dick DeVos might have used Blackwater to privatize our State Troopers, for example? Far-fetched? I don’t think so. When Bush went into Iraq, did anyone think that mercenary troops would go along with our soldiers? And would be guarding our top generals? I wonder why Petraeus doesn’t trust our troops to guard him?

One more reason to be grateful that Dick DeVos lost the election.