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Baghdad Not Consulted on Renewal of Blackwater Contract

Friday afternoons have long been Washington's dumping ground for stories that various power brokers would rather see whither and die, and last Friday was no exception. Shortly after the Clinton campaign finally released Bill and Hillary's tax returns, showing they've netted over $100 million since 2000, the State Department announced that it would renew Blackwater's security contract to protect U.S. diplomats abroad.

Blackwater's involvement in a shooting incident in a Baghdad traffic circle last September remains under investigation by the FBI, although an earlier Iraqi review (albeit one conducted by the insurgent-penetrated Iraqi Interior Ministry) characterized the incident as "premeditated murder." The U.S. private security firm is also the subject of federal probes regarding illegal weapons transfers and tax evasion. None of this, however, stood in the way of the State Department's renewal of Blackwater's five-year Worldwide Protective Services contract, originally awarded to the company in 2006 and subject to annual review.

The move has proved controversial in Iraq, where Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, weakened by his recent failed attempt to crush Muqtada al-Sadr's Shiite milita, may be attempting to find an issue around which to rally whatever dwindling domestic support remains for his government. Indeed, Blackwater is so deeply unpopular with Iraqis that beating up on the company may be just the thing to distract attention from al-Maliki's other problems, at least for the moment. In an interview with CNN, al-Maliki attacked the State Department's decision, claiming the Iraqi government was not consulted on the renewal of the Blackwater contract, which it surely would have rejected based on the results of its own investigation in the September shooting incident.

From CNN:

As far as Iraqi government is involved, this issue is still under consideration and we are still discussing principles upon which foreign security companies must operate, especially this company because they committed a massacre against Iraqis and until now this matter has not been resolved.

No judicial action has been taken, no compensation has been made. Therefore the extension requires approval of the Iraqi government and the government wants to resolve the outstanding issues with this company.

I would say the US side should not move to renew the contract until the outstanding issues of the company are finalized. I feel the decision was taken without the approval of the Iraqi government.

Photo used under a Creative Commons license from James Gordon.

Comments

I am sure that Washington wants to get away from Blackwater ASAP.

Posted by: search engine placement on 04/07/08 at 12:03 PM Respond

Newsflash! Newsflash! Bahgdad is not running this war!! We are!! Therefore whaT WE SAY GOES!! we need the mercenaries to take the pressure off of U.S. troops and to fill in untill Iraq's military comes up to strength. Whether you like King G.W. The II, you must support the troops, after all you break it you buy it. Ever here those words before? besides you just don't pack your bags and leave, someone / troops have got to fill that vacume / void lefet behind or caos will insue. You claim to support the troops by pulling them out? Do they still fight while pulling out, or do you leave them stuck in bases, open to rocket and artillery fire. Who is the first to leave? Who is the last? Those that stay untill the end are the ones most likely to die. how is this supporting the troops?

Posted by: Chris morgan on 04/07/08 at 9:40 PM Respond

Oh Right!! Bringing the troops home from a conflict they should never have been involved in; bringing them home to be with their families would *not*, in any way, be supportive of the troops. Only leaving them there (send in some more) to add to the 4200 already dead and the thousands maimed is the way to show your support. Thank a legless vet when you see one; *THAT* is support!

Yes if we bring the troops home chaos will break out and destroy the peace and serenity that we brought to Iraq. And how do we know that this is so? Because the people who told us Saddam was a grave threat and that the Iraqi people were longing for us to come free them have told us so.

Where's that 'you might be an idiot' guy?

You might be an idiot .... if you believe *anything* that those cold-hearted liars tell you.

You might be an idiot .... if you think that leaving the troops to be killed for bullshit lies is more supportive than bringing them home to their families and their lives.

When 'Iraq's military comes up to strength'!! I remember 4 years or so ago Bush mocking Kerry, retorting that the training of Iraq's military was going oh so swell, and they would soon be taking over from our troops. Four years and what progress? Just more d**n bullshit and lies!

Posted by: DaveD on 04/08/08 at 5:08 AM Respond

Chris Morgan:

We don't need extremely HIGH PAID MERCENARIES to take pressure off U.S. troops. The United States needs to bring our troops home.

RIGHT WING government of the United States needs mercenaries to fight their RIGHT WING WARS.

The United States controlled occupation war in Iraq is not a war of the liberal people of the United States, this Iraq occupation is strictly a RIGHT WING WAR for power and control -- nothing to do with democracy.

The United States economy for the people of the liberal 70% MAJORITY COMMON POPULATION BODY POLITIC of the United States are not benefiting in any way from the RIGHT WING'S occupation WAR in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The United States reinstating a 5-year contract for Blackwater's protection of the RIGHT WING is the United States using taxpayer dollars to keep a separate highly paid private military for the RED RIGHT WING against the liberal 70% MAJORITY COMMON POPULATION in the United States, as well as wherever else they want to attack for power and control.

United States taxpayer dollars should not have a penny put into any mercenary military for the RED RIGHT WING, if the United States wants more people in the military, pay more money to the military; instead of paying a private military to protect only the RIGHT WING of our government under the guise of helping our military.

Posted by: MarthaA on 04/08/08 at 9:13 AM Respond