Jeremy Scahill on Blackwater Guards Tied to Secret C.I.A. Raids
Jeremy Scahill joined Ed Schultz to discuss the recent column in the New York Times--Blackwater Guards Tied to Secret C.I.A. Raids:
WASHINGTON — Private security guards from Blackwater Worldwide participated in some of the C.I.A.’s most sensitive activities — clandestine raids with agency officers against people suspected of being insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan and the transporting of detainees, according to former company employees and intelligence officials.
Several former Blackwater guards said that their involvement in the operations became so routine that the lines supposedly dividing the Central Intelligence Agency, the military and Blackwater became blurred. Instead of simply providing security for C.I.A. officers, they say, Blackwater personnel at times became partners in missions to capture or kill militants in Iraq and Afghanistan, a practice that raises questions about the use of guns for hire on the battlefield.
Schultz asked Scahill if we had any idea of what kind of resources Blackwater had committed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Scahill: Ed, this company was a plausible deniability machine. Erik Prince the owner of that company built a parallel infrastructure to the U.S. military. He had an air force with his own aircraft. He had a maritime division. He had Blackwater Select which was providing special operations guys. They were guarding and still do guard U.S. diplomats and ambassadors, including the U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan right now.
Ed I also understand that Blackwater, because it’s owned by such an incredibly wealthy individual did some operations for free. That’s the ultimate deniability under the Bush administration. There were arrangements with Cheney, the C.I.A. and Special Forces where Blackwater’s guys were essentially working for free in operations funded by the owner of that company Erik Prince.
The story here though Ed that everyone seems to be missing is that Blackwater wasn’t just working for the C.I.A. They were working for the Joint Special Operations Command—the U.S. military and we talked about this on your show recently, including in Pakistan where Blackwater simultaneously worked for the C.I.A. and for JSOC. That story is a scandal that needs to be investigated much more thoroughly Ed.
Schultz: Is this relationship between Blackwater and the C.I.A. and the use of Blackwater still in existence under the Obama administration.
Scahill: It certainly is. In fact news breaking as I came on tonight that Leon Panetta the C.I.A. Director is trying to cancel Blackwater’s participation in the C.I.A. drone bombing campaign which has put its operatives on the ground not only in Pakistan but in Afghanistan as well. And so my understanding from both within Blackwater and from outside is that Blackwater remains very active with both U.S. Special Forces and the C.I.A.
Scahill tweeted this before going on Ed's show: #Blackwater is leaking the CIA ops for a reason. It also distracts from ongoing ops that are not CIA.
He also noted that ABC News confirmed his report tonight-Mercenaries? CIA Says Expanded Role for Contractors Legitimate.
You can find more from Scahill at his blog Rebel Reports.
These SOB's should be in the dock to answer for war crimes.
This is all done in our name. Nobody from any foreign country will think "Hey it's just a contractor so it isn't really American military actions"
The private contractors are a black-eye on our country and it has to stop.
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
The lack of accountability never ends well.
The line between our President and the former one continues to blurr. I will have to do a little research on how our Mr Prince(quite a fitting name) ended up with such influential wealth.
I'll give him props for being a Navy Seal but come on, a private army built on the inheritance of a family fortune made from vanity mirrors? Only in America....I hope.
family was connected to Amway. Either him or his wife.
Just found this today. Be sure to sign if you havent:
Tell Congress NO!
http://rethinkafghanistan.com/
Vote NO on any spending bill that would send more troops to Afghanistan.
Blackwater Predator missile-load contract ending
(if you can believe the AP these daze)
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
They are mercenaries, paid killers, full stop end of story!
This is the kinda thing that can turn and bite you on the ass.
This Prince fellow could end up a dictator with his very own junta.
The soldiers get paid a pittance compared to what those guys make.
Must be great for morale.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
The thing is, mudshark, insurgents in Pakistan or Afghanistan won't bother to distinguish between our legitimate soldiers and the mercenaries. Think about that one: our troops will be paying the tab for atrocities committed by "contractors" making ten times what they do. Nice, huh?
If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.
George Carlin
These clowns do the hit and run. And the soldiers are the stationary targets.
This is so wrong. But I think this isn't the 1st time the US has done this.
The Flying Tigers come to mind.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
So Blackwater is alive and well and murdering people in Pakistan-just like back in the day when Bush and Cheney were running things. So much for Obama and the transparency he promised would define how his Administration operated. Change you can believe in (just like you can believe in Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy)
If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.
George Carlin
stop giving Santa and the Tooth Fairy such a bad name.
dandy
The spirit of democracy, not so sure.
Dandy, you're right. Sorry about that one!:-)
If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.
George Carlin
This is probably what Bob Woodword couldn't tell us about.
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
that a soon as Scahill's article in 'The Nation'comes off the presses 'The New York Times' comes out with a story about another "successful" drone attack in Pakistan which killed a "high-lever Al Queada operative". Wonder how many innocents were taken out with him? I mean type of crap can go on for decades.........
dandy
Nothing say's corporate fascism in the post Bush/Cheney era like mercenary corporate armies. And they are above the law too! Big Dick of Cheney is brimming with pride.
Nothing to see here folks, just your government at work; so move along.
Responsibility and accountability are for little people, not the God's of "Plutocria."
"We must move on, justice cannot, and must not be handed out to the corporate elites. We just cannot afford to open that can of worms."
Thanks Obama. Perhaps you and the democrat's can pass some harsh legislation to punish school kids instead. Give them standardized tests on calculus in the 3rd grade - or some other convoluted bullshit. Let them know at an early age its a dog eat dog, no free ride (unless your a millionaire) world out there.
F**k all these bastards!
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
Personally speaking, I've pretty much given up expecting anything positive to be done by the Obama Administration. No disrespect to those who still want to believe in Hope and Change, but I'm not going to be like Bush's 20%-ers-people who will overlook any fuckup or attrocity committed by their hero. He's been in office almost a year, and I've watched and rationalized every time he back-pedaled on one of his campaign promises. He back-pedaled on crimes committed by Bush/Cheney (hell, he's even opted to continue some of their policies);he back-pedaled on healthcare; he'll probably sell out on any chance for meaningful climate change measures being considered in Copenhagen. Nope, this guy is just another corporate-owned, DLC approved, Establishment Democrat. I suspected as much but, like everyone else, I desperately wanted to believe his rhetoric about the audacity of hope. This will never happen again - especially in 2012.
If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.
George Carlin
I still hold on to a little hope. But the thread is getting thin.
I suppose it could have been worse tho.
I know what people will say to that last comment.
But I still believe having McCain and Palin would have been a whole lot worse. It doesn't make this any easier . Very disappointed.
I'm holding on to a little hope Gene. Right now, I hope the surf is good down at the beach. Cause I'm outta here. Have a good one Gene.hasta.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
Surf's up, Mudshark! Have a good one!
If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.
George Carlin
I really started to doubt Obama (I doubted his experience from the get-go but couldn't vote for HRC) when I saw the montage of his photos with dignitaries where his smile was basically exactly the same 100 times. Not a smidgen of difference in fact. I found that very unsettling.
Since he's seemed like a "good guy" from the beginning, but now is either doing nothing to combat the criminals on Wall Street (hell he's got a few of them running that side of things) or the leftovers from Bush-Cheney, or is actively continuing these policies, and has completely back-pedaled on many of his campaing promises, notably health care, I'm left wondering if we didn't get completely hoodwinked by this guy and elect a trojan horse.
At this point unless he does a 180 on basically everything he's done since January there is no way in hell I'd vote for him in 2012. No. Way.
I wonder if the defense dept has become so dependent on these guys that they have no one to replace them if they were not involved. I read the book "Blackwater" that Scahill wrote and from what he said in the book, some Blackwater guys truly are relied on by the military regardless of how awful they are. I think they are like an addiction for the defense dept.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
POP, this is symptomatic of the mania for "privatization" which infected Washington, especially since the GOP seized control of all branches of government. Pretty much everything (especially related to Defense) has been outsourced to "contractors" who are subject to zero, nada, oversight. This is not good, and I fear that it will be decades before the extent of the damage caused by "privatization" will be realized.
If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.
George Carlin
And guess who got those contracts? The good old boys friend of the Republican party. The best contracta are those which has to do with security of America ever since 911. Sometimes I get to think that Osama bin Laden is a silent partner in the billions of dollars profit made in the security industry.
This is the thread that ties Blackwater's fundie Erik Prince to the xtain mil.
They truly believe they are on a crusade to eradicate Islam.
Using these mercenaries also allowed the Bush Administration to man their war effort without resorting to a draft, which likely would've provoked Vietnam-era levels of protest once everyone became vulnerable to having themselves or their loved ones called into service. There were so many immoral benefits to contracting with Blackwater, it had to be irresistable to Cheney and Rumsfeld.
Boohoo,Boohoo, Remember when this was being talked about in 2003 and the War Criminal Party of NO was accusing everyone of being ANTI AMERICAN for questioning these Criminals when this was coming out.
Now will Congress give the usual a shake and SH*T in my pants response because we are like the PARTY of NO and the Brain Dead Teabagger, AFRAID of OUR SHADOWS and remain EUNUNCHS or are they going to grow a BIG pair of BALLS and INVESTIGATE and PROSECUTE.
My money is on burying their Heads in the sand and Shaking and the DOJ screaming National Security the New buzz word for I have to protect my buddies and my DONATIONS.
I expect NOTHING to be done other then a lot of Finger pointing by the Gutless, Spineless Right Wing Wackos and shivering and quacking by the COWARDLY Gutless Spineless Congress, its NOT election time YET, so its not time to proclaim we have to do our jobs.
I hope this would story would encourage the media to stop using the neocon/GOP/conservative euphamism of "contractor" and start identifying these people as what they are, mercenaries.
They are the spawn of the chickenhawks Bush and Cheney. How fitting.
ron - I believe that his sister is married to one of the Amway sons. But, you should read Scahill's book "Blackwater." It will curl your toes. Bush/Cheney created a need or vacuum, if you will, in the Military/Industrial Complex and these people slid right in and filled it. Along with some lesser known companies.
"I believe that his sister is married to one of the Amway sons."
I thought Erik Prince was married to an Amway daughter. Either way, can you imagine their level of arrogance?
I'd read that a bunch of US corporations who lost money on 9/11 put out a $1 billion bounty on bin Laden. I wonder if anyone cashed in on that?
they just went to Iraq and grabbed a pallet full of $100 dollar bills and kept the reward money.
But not in America's MSM.
CFAmick - You're gonna love this. His sister Betsey is married to the Amway guy. Prince, who is a fanatical Christian, cheated on his first wife with the nanny. His wife died of cancer and Prince brought the pregnant nanny to her funeral! What an asshole! By God, you will do as I say, not as I do!
Have you ever met Erik Prince? Just curious.
We made it illegal for our government employees doing this shit for a reason. That mercenaries are the solution to this "problem" we the people have cause our rulers positively sickens me as an American. It. Is. Wrong. Stop it, now.
Has Franken's amendment passed yet? Can we start cancelling their contracts now?
Yeah, this mercenary crap has to stop. They do whatever they please in our name, are not subject to our laws and, when they're not killing people for fun, guess who pays them. BTW, I'd imagine most of you understand why these filthy murderers were hired by our filthy government in the first place. Why... to prevent the necessity of reconstituting the draft... that's why!
Their homeworld was a place called Earth, located in an uninteresting part of the galaxy. They had an expression: pride goeth before a fall. Their pride was their undoing. I know. I was there....They did not listen, of course. Arrogant men never do.
the executive branches' private death squad.
CFAmick - No, I have never met him. I wasn't a SEAL. I was a Boat Driver - Coastal River Squadron One then we morphed into Special Boat Unit One. I was a Plank Owner (Commissioning Crew) in both SBS-1 and Special Boat Unit Thirteen. We were under the same umbrella command as SEAL Team One, UDT, Navy Parachute Team West and some other specialized units - Naval Special Warfare Group One. I think that Prince was at Little Creek in Virginia. I was at Coronado in California in the early 70's into the early 80's.
8 years of Blackwater/Haliburton and the parallel military infra-structure is costing America at least a trillion dollars. If they're that much better than our military then pull out our Army/Navy/Air Force/National Guard/Boy Scouts/ and let Eric Prince fund the rest of the wars for the oil corporations. Because I believe Blackwater is part of the "problem", I'm ready to start saving some money on what Bush/Cheney created for profit.
This is disgusting. Either dismantle this illegal "military parallel infrastructure" or let them do the dirty deeds at their own cost, cause they don't do it dirt cheap. We've got other things to do with our money than play with our "GI Joes and the army men" the way we've been playing with them. And I do mean: "we've just been playing army man"...Hell, we won a complete World War in half the time. And one quarter the price.
I'm bored with the backstabbing of Americas military.
If Blackwater is running mercenary ops for the CIA, or any other organization, can they not be considered an "army" for pay and thus subject to the law? They seem to enjoy protection from prosecution as contractors for the most heinous of acts but this kind of puts them in another weight class so to speak. And worse since America is paying this gang of Hessians, the taxpayer is going to be criminally liable for the lawsuits to come.
Lie down with fleas, wake up with plague.
Unlike the Blackwater/Xe mercs, the Hessian and other German soldiers were pressed into service by their landgraves, dukes and princes who sold their services. They didn't become soldiers voluntarily, and they weren't allowed to decide in which wars they'd participate.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
"Is this relationship between Blackwater and the CIA ... still in existence under the Obama administration? It certainly is."
Sickening.
(edit: apologies, not meant to be a reply to Eric P.)
Where the hell are the arrests?
NOBODY 2012
I've been wondering the same thing.
Right after Bu$h and Cheney's arrests, no doubt.
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
*Frowns*
NOBODY 2012
Blackwater is the perfect-little-capitalist's army. Throw a bunch of money at some thugs, close your eyes, and say, "just git'r'done (for god-- *optional)."
These people approve:
http://www.fugly.com/media/IMAGES/Funny/git-r...
"If the US government enforced its banking laws like it did its park regulations, we wouldn't be
in this damn park in the first place." OCCUPY.!!
This is a formula for disaster. It took a few decades but now the absolute corruption is showing through. They can't hide it any more and we can't deny it any more.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
you got that right .
Comments are closed on this entry