Prosecute Iraq's 'Rogue' Security Guards, Says UN

[Hissyspit]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Prosecute Iraq's 'rogue' security guards, says UN

BAGHDAD (AFP) — The UN called Thursday for rogue security guards in Iraq to face prosecution as the Australian-run firm involved in the latest civilian shooting insisted its staff stuck by clear rules of engagement.

"We would like the US government and other governments that have contractors in Iraq... to apply rules of engagement on them and to prosecute them in their own countries," UN spokesman Said Arikat told a press conference in Baghdad.

- snip -

In the first on September 16, personnel from American firm Blackwater opened fire in a crowded Baghdad square while escorting a US State Department convoy, killing at least 10 people.

- snip -

Before the dust had time to settle the row deepened on Tuesday when a woman taxi driver mistakenly got too close to a security convoy in Karrada district and came under immediate gunfire by the guards. The taxi driver and her female passenger died of shots to the head, while a second woman passenger and a child were also wounded.

Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jAGVoyRoBdNyMHemAnlNWwkpx3Qw

[acmavm]

1. Good luck

[auburngrad82]

2. I hate the title

They aren't Iraq's security guards. They are the United States' security guards. I know you didn't choose the title but it could have been better.

[lumpy]

3. Australian 'guards' were involved in the killing of

the two Iraqi women, also. I agree the title is misleading implying that Iraq is responsible for putting the US and Australian 'guards' in place.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. U.N. Wants Security Guards In Iraq to Face Law: Advocates probe into possible war crimes

Source: NYT/Reuters

By REUTERS
Published: October 11, 2007

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations wants probes to determine whether private security contractors in Iraq have committed war crimes and for governments to ensure that the rule of law is applied, U.N. officials said on Thursday.

The killing of 17 Iraqis in a shooting involving U.S. security firm Blackwater last month has created tensions between Baghdad and Washington and sparked calls for tighter controls on private contractors, who are immune from prosecution in Iraq.

Ivana Vuco, the U.N.'s senior human rights officer in Iraq, told a news conference that private security contractors were still subject to international humanitarian law and that meant there were specific consequences for any breach.

"Investigations as to whether or not crimes against humanity, war crimes, are being committed and obviously the consequences of that is something that we will be paying attention to and advocating for," she told a news conference.

Iraq says there are more than 180 mainly U.S. and European security companies in the country, with estimates of the number of private contractors ranging from 25,000 to 48,000....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-iraq.html

[Demeter]

5. The Sleeping Giant Awakes!

Oh yes! This is the way to the Hague! It's been a long time coming, but the GOP has long deserved its comeuppance for the way it has abused the UN for decades. Payback is such a thrill!