Obama Is Still Using Blackwater

[Oilwellian]

For those already outraged at the AIG bonus scandal, here is a fact that should add more fuel to the fire: The Obama administration has paid the mercenary firm formerly known as Blackwater nearly $70 million to operate in Iraq and, according to the Washington Times, may keep the company on the payroll months past the official expiration of its Iraq contract in May. I reviewed Blackwater's recent transactions with the Obama State Department and discovered a $45 million payment to Blackwater on February 4, 2009 for "protective services-Iraq." It is described as a "funding action only." Here is the interesting part: The estimated "Ultimate Completion Date" is 5/07/2011.

The Washington Times (as described below) reported on a $22 million payment to Blackwater on February 2. Combined with the $45 million payment I discovered, that's nearly $67 million in 72 hours. Not bad for a company supposedly going down in flames.

With the US economy in shambles and millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet and keep their homes, Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton need to explain to US taxpayers how they justify these mega-payments to a scandal-plagued mercenary company. (At the very least, someone should ask Robert Gibbs about it).

(snip)
The Obama administration continues to use Blackwater in Afghanistan and the company has extensive domestic training contracts with the military and law enforcement agencies inside the borders of the US.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-scahill/president-obama-why-did-y_b_176113.html?ref=fp8

[babylonsister]

1. Maybe Scahill missed this...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/16/AR2009031602720_pf.html

U.S. Moves to Replace Contractors in Iraq

Now, who to believe? The WA Times, Scahill's source, or the WaPo, another r/w wet dream? :shrug:

[Oilwellian]

4. Scahill also said this...

"I reviewed Blackwater's recent transactions with the Obama State Department." That doesn't sound like the Washington Times to me. And you think Washington Post has ANY more credibility at this point? Scahill said he checked the records and I believe him.

[babylonsister]

6. It can't be both. Scahill needs to prove it. And no,

didn't I call WaPo a r/w wet dream?

Believe all you want; I'm learning not to be so trusting, especially with people who write books.

[nichomachus]

21. Not really

Scahill has a history of being right-on. The Washington Times -- for all their slant -- actually has a lot of very accurate stuff. And the Post will lie just because they like the way it feels.

Not very hard to choose.

[babylonsister]

23. You think the moonie times is more plausible than WaPo?

Wow. It's not very difficult for me to choose differently than you did.

[EFerrari]

2. I like Jeremy but instead of just saying the obvious as if it's news,

he should be tracking down what's up with the reorganization of Xe now that Prince stepped down.

[AndyA]

3. President Obama has a real mess over there, and I'd imagine he is using

who/what's available in the meantime.

Given other options, I'm sure he'd prefer to use them instead of Blackwater/whatever its new name is considering their track record, but it's not like he can just flip a switch and say, "Blackwater gone, new (fill in the blank) in."

Barack has been in office less than two months, and this is just one of many important issues he has to tend to. I wouldn't expect him to be able to do much of anything else at this point, but I'll bet they're out of there at the first opportunity that works for the Obama Administration.

[Oilwellian]

5. Well...

apparently Obama intends to take his time where Blackwater is concerned. Particularly when there's mention of contracts lasting til 2011. I'm curious as to what you think about mercenaries training our local police.

[AndyA]

8. I don't approve of any of it.

But I also realize Obama has to set priorities, and to me this issue is superceded by more urgent issues.

What urgent issue would you have Obama drop right now to make time to deal with this?

[JuniperLea]

13. What are the terms of the original BushCo contracts?

Seems to me that was the date they were to expire.

[Sirveri]

20. They also train the military for a variety of things.

I believe they also train the secret service. One of their primary businesses is training. The Moyock compound is really nothing more than a bunch of shoot houses and training areas with a pro shop tacked on. While I was in the Navy I actually went to force protection training. The basic course was 3 weeks by a company called APS (if I remember correctly), the advanced course is run by blackwater. It's basically a bunch of gun nuts teaching swat tactics. If it weren't for how the owner spends his money and their foreign operations, I'd say they're pretty much harmless gun nut retards.

[bobburgster]

19. Thanks for your comment...

I agree with all you said especially regarding how little time Obama's been in office. The state of affairs he has to deal with is mind boggling....give him some time.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. Official: U.S. will not renew Iraq contract with Blackwater

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The State Department will not renew the contract of security contractor Blackwater Worldwide when it expires in May, a senior State Department official said Friday.

The decision was made after the Iraqi government refused last week to renew the firm's operating license because of a 2007 incident in which the Iraqi government says security guards -- then employed by Blackwater -- fired on and killed 17 Iraqis.

Blackwater's latest "task order" expires in May, and the senior official said that "one of the conditions is that you have to have a license" to continue working in the country.

"No license, no renewal," the official said. "If they don't have a license to operate, we would certainly not renew the task order."

The official said the decision would not affect other contracts Blackwater has with the State Department to protect American diplomats around the world.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/30/us.blackwater.contract/index.html

[Windy]

9. Thank you for finding the facts. There are a lot of what are probably disgruntled

supporters of other candidates who are just looking for Obama to royally screw things up. its a shame.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. If it's not more clear now than ever...

DemocraticUnderground has been co-opted by far more greens and socialists than I think anyone would want to admit. The utter lack of support for Obama by the screaming-class of DU has been very, very enlightening.

[Oilwellian]

26. I beg to differ

One can help get Obama elected, which I did, and still disagree with some of his decisions. Continuing to contract with Blackwater is a huge issue on the left in general. It's not just me. If you read the entire article, you would see CREW made comments about it as well. Do you consider them "greens" or "socialists" too? The State Department made a huge deal about ending Blackwater's contract in Iraq. They didn't mention future contracts in other areas of the government...in particular contracts to train local police. What about that, Mr. Wolfwood, do you like the most?

I've been a member of DU since it's near inception and have never been called names as you have done to me throughout this thread. I challenge you to present my "screaming-class" posts to DU and look forward to seeing what you come up with. I suspect it will be you who is viewed as the "screaming class" around here. Whatever the fuck that is. I didn't realize we were being judged and compartmentalized on DU.

[EFerrari]

29. LOL

[JuniperLea]

15. That's what it looks like to me too...

Shame on them!

I remember the hell we caught for talking bad about Bush... and he was clearly a murderous, lying, thief!

Seems these folks would have at least enough smarts to understand it's only been, what, seven weeks since Obama took over? It took Bush 8 years to screw us over this badly, anyone with the bare minimum of brain cells is going to understand that it will take more than 7 weeks to set everything right again.

I'm tired of the stupid loudmouths.

[Oilwellian]

16. Yes, with contracts that last til 2011...Obama can take his time

And mercenaries from all the lands can train your local police who may one day arrest you or your children or grandchildren. If that's the vision you have for America, then so be it. Me, I'll continue to be a loudmouth.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

17. An ignorant loudmouth.

You forgot a very important modifier.

[Windy]

24. You're no better than the RW thugs ... Its your version of the truth or nothing

Skewing the facts to make them fit you agenda creates fiction!

[quiller4]

31. Contract that last until 2011--not quite expires Mary 2009. n/t

[Oilwellian]

10. Which part is more official

"The official said the decision would not affect other contracts Blackwater has with the State Department to protect American diplomats around the world."

[JuniperLea]

14. Good job!

Thanks for finding the real deal on this!

The OP was on my last freaking nerve.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

18. I remembered reading the article, so it was little more than a google search away.

And I, too, am starting to run low on patience for the loudmouths around here. I thought it was bad during the Bush days with the whole "we should be an opposition party" nonsense (and now we're getting a glimpse of just how badly that would've turned out, thanks to the current GOP). This is a whole other breed of zealotry/ignorance that I naively didn't think was possible of this place.

[JuniperLea]

11. They are probably still under contract

I'm not finding mention of the terms of agreement.

[Pastiche423]

22. Color me suprised

NOT!

[Kablooie]

25. I'll bet replacing Blackwater is not simple and they are planning an effective way to change.

Also, with everything else he has to do, it's probably not the most pressing priority at the moment.

[Yukari Yakumo]

27. Do you want pepperoni or sausage?

[donheld]

28. Some of you fools think

President Obama waved his magic wand at Noon on January 20th and all the crap from 8 years of Bushie were gone. This is the real world not Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This stuff all takes time. Get real folks. The president has a million things to work out and some of you think it should all be done instantly. Geesh!

[EFerrari]

30. DU sure has been ugly lately, Oilwellian.

Sorry!

[Mr. Hyde]

32. More change we can believe in?