Blackwater Rising

[phantom power]

In the nearest “big city” of Mount Carroll, some people say they just woke up one morning and Blackwater was in business.

“If they are going to do training for torture, are they going to do that on the site? We don’t know,” said one speaker at a community meeting.

Residents recently met to discuss Blackwater’s move into Illinois, and whether it will be expanding, something the company claims it does not intend.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=investigative&id=5267983

(...)

Blackwater was founded in 1996 by conservative Christian multimillionaire and ex-Navy SEAL Erik Prince — the scion of a wealthy Michigan family whose generous political donations helped fuel the rise of the religious right and the Republican revolution of 1994. At its founding, the company largely consisted of Prince’s private fortune and a vast 5,000-acre plot of land located near the Great Dismal Swamp in Moyock, North Carolina. Its vision was “to fulfill the anticipated demand for government outsourcing of firearms and related security training.” In the following years, Prince, his family and his political allies poured money into Republican campaign coffers, supporting the party’s takeover of Congress and the ascension of George W. Bush to the presidency…

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/05/05/18410518.php

[NightWatcher]

1. it's all part of Bushco's plans to field a private army

One that is not bound by "laws" and such. And as in New Orleans, this one will be used against US citizens if needed.

[phantom power]

2. I wasn't previously aware of the creepy Christian Right angle.

It's -- well... creepy.

[NightWatcher]

4. it's all part of the "vast right wing conspiracy"

war, oil, a new crusade, a North American Union, neo feudalism..............

[Mark Twain Girl]

13. Absolutely, it looks like the goal is to have a private army

Corrupt private security contracts + mercenaries who can bypass international laws. An added plus: avoiding any potential social unrest that might come from a draft. Privatatized war, privatatized weapons, privatatized torture -- privatatized military-industrial complex, while we lack health care, emergency response, schools, and jobs.

[Blackhatjack]

3. Nothing good can come of this .... and it may be too late to stop them.

[Virginia Dare]

5. And this should make your hair stand on end too...

Boston, MA - Governor Mitt Romney today announced that Cofer Black, a former top counterterrorism official at the Central Intelligence Agency and State Department, has joined his campaign for President of the United States. Black will serve as Senior Adviser for counterterrorism and national security issues.

Cofer Black Is A Former Top Counterterrorism Official With More Than 30 Years Experience. Black is Chairman of Total Intelligence Solutions. Beginning in February 2005, he became Vice Chairman of Blackwater USA and CEO of The Black Group.


http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Cofer_Black_Joins_Romney_Campaign

[NightWatcher]

6. so Mitts gonna get dirt on everyone and blackmail them a la J Edgar Hoover

this might get interesting

[alfredo]

10. So Mitt wants to put mercenaries in our government.

[donsu]

7. wonder if they plan to have a Blackwater base in each state?

nt

[meldroc]

8. Question: Does anybody know how many mercs are out there?

I'm just curious as to how many of these "security consultants" are out there, trained and employed by Blackwater or other companies like them.

[NightWatcher]

9. no one knows, they are privately held, so no one will ever know

welcome to Amerika

[meldroc]

11. Private armies are how Hitler got started.

Before Hitler assumed power, the SS and SA were Hitler's private armies that started out brawling on German streets, mixing it up with communist and socialist groups.

If we go by the rule of thumb that Rumsfeld and Bushco ignored when they invaded Iraq, it would take roughly one soldier for every 40 people in order to successfully occupy a hostile territory and beat down any resistance. Iraq has 26,783,383 people, as of 2006, so it would take about 700,000 troops to pacify Iraq. We have maybe 150,000 US troops there, along with 100,000 mercenaries, which isn't enough.

Of course, the question is whether there's enough to occupy the U.S. if Bush say decides to declare martial law. The U.S. has roughly 301,656,000 people, meaning that it would take 7.5 million troops to forcibly occupy the U.S.

Thankfully, neither Blackwater nor anybody else has that many troops. I think it's safe to take off the tinfoil hat for the time being.

[windy252]

12. K & R n/t