Blackwater security firm banned from Iraq

Iraq’s Interior Ministry has revoked the license of Blackwater Security Consulting, an American firm whose contractors are blamed for a Sunday gunbattle in Baghdad that left eight civilians dead.

…in other news, Blackwater Security Consulting changes their name to Redwater Security Consulting [/s]

Blackwater will get there license returned soon. This was just a little blustering by the foreign minister.

Blackwater serves as the personal security detail for Prime Minister Maliki and other top officials in the Government.

It has been Blackwater alone that has saved the Prime Minister and other top officials from repeated assassination attempts.

If the Iraqi Security Forces would get the streets under control Blackwater wouldn’t have to shoot people everyday.

Requiring people to have health insurance does not do anything to fix health care. Someone needs to beat politicians over the head when they think that’s all that’s needed; all that it really does is feed the insurance companies.

“By coincidence, Hillary Clinton will announce her health care proposal today; the early word is she’s going for universal insurance, instead of universal care. Ask the wrong question . . . That’s the difference between President Wise and Courageous or President Cautious Triangulation. Why should we support this?”

Or this, Israel with a capital in an “undivided Jerusalem”:
http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/co….._on_israel

By coincidence, Hillary Clinton will announce her health care proposal today; the early word is she’s going for universal insurance, instead of universal care. Ask the wrong question . . . That’s the difference between President Wise and Courageous or President Cautious Triangulation. Why should we support this?

Needless to say, the devil is in the details. However, if the proposal provides affordable access to appropriate health care for even one person, and makes no one worse off, then it’s a step in the right direction. And you know the old cliche about a journey of a thousand miles just as well as anyone else.

That’s why it’s critical that we continue to work our Congresscritters on SCHIP. Universal health care simply ain’t happening any time soon, alas. But leaving millions of low and moderate-income kids uninsured is just not acceptable.

Whatever comes out of the conference has to pass both houses with veto-proof majorities. Failure is not an option on this one.

jayackroyd

Protecting “humanitarian aid workers” also sounds like a shuck.

As the beneficiary of such security, I wouldn’t say it’s all for nothing. It’s a dangerous world.

Of course. But why bring it up in this context?

As for it being a dangerous world, aid workers know that, to the degree that it is actually true. Having spent my stint in a remote location far from any American security support in a war torn country, I think this kind of thing tends to be exaggerated–and Americans are in the greatest danger in countries where the American military (or US proxies) are endangering ordinary citizens.

And it is surely more relevant in the Sudan than in an Iraq with no US military presence.

selise, re: my Blackwater story.

What I am pretty sure is that we don’t know the truth about what led to the events. They story I told I heard from someone I trust who was gathering intel in Afghanistan, and from whom I will ask for some other source/reference on it the next time.

At any rate, I believe the story I heard.

thanks. if you get more info, i’d love to know more…

Selise…

what time zone are you in?

I thought that DemocracyNow! was broadcast live at 9am east time you seem to hear it BEFORE that. Where do you listen / watch?

it’s live at 8am EDT, and streamed at the website then. i usually listen then, but if i miss that one, i stream from wbai… or podcast later in the day.