Two very interesting threads here: the Blackwater atrocities being highlighted by Iraqi gov’t. prob. to fight back against US undermining Maliki. But this could bring the whole house of cards down. The US has done a good job of turning Shi’a & Sunni against one another since the Samarra mosqu bombing in early ‘06 (if memory serves), oldest trick in the book. But if the colonial master & puppet face division the occupation’s in real trouble. (News accts. I heard said that 11 civilians were murdered by Blackwater; I wouldn’t make light of these deaths, but given the genocide BushCo’s unleashed there, that prob. seems a low # to Iraqis).

Finally, the story of the corruption investigation leading to 13 congresscriminals (incl. a few Demos) is very significant. Their power to loot here at home as well as abroad may be exposed, if not checked. The sh*t seems to be hitting the fan, and the Neo-Cons’ doctrine of “creative destruction” seems to be hitting home. Where do we go from here.

Cornered, their options may be:
a) expanded war w/ Iran, as a hopeful distraction to “rally ’round the flag.” But the public might not buy it anymore.
b) a martial law declaration at home. A Christianist (allied w/Z*on*st imperialist)theocratic alliance with the corporate elite & declaration of martial law at home.

Thankfully, their legendary incompetence would make either as big a bloody failure as Iraq’s occupation is now. But choice (b) will mean lotsa bloodshed here at home. Since they’ve raped & destroyed the Constitution, this may nonetheless be the only way for them to go.

~~~ModNote: Edited for content to clear filters.~~~

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the BIG news is the number of United States ‘voters’ who’ve defaulted and had the Sheriff knocking at their ex-door, or are in the process of defaulting, and in the near future defaulting on their mortgages are huge. Homes are piling up on the market like a bad day at the NASCAR track. Carnage everywhere.
…

Will those people who lose their homes be purged from voters roles for lack of a home address?

What I would like the 29%ers to know is that the only “gun grab” in US history occured after Hurricane Katrina when Blackwater thugs disarmed the people of NO. I dunno, maybe I’d rather have the Iraqi’s fighting Blackwater over there so that we don’t have to fight Blackwater over here, know what I’m saying?

A private firm took people’s guns? Under what authority? Who ordered it? where are the guns? Have they been returned to the government or to the owners? Have the owners been recompensed?

Will some of those guns be used in illegal activities and attributed back to the original owners? How would we know if we don’t know who has them now?

This is NOT good.

Peterr @ 60

Contractors subject to UCMJ, sort of, per the Marine Corps Times:

There’s a lot more here, mostly about the implications of interaction of the military and civilian contractors under the UCMJ.

So, next question: does this mean a military tribunal is the next step for Blackwater? Hmmmm . . . lots of interesting dynamics in that case.

Working for the US military? What about working for the State Department? The reconstruction teams are State, not Defense. These guys are not part of the military, per se. is there a loophole still?

“State”? How about any working for the US government anywhere in any capacity?

Scarecrow, I remember reading something a while back about something slipped into legislation that made Blackwater et al subject to military law. I’m still looking for it.

Jeremy Scahill on Democracy Now this morning says yes, the laws are on the books, but those breaking them are quietly removed and returned to the US where there have been no prosecutions.

Why wasn’t Blackwater and all mercenary activities in Iraq raised during Petreas/Crocker’s visit to the Hill? Or was it? Are we asleep standing up?

We have to hammer this administration to explain the numbers of troops both “official” and “black ops”. The bastards use every cheat trick in the book.

To repeat, besides controlling oil, the Iraq Invasion was to perpetuate the Crisis Atmosphere in the United States to win elections and allow the crony War Profiteers to rip off the American Taxpayer without a single protest from Corporate Media or Congress; the beneficiaries of the trickle down payoffs.

“If there is a funding bill that does not have a timetable for when we begin withdrawal, and the completion — a plan for how that withdrawal will proceed — I will not support it,” said Obama during a wide-ranging foreign policy discussion at Des Moines’ First Christian Church.

Ahmen. Now I’d like to hear that he would not only “not support” any such bill, but would oppose it, even block it with a filibuster. And I’d like to hear the same from Edwards and Clinton.

attack Attack ATTACK

How about a law that says where the government hires people to do military work, the military in that area doing the same job must get the civilian pay scale? We need proposals for laws that support the grunts and that goad the Repubs into opposition. The Webb act is a good example. We should think of other ways to support the troops that the Repubs can be counted on to oppose. The Dems won’t do the extreme thing and cut off all funds. They won’t even cut off Blackwater’s funds.