zed

ohgawdwhutNOW?!

Hey Phoenix Woman!

Hello!

Blackwater? These are the bad guys. Why? ‘Cause they kill for profit.

Moyers Journal last evening on PBS was about Blackwater…. if you can catch that, it was stellar.

See Moyers Journal interview today with the author of a book on Blackwater. Shocking revelations, including:

Blackwater mercenaries make more than Gen. Petraeus.

There are as many mercenary troops in Iraq as U.S. troops; we could not ‘hold’ Iraq without the mercenaries.

Seige that destroyed Mozul over the deaths of 4 American “contractors in Iraq” (ie, Blackwater mercenaries). White House spin implied the 4 men killed by the Iraqi’s were benign water specialists.

We were just having fun on the last thread. *sigh*

Blackwater. These characters have been watching too many movies. Plus they’re nutz.

i have to confess.

i used googleearth to look at NC/SC coastal swampy areas a week or 2 ago.

now i’ve got the creepy-crawlies.

this used to be a democracy, i thot.

Thank you PW, Siun and all.

More sunlight on this subject, please!

Blackwater also stole two planes from the Iraqis and won’t give them back!! WTF?

Blackwater is a reflection of Cheney and the neocons.

See Moyers Journal on Blackwater last night.

Shocking revelations:

Blackwater soldiers make as much as Gen. Petraeus.

As many mercenary soldiers as U.S. soldiers (more or less); we could not ‘hold’ Iraq without them.

The seige of Mozul occurred to avenge the deaths of 4 Blackwater mercenary soldiers, originally described as “U.S. contractors” (as if they were water specialists?).

katymine @ 6

Moyers Journal last evening on PBS was about Blackwater…. if you can catch that, it was stellar.

I’m hoping we could catch up with that on the PBS website. They’re getting better and better these days at realizing people are interested, even when they just can’t fit all the programs into busy schedules right as they’re 1st aired. Thanks for the heads-up.

Will someone please (re)investigate why Tillman had three closely grouped shots in his forehead, when such is also the ’signature’ of BW, at least as reported in a comment about a book written by a BW member. Do we really think that they are utterly incapable of firing on one of our own? Their loyalties obviously can be bought: that’s who they are. What would it take to make them a ‘death squad’? A lot? Not much?

When we attack Iran who’s going to do the ground work? Blackwater?

Gotta build that Christian Crusader army, and Amway money alone won’t do it.

THAT’s where I recognize Erik Prince from! He sure fooled me for an hour or so. I thought he wanted to be my friend, but - no - he just wanted me to be his Amway sales guy. The nerve!

The missing piece here for me is the high number of foreign mercenaries.

Why should they treat American soldiers well? Just doing their jobs.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 16

When we attack Iran who’s going to do the ground work? Blackwater?

If we attack Iran, will Russia help defend Iran? Like with radar and weapons sales?

if we don’t stop worldwide mercenaries now, we won’t be able to stop them later.

egregious @ 18

The missing piece here for me is the high number of foreign mercenaries.

Why should they treat American soldiers well? Just doing their jobs.

Why would American soldiers let themselves be disarmed? If I was an American soldier, there would be no way I would have subjected myself to such treatment.

egregious @ 18

The missing piece here for me is the high number of foreign mercenaries.

Why should they treat American soldiers well? Just doing their jobs.

Could you elaborate? ‘missing piece’ leads you to think — what? Who’s ‘just doing their jobs’?

Oklahoma kiddo @ 11

Blackwater is a reflection of Cheney and the neocons.

But “IT” is not Us! Not as long as we’re still drawing breath. The chainey-legacy is a real-life nightmare. Does he even have any friends acquaintances to help him /us intervene?

behindthefall @ 8

We were just having fun on the last thread. *sigh*

Sorry! If you want, I can give you some chocolate frosting I just made. (It’s a bit runny, though — needs more sugar.)

OOH! Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel just HATE that A-word! These days, it isn’t “Amway”. They’ve gone to using the euphemism - “WIN - World Information Network”. Anything to make their pyramid scheme multi-level marketing sound legit.

behindthefall @ 15

Will someone please (re)investigate why Tillman had three closely grouped shots in his forehead, when such is also the ’signature’ of BW, at least as reported in a comment about a book written by a BW member. Do we really think that they are utterly incapable of firing on one of our own? Their loyalties obviously can be bought: that’s who they are. What would it take to make them a ‘death squad’? A lot? Not much?

A young woman soldier in Afghanistan who worked in the finance office died after being shot in the head. She’d told her family that if anything happened to her, look into it.

She’d apparently seen financial things which made her and others uncomfortable. I’ll go look for the link.

behindthefall @ 22

egregious @ 18

The missing piece here for me is the high number of foreign mercenaries.

Why should they treat American soldiers well? Just doing their jobs.

Could you elaborate? ‘missing piece’ leads you to think — what? Who’s ‘just doing their jobs’?

Blackwater, just doing their jobs, when they treat U.S. soldiers like the enemy.

And the missing piece is what might finally get thru to some of our winger friends, the people who control Blackwater are not loyal to the U.S. “They are taking YOUR money and using it to do things like this.”

But of course nothing must interfere with Erik Prince’s getting his wingnut welfare checks from the Federal government. Gotta build that Christian Crusader army, and Amway money alone won’t do it.

I have a hard time seeing the word “Christian” used to describe these bastards.

Phoenix Woman @ 24

behindthefall @ 8

We were just having fun on the last thread. *sigh*

Sorry! If you want, I can give you some chocolate frosting I just made. (It’s a bit runny, though — needs more sugar.)

Well — maybe just a little. The bitterer the betterer; don’t use sugar, myself. What’s the cake like (he said, perking up)?

Boston1775 @ 26

behindthefall @ 15

Will someone please (re)investigate why Tillman had three closely grouped shots in his forehead, when such is also the ’signature’ of BW, at least as reported in a comment about a book written by a BW member. Do we really think that they are utterly incapable of firing on one of our own? Their loyalties obviously can be bought: that’s who they are. What would it take to make them a ‘death squad’? A lot? Not much?

A young woman soldier in Afghanistan who worked in the finance office died after being shot in the head. She’d told her family that if anything happened to her, look into it.

She’d apparently seen financial things which made her and others uncomfortable. I’ll go look for the link.

Cripes!

In an all out war, which side would Blackwater choose? I do not view this group as being patriots. The feeling is they are profit driven.

The Moyers piece was numbing it was so detailed and scary. The writer pulled no punches about the threat to our democracy by empowering these private militias who work with no accountability. He said the Iraq piece is actually a small part of their operation, so if they are thrown out, no big loss. The piece was followed by repeat of the Selling of the War with all the preordained goals and the lies the way the press rolled over. Try to catch either or both; the writer for Blackwater was brilliant.

On to an OT: we said something about the Austin TX Air AMerica. I has been gone almost a week; no notice that I had heard. Is there any recourse, place to plead our case, folks to contact? We can get Rush on at least 2 stations and some locals Hannity. Yesterday I was having serious withdrawals and have gotten no response to any emails. Thanks.

Stories about Blackwater have been out there for years… here is one from 2004
http://www.alternet.org/story/18193/

Then add that a large number of S. African’s are working in Iraq for Blackwater… think about that …
http://www.chicagotribune.com/.....9674.story

Sensitive to its apartheid-era reputation for exporting soldiers of fortune to wars across Africa, the young, black-led government in Pretoria recently drafted the harshest anti-mercenary bill in the world, a measure that would criminalize virtually all of its citizens working in Iraq.

And as the war grinds through its fifth year, there is growing concern that Iraq’s drain on skilled police and military personnel may be crippling the nation’s elite security services. Local media reports warn that tactical police units in major cities are being thinned by the stampede of officers to Baghdad. And a former South African military officer who runs his own security firm conceded that most of the nation’s best special forces trainers now are on the U.S. contracting payroll in Iraq.

behindthefall @ 29

Phoenix Woman @ 24

Sorry! If you want, I can give you some chocolate frosting I just made. (It’s a bit runny, though — needs more sugar.)

Well — maybe just a little. The bitterer the betterer; don’t use sugar, myself. What’s the cake like (he said, perking up)?

The cake hasn’t been made yet. ;-)

But, but don’t the Democratic majorities in both houses of congress control the purse strings.

Couldn’t they simply shut off funding to these mercs if they wanted to?

The key point of course being “if they wanted to”

Mark Penn loves Blackwater AND Hillary.

D = R = Fascist piece of shit.

Power is all they understand, only a threat to their power will move them.

BOYCOTT THE DEMS IN ‘08!!

I know I am…

egregious @ 27

behindthefall @ 22

Could you elaborate? ‘missing piece’ leads you to think — what? Who’s ‘just doing their jobs’?

Blackwater, just doing their jobs, when they treat U.S. soldiers like the enemy.

And the missing piece is what might finally get thru to some of our winger friends, the people who control Blackwater are not loyal to the U.S. “They are taking YOUR money and using it to do things like this.”

There’s a really serious problem here, isn’t there? By the simple facts of their existence and their actions, these mercenaries PROVE that at least part of the wingnutters are not loyal to the U.S. I do not think that we can equate ‘far right wing’ with ‘entirely loyal to country’.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 31

In an all out war, which side would Blackwater choose? I do not view this group as being patriots. The feeling is they are profit driven.

For Erik Prince, maybe it’s about profit. For a lot of the mercenaries themselves, my worry is that they think this is fun.

Glad you blogged about this Phoenix Woman.

Kathleen says:
October 15th, 2007 at 5:18 am

Blackwater Is Soaked
An arrogant attitude only adds fuel to the criticism.
Gervasio Sanchez / AP
Tough-Guy Reputation: Blackwater security contractors taking part in a fire fight in
By Rod Nordland and Mark Hosenball
Newsweek

Oct. 15, 2007 issue - The colonel was furious. “Can you believe it? They actually drew their weapons on U.S. soldiers.” He was describing a 2006 car accident, in which an SUV full of Blackwater operatives had crashed into a U.S. Army Humvee on a street in Baghdad’s Green Zone. The colonel, who was involved in a follow-up investigation and spoke on the condition he not be named, said the Blackwater guards disarmed the U.S. Army soldiers and made them lie on the ground at gunpoint until they could disentangle the SUV. His account was confirmed by the head of another private security company. Asked to address this and other allegations in this story, Blackwater spokesperson Anne Tyrrell said, “This type of gossip has led to many soap operas in the press.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21…../newsweek/

Phoenix Woman @ 24

behindthefall @ 8

We were just having fun on the last thread. *sigh*

Sorry! If you want, I can give you some chocolate frosting I just made. (It’s a bit runny, though — needs more sugar.)

And I’ve got a lovely late late nite for you. We’ll continue the conversation then.

Joe Klein’s conscience @ 21

egregious @ 18

The missing piece here for me is the high number of foreign mercenaries.

Why should they treat American soldiers well? Just doing their jobs.

Why would American soldiers let themselves be disarmed? If I was an American soldier, there would be no way I would have subjected myself to such treatment.

Depends who has the advantage - physically, psychologically and legally. American military personnel tend to typically show more restraint than Blackwater mercenaries.

This is a big part of the problem. American military must show more restraint because they face the law - The Uniform Code of Military Justice. Private Mercenaries, as we have learned, face no consequences for their overzealous behavior - that often leads to unjustified killing.

Uncle Erik (Prince) wants you!

Phoenix Woman @ 34

behindthefall @ 29

Well — maybe just a little. The bitterer the betterer; don’t use sugar, myself. What’s the cake like (he said, perking up)?

The cake hasn’t been made yet. ;-)

It’s going to be a good afternoon!

Oklahoma kiddo @ 5

Blackwater? These are the bad guys. Why? ‘Cause they kill for profit.

The inevitable is happening around our area. I saw a letter-to-editor just last week, vehemently scolding anyone and everyone who would dare criticize those loyal patriots/us-trained/veterans who are now signing up to “serve” in the black waters. oh. sigh.

there’s not enough gooey frosting in the world to cover up this mess.

Keep it coming PW, and Thank You.

Note to Harry Reid: Nice to see you’ve grown a pair, but (how can I put this delicately?) - let’s just say some adjustment is necessary.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 41

Uncle Erik (Prince) wants you!

Good on you for the clarification. I am also “Uncle Erik,” but that’s where the similarity to this bastard ends.

EvilDrPuma @ 37

Oklahoma kiddo @ 31

In an all out war, which side would Blackwater choose? I do not view this group as being patriots. The feeling is they are profit driven.

For Erik Prince, maybe it’s about profit. For a lot of the mercenaries themselves, my worry is that they think this is fun.

‘Roland, the Headless Thompson-Gunner’ — Warren, you were ‘way ahead of us.

Blackwater out of U.S. now!

katymine @ 33

Stories about Blackwater have been out there for years… here is one from 2004
http://www.alternet.org/story/18193/

Then add that a large number of S. African’s are working in Iraq for Blackwater… think about that …
http://www.chicagotribune.com/.....9674.story

Sensitive to its apartheid-era reputation for exporting soldiers of fortune to wars across Africa, the young, black-led government in Pretoria recently drafted the harshest anti-mercenary bill in the world, a measure that would criminalize virtually all of its citizens working in Iraq.

And as the war grinds through its fifth year, there is growing concern that Iraq’s drain on skilled police and military personnel may be crippling the nation’s elite security services. Local media reports warn that tactical police units in major cities are being thinned by the stampede of officers to Baghdad. And a former South African military officer who runs his own security firm conceded that most of the nation’s best special forces trainers now are on the U.S. contracting payroll in Iraq.

Yup. Siun mentioned the SA angle in her piece last week, to which I link in this post.

Phoenix Woman @ 32

behindthefall @ 29

Well — maybe just a little. The bitterer the betterer; don’t use sugar, myself. What’s the cake like (he said, perking up)?

The cake hasn’t been made yet. ;-)

Ooohh, but that whole-grain nut bread is rising nicely, and it looks terrific!

Here is one of the Boston Globe stories about the death of Ciara Durkin.

This small story in the Bostonist provides links to other stories.

Ciara Durkin is reported to have told her family, while she was home, that she’d found “something she didn’t like” in regards to her work on the secure base in Afghanistan.

punaise @ 47

Blackwater out of U.S. now!

How about off the planet altogether?

punaise @ 42

Note to Harry Reid: Nice to see you’ve grown a pair, but (how can I put this delicately?) - let’s just say some adjustment is necessary.

ohdearohdear. just had a flashback to relevant Seinfeld episode. heh.

In New Orleans, they were the first folks on the scene, even when there had been no orders for them to go, according to last night. Seems like they did have alot of fun…the poor people died, the Blackwater crowd had alot of fun.

Adie @ 49

Phoenix Woman @ 32

The cake hasn’t been made yet. ;-)

Ooohh, but that whole-grain nut bread is rising nicely, and it looks terrific!

*sniff, sniff, yum*

EvilDrPuma @ 51

punaise @ 47

Blackwater out of U.S. now!

How about off the planet altogether?

yeah, out of the US isn’t far enough, send ‘em to that base on Mars

Even when being lobbed softballs, Prince shows sign of impatience. When being pressed by a woman, Prince gets this” I could kill you with a staple” kinda look…

If blackwater is in charge of security for the Rpug’s nomination convention, those fooken hippies will pay…

hackworth @ 40

Joe Klein’s conscience @ 21

Why would American soldiers let themselves be disarmed? If I was an American soldier, there would be no way I would have subjected myself to such treatment.

Depends who has the advantage - physically, psychologically and legally. American military personnel tend to typically show more restraint than Blackwater mercenaries.

This is a big part of the problem. American military must show more restraint because they face the law - The Uniform Code of Military Justice. Private Mercenaries, as we have learned, face no consequences for their overzealous behavior - that often leads to unjustified killing.

Since Blackwater is paid by the government, they are a government entity. So, if they pulled guns on our troops, that must qualify as some kind of treason, mutany, or something. Can’t they be held accountable somehow? Certainly, it is criminal.

In his column on Friday, Krugman pointed out that

The truth is that while the administration has lavished favors on some powerful, established corporations, the biggest scandals have involved companies that were small or didn’t exist at all until they started getting huge contracts thanks to their political connections. Thus, Blackwater USA was a tiny business until it somehow became the leading supplier of mercenaries for the War on Terror™.

OKK @ 31

The side that pays them most.
Not our side, that’s certain.

Madame Speaker is papering over (or trying to) Pete Stark’s remarks. Apparently he hurt her feelings. I say: Go, Pete!

I understand Hillary still hasn’t come out with a position on telecom immunity. She’s going to be at the end of the parade, with the guy cleaning up the street, again. Obama is saying the words, but I think he’ll probably skip out on the vote again. Are they running for the position of Hindmost?

Gotta run, errands to do.

Mark C @ 35

But, but don’t the Democratic majorities in both houses of congress control the purse strings.

Couldn’t they simply shut off funding to these mercs if they wanted to?

The key point of course being “if they wanted to”

Mark Penn loves Blackwater AND Hillary.

Funny thing: Chris Dodd and John Edwards and Pete Stark aren’t Hillary, yet they’re Dems.

D = R = Fascist piece of shit.

If you truly believe that, then go to http://www.publicampaign.org and work to get the money out of the system.

Adie @ 52

punaise @ 42

Note to Harry Reid: Nice to see you’ve grown a pair, but (how can I put this delicately?) - let’s just say some adjustment is necessary.

ohdearohdear. just had a flashback to relevant Seinfeld episode. heh.

Have you noticed that there’s always a relevant Seinfeld episode?

This is slightly off thread: the “drawing guns on US soldiers” story is not new, so I am a bit surprised at the attention it is getting today. I agree with most of you that this is an outrageous example of mercenaries being given free-run of occupation and all, but why wasn’t this big news sooner?

Adie @ 49

Phoenix Woman @ 32

The cake hasn’t been made yet. ;-)

Ooohh, but that whole-grain nut bread is rising nicely, and it looks terrific!

Nice!

Thanks PW… I knew I had read it somewhere but did not go through all the links…

Elliott @ 53

EvilDrPuma @ 51

How about off the planet altogether?

yeah, out of the US isn’t far enough, send ‘em to that base on Mars

‘ere ya go pickin’ on the Martians agin!?!
NIMBY! Got it? Where do they belong?
N.O.W.H.E.R.E. !

Mark C @ 35

But, but don’t the Democratic majorities in both houses of congress control the purse strings.

Couldn’t they simply shut off funding to these mercs if they wanted to?

The key point of course being “if they wanted to”

Mark Penn loves Blackwater AND Hillary.

D = R = Fascist piece of shit.

Power is all they understand, only a threat to their power will move them.

BOYCOTT THE DEMS IN ‘08!!

I know I am…

Understanding your frustration notwithstanding…
How will your boycott help our country?
That will leave the Repubs in control.
I suggest you stick around for BlueAmerica later this morning, here.
More and better Dems is the way to go, I think.

How about revoking their citizenship for attacking the forces of the United States of America, and then drop them off in a Syrian or Egyptian prison.

Thanks very much PW.
FWIW, the German Army, the Wehrmacht, composed of professionals such as Rommel, Colonel Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg and many others, never adopted “Heil Hitler,” as their salute. They kept the traditional Wehrmacht salute and they frequently hated the Gestapo. In Deadly Combat: A German Soldier’s Memoir of the Eastern Front is imvho a great book on many levels that parallels in some ways very closely the plight of US soldiers occupying Afghanistan and Iraq.

dude @ 62

This is slightly off thread: the “drawing guns on US soldiers” story is not new, so I am a bit surprised at the attention it is getting today. I agree with most of you that this is an outrageous example of mercenaries being given free-run of occupation and all, but why wasn’t this big news sooner?

Because the media is in the tank for the GOP, either by being bought off or scared off. Been that way for years — see the book On Bended Knee: The Press and the Reagan Presidency for proof — but it’s especially bad now, with FOX and the other wingnut-welfare recipients cluttering our airwaves and papers.

jayackroyd @ 58

In his column on Friday, Krugman pointed out that

The truth is that while the administration has lavished favors on some powerful, established corporations, the biggest scandals have involved companies that were small or didn’t exist at all until they started getting huge contracts thanks to their political connections. Thus, Blackwater USA was a tiny business until it somehow became the leading supplier of mercenaries for the War on Terror™.

And to speak up for the *American* guys who work for Blackwater, at least those who joined a while ago, I think a lot of them signed up to protect us because we were attacked on 9/11. Now they’re stuck too. Will be an angry time when they realize they’ve been lied to.

dude @ 62

This is slightly off thread: the “drawing guns on US soldiers” story is not new, so I am a bit surprised at the attention it is getting today. I agree with most of you that this is an outrageous example of mercenaries being given free-run of occupation and all, but why wasn’t this big news sooner?

“To every thing — turn, turn, turn — there is a season …” or, to put it differently, “Karma’s a b***h.” Ya gotta have faith in it, but, hooboy, is it ever hard to do the waiting!

PJEvans,
Have you heard about the FDL meet-up planned?
Here’s the invitation:
Saturday, November 3rd.
Wahoo’s Fish Taco, 1862 Placentia Ave., Costa Mesa. Noonish. I’ll be the chubby guy [Mod: Burns] wearing a 2005 ACC Tournament hat.
Take the 55 south to where it turns into Newport Boulevard. Turn right on 19th Street, then left on Placentia. It’s about two blocks down on the left

Loo Hoo and Burns are organizers. And, She’s not Chubby! I know.

pw, you missed a doozy

blackwhater stole “confiscated” jet aircraft from the Iraqis

that’s weaponwry that only governments posess and they “confiscated” it

I had an epiphane when I heard this

you remember the “cache of ordinance” our government ‘neglected” to guard, was raided and “disapeared”

well, I kind of am pretty sure it wasn’t the Iraqi’s that wound up with that ordinance, I am pretty sure it was blackwater.

punaise @ 44

Note to Harry Reid: Nice to see you’ve grown a pair, but (how can I put this delicately?) - let’s just say some adjustment is necessary.

lol. Wonder who kicked ‘em up there?

Blackwater must go!

http://www.canada.com/topics/n.....mp;k=50202

Iraq says security contractor Blackwater must go
Sue Pleming , Reuters
Published: Thursday, October 18, 2007

WASHINGTON — Iraq put more pressure on the United States on Thursday to pull out security contractor Blackwater from Baghdad but the State Department said no decision had been made on the North Carolina firm.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told reporters at the White House Blackwater must be held accountable for its conduct in a September 16 shooting incident that killed 17 people and has enraged Iraqis.

“We would like …. Blackwater to leave Iraq, this is at the end their position, this is the State Department position,” said Dabbagh.
U.S. civil administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer (2nd L) is escorted by personnel from U.S. security contractor Blackwater on his arrival at U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division headquarters in Ramadi in this March 11, 2004 file photo.
U.S. civil administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer (2nd L) is escorted by personnel from U.S. security contractor Blackwater on his arrival at U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division headquarters in Ramadi in this March 11, 2004 file photo.
REUTERS

“There is an anger, a great anger among the Iraqis against Blackwater. They should be kept accountable, this is what the Iraqi government needs. It is a crime what they did in Baghdad, we have declared it,” he added.

Phoenix Woman @ 69

dude @ 62

This is slightly off thread: the “drawing guns on US soldiers” story is not new, so I am a bit surprised at the attention it is getting today. I agree with most of you that this is an outrageous example of mercenaries being given free-run of occupation and all, but why wasn’t this big news sooner?

Because the media is in the tank for the GOP, either by being bought off or scared off. Been that way for years — see the book On Bended Knee: The Press and the Reagan Presidency for proof — but it’s especially bad now, with FOX and the other wingnut-welfare recipients cluttering polluting our airwaves and papers.

fixed your typo PW

bhatten @ 53

In New Orleans, they were the first folks on the scene, even when there had been no orders for them to go, according to last night. Seems like they did have alot of fun…the poor people died, the Blackwater crowd had alot of fun.

Immediately after the engineering failures in New Orleans some security people showed up in my parents’ neighborhood. A few blocks from their home there are really big, old houses. It must have been Blackwater because no one was allowed into the city yet.

so these nut cases are prepared to go ANYWHERE and kill ANYBODY THEY WANT TO
nice!

marymccurnin @ 77

bhatten @ 53

In New Orleans, they were the first folks on the scene, even when there had been no orders for them to go, according to last night. Seems like they did have alot of fun…the poor people died, the Blackwater crowd had alot of fun.

Immediately after the engineering failures in New Orleans some security people showed up in my parents’ neighborhood. A few blocks from their home there are really big, old houses. It must have been Blackwater because no one was allowed into the city yet.

Who was it that did hire Blackwater to go down to New Orleans?

dude @ 62

…. I agree with most of you that this is an outrageous example of mercenaries being given free-run of occupation and all, but why wasn’t this big news sooner?

WH and GOP obfuscation.

EvilDrPuma @ 59

Adie @ 52

ohdearohdear. just had a flashback to relevant Seinfeld episode. heh.

Have you noticed that there’s always a relevant Seinfeld episode?

absolutely! we still howl at the things, during dinner no less! (we’re grown-ups now and no one can make us turn it off if we don’t want - HAH!)

for the longest time, i kept thinking the re-run crew must be picking and choosing with supreme care relative to breaking news. but, no, i think it’s only that, well, there’s always something going on somewhere that they’ve captured.

amazing show. not the only one, but one of the very best. i betcha there’s more than one college-level psychology class out there built around that not-so-crazy gang.

Hi friends:

great am thread, PW, thank you so much it brought back great memories.

Wanted to let folks know that Stephen Colbert is on “Wait, Wait, Don’t tell me!” today.

YOu can listen now here (program just began) or at their website another time.

http://www.wbur.org/listen/

Regarding revoking citizenship, an act of expatriation is required, but…

“In at least two relatively recent decisions, however, courts have concluded that the requisite intention to renounce U.S. citizenship can be inferred from the act of serving in an armed force engaged in hostilities against the United States.“

http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/expatriation.htm

Blackwater Is Soaked
Source: newsweek
URL Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21.....ek/page/0/
Published: Oct 12, 2007
Author: Rod Nordland and Mark Hosenball
Post Date: 2007-10-12 13:06:44 by spooky47
8 Comments

An arrogant attitude only adds fuel to the criticism.

By Rod Nordland and Mark Hosenball Newsweek

Oct. 15, 2007 issue - The colonel was furious. “Can you believe it? They actually drew their weapons on U.S. soldiers.” He was describing a 2006 car accident, in which an SUV full of Blackwater operatives had crashed into a U.S. Army Humvee on a street in Baghdad’s Green Zone. The colonel, who was involved in a follow-up investigation and spoke on the condition he not be named, said the Blackwater guards disarmed the U.S. Army soldiers and made them lie on the ground at gunpoint until they could disentangle the SUV. His account was confirmed by the head of another private security company. Asked to address this and other allegations in this story, Blackwater spokesperson Anne Tyrrell said, “This type of gossip has led to many soap operas in the press.”

Whatever else Blackwater is or isn’t guilty of—a topic of intense interest in Washington—it has a well-earned reputation in Iraq for arrogance and high-handedness. Iraqis naturally have the most serious complaints; dozens have been killed by Blackwater operatives since the beginning of the war. But many American civilian and military officials in Iraq also have little sympathy for the private security company and its highly paid employees. With an uproar growing in Congress over Blackwater’s alleged excesses, the North Carolina-based company is finding few supporters.

Responsible for guarding top U.S. officials in Iraq, Blackwater operatives are often accused of playing by their own rules. Unlike nearly everyone else who enters the Green Zone, said an American soldier who guards a gate, Blackwater gunmen refuse to stop and clear their weapons of live ammunition once inside. One military contractor, who spoke anonymously for fear of retribution in his industry, recounted the story of a Blackwater operative who answered a Marine officer’s order to put his pistol on safety when entering a base post office by saying, “This is my safety,” and wiggling his trigger finger in the air. “Their attitude was, ‘We’re f—ing security; we don’t have to answer to anybody’.”

Congress disagrees. Until now, private security contractors working for the State Department, as Blackwater does, have effectively not been covered by either U.S. or Iraqi law, or military regulations. A bill that overwhelmingly passed the House last week would close that loophole. But the law would also require the FBI to establish a large-scale presence in Iraq in order to investigate accusations against private contractors. Law-enforcement officials worry that this would draw valuable resources away from FBI efforts to combat terrorism in the United States. Also, whenever FBI agents venture into Iraq now they are guarded by … Blackwater operatives. The bureau has sent a team to Baghdad to investigate the Sept. 16 shooting in Nasoor Square, in which Blackwater guards are accused of killing as many as 17 Iraqi civilians. In order to avoid “even the appearance of any conflict [of interest],” according to an FBI spokesman, the agents will be defended by U.S. government personnel.

It is not an idle concern. Blackwater’s staunchest defenders tend to be found among those whom they guard. U.S. officials prefer Blackwater and other private security bodyguards because they regard them as more highly trained than military guards, who are often reservists from MP units. A U.S. Embassy staffer, who did not have permission to speak on the record, said, “It’s a few bad eggs that seem to be spoiling the bunch.” Late last week the State Department announced that it would increase oversight of Blackwater in particular, installing cameras in its vehicles and having a Diplomatic Security Service officer ride along on every convoy. But another State Department official, also speaking anonymously, says that DSS agents in Baghdad have not been eager to rein in the contractors in the past: “These guys tend to close ranks. It’s like the blue wall.”

Testifying before Congress last week, 38-year-old Blackwater chief Erik Prince vigorously defended his company’s “dedicated security professionals” who “risk their lives to protect Americans in harm’s way overseas.” Prince probably had no reason to be as smug as he seemed to many observers. In deflecting questions about a drunken Blackwater operative who allegedly shot and killed a bodyguard for Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi in the Green Zone on Christmas Eve last year, Prince said that the employee, later identified as Andrew Moonen, had been fined and fired. But on Friday House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. Henry Waxman released a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recounting evidence that Moonen was able to return to Iraq and worked there for another company. Moonen’s attorney, Stewart Riley, told NEWSWEEK his client denies wrongdoing and is not facing criminal charges. Blackwater is no doubt in for further fire fights.

ps …a lot of the blackwater crew
ARE NOT AMERICAN…just sayin

OT - perennial football powerhouse Indiana up 7-0 on Penn State.

(I remember being at a game, back in the stone age, where IU briefly led Ohio State at home. Coach Corso called time-out - took the entire team out onto the field, and had a picture taken of the team in front of the scoreboard).

Somebody get a picture of that scoreboard - quick!!

Moyer had a great part last night where he states that Blackwater protects the congressional delegations in Iraq…… so congresscritter goes to Iraq to investigate Blackwater while being protected by Blackwater…. just how safe do you think they feel?

sadly yes @ 85

ps …a lot of the blackwater crew
ARE NOT AMERICAN…just sayin

Do you have a link?

Do you mean they are undocumented workers or citizens of other countries?

perris @ 73

pw, you missed a doozy

blackwhater stole “confiscated” jet aircraft from the Iraqis

that’s weaponwry that only governments posess and they “confiscated” it

I had an epiphane when I heard this

you remember the “cache of ordinance” our government ‘neglected” to guard, was raided and “disapeared”

well, I kind of am pretty sure it wasn’t the Iraqi’s that wound up with that ordinance, I am pretty sure it was blackwater.

So — does BW fly these jets? They have pilots? Here’s a tinfoil treat for a Saturday: one detail of the ‘6 nukes from SD to LA’ caper that bothers me no end is that the B-52 which carried the missles flew in from somewhere else (it wasn’t SD based) AND the pylon(s?) loaded with the missles (which is how they keep everything ready to go) would not fit on that plane’s wings, so they had to work for some time to mount the pylon to the wing’s hardpoints. I ask myself: where did a B-52 come from which apparently had not been used to do the transporting that it was being asked, on this occasion, to do? Those planes have been around for a long, long time by now; we assume that we know where every single one is at all times — but do we? Wonder if an early model ever came up on the market and got picked up or set aside for use by someone not strictly 100% governmental? How’s that for a crazed hypothesis?

Blackwater confiscated Iraqi planes.Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) has revealed that “Blackwater USA tried to take at least two Iraqi military aircraft out of Iraq two years ago and refused to give the planes back when Iraqi officials sought to reclaim them.” Waxman today wrote to Blackwater CEO Erik Prince and requested that he “provide all documents related to the attempted shipment and to explain where the aircraft are now.” October

think progress

demi @ 64

Mark C @ 35

But, but don’t the Democratic majorities in both houses of congress control the purse strings.

Couldn’t they simply shut off funding to these mercs if they wanted to?

The key point of course being “if they wanted to”

Mark Penn loves Blackwater AND Hillary.

D = R = Fascist piece of shit.

Power is all they understand, only a threat to their power will move them.

BOYCOTT THE DEMS IN ‘08!!

I know I am…

Understanding your frustration notwithstanding…
How will your boycott help our country?
That will leave the Repubs in control.
I suggest you stick around for BlueAmerica later this morning, here.
More and better Dems is the way to go, I think.

OMG! I missed seeing that other shoe drop.
Nice catch, demi!

Mark C, dear. Please pick up a new piece of chalk and copy what demi said, 50 times. Then read it aloud. Yes, 50. Uh-huh. Thank you dear. Then please enjoy a piece of this delicious bread, fresh from the oven.

sadly yes @ 78

so these nut cases are prepared to go ANYWHERE and kill ANYBODY THEY WANT TO
nice!

Hence my comment above about the 3 shots in Tillman’s forehead.

A more and more comes out re Blackwater, I hope somebody remembers to keep the tape of Chris Shays, during the recent hearing, gushing about their wonder-osity and “perfection” for his next election cycle.

Above: Last night addressed 2 of the points above: That yes, there are lots of non-Americans in their ranks, including serving in Iraq.

And the NO story indicated that they just showed up, their charge is something like ‘peace & protection’, so they went on down to protect the peace without being asked, as I understood the discussion. I think that part was clarified more than once.

Did you all see the diary at DKos the other day?

All Haythem and the family know about the final moments of their loved ones is what two Iraqi police officers who witnessed the shootings have told them — that Ahmed was shot as he was driving his car in Nusoor Square and his mother clutched him tight as he was bleeding.

“Those who witnessed the incident say that my son’s head was scattered and my wife held him and hugged him,” Haythem said. “She was screaming, ‘My son, my son! Help me! Help me!’ “

The car slowly rolled forward until Blackwater guards unleashed more shots that turned the vehicle into a fireball, according to the witnesses.

“They understood the call for help. They sprayed her with bullets,” he said.

Here’s a link to the diary. Heartwrenching.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyo...../134725/74

The super secret, Blackwater, has been protected by Kommander Guy since the beginning of the Genocide. One rumor is the 4 Blackwater merks, in Fallujiah, were on an assasination mission.

I have no evidence Blackwater carries out assasinations. But they have official government sanction to draw weapons on US soldiers. That makes me suspicious. Someone assasinated Pat Tillman and David Kelly. Eric Prince is psycho enough to do the dirty work for God and Kommander Guy.

So, if we actually make through elections, etc., do you think they would consider encircling the WH with Blackwater and other private army entities for “security purposes”, should the cabal refuse to leave??? I have no problem seeing that as a distinct possibility. The good thing is that they did disarm the troops, because the troops are pissed off and would challenge them without hesitation should than come to pass.

bhatten @ 94

Above: Last night addressed 2 of the points above: That yes, there are lots of non-Americans in their ranks, including serving in Iraq.

And the NO story indicated that they just showed up, their charge is something like ‘peace & protection’, so they went on down to protect the peace without being asked, as I understood the discussion. I think that part was clarified more than once.

Is that so? Well then how interesting that an entire caravan of Loudoun County, VA sheriffs and police officers who were fully equipped to take care of themselves for the duration, were turned away at the edge of New Orleans? They didn’t want REAL security people, they wanted a training field for BW.

Blackwater = phony soldiers

Catching up. So exciting that Valerie Plame will be here on Monday to discuss her new book. Joe and Valerie Plame Wilson…HEROES. These two folks are real patriots. Thank Thank Thank you…they give me hope! Oh yes they do

How about Aretha Franklin singing the Wilsons
light up our lives…they give us hope to carry on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....mp;search=

katymine @ 87

Moyer had a great part last night where he states that Blackwater protects the congressional delegations in Iraq…… so congresscritter goes to Iraq to investigate Blackwater while being protected by Blackwater…. just how safe do you think they feel?

And how objective can thay be in their investigation?

Iraq is nothing but “Westworld” on steroids and crack meth. Well armed Yul Brynner’s abound.

Frank33 @ 96

The super secret, Blackwater, has been protected by Kommander Guy since the beginning of the Genocide. One rumor is the 4 Blackwater merks, in Fallujiah, were on an assasination mission.

I have no evidence Blackwater carries out assasinations. But they have official government sanction to draw weapons on US soldiers. That makes me suspicious. Someone assasinated Pat Tillman and David Kelly. Eric Prince is psycho enough to do the dirty work for God and Kommander Guy.

How do you know they have official government sanction to draw weapons on US soldiers? Just curious.

solai @ 95

Did you all see the diary at DKos the other day?

All Haythem and the family know about the final moments of their loved ones is what two Iraqi police officers who witnessed the shootings have told them — that Ahmed was shot as he was driving his car in Nusoor Square and his mother clutched him tight as he was bleeding.

“Those who witnessed the incident say that my son’s head was scattered and my wife held him and hugged him,” Haythem said. “She was screaming, ‘My son, my son! Help me! Help me!’ “

The car slowly rolled forward until Blackwater guards unleashed more shots that turned the vehicle into a fireball, according to the witnesses.

“They understood the call for help. They sprayed her with bullets,” he said.

Here’s a link to the diary. Heartwrenching.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyo...../134725/74

this is the reason you cannot have “commons” provided by private industry, they only care about their dollar investment vs return

absolute power corrupts and these soldiers are the kings of their domain

blackwater must be federalized, the assets reclaimed, their profits seized

Adie!
That bread smells Soooooo Good.
(I’m going to go get my nails done and when I get back I’m going to throw a chicken in the oven - will go well with your bread.)

albert fall @ 99

Blackwater = phony soldiers

Actually I would take issue with all of them being phony. I think a lot of them are loyal Americans and former military who signed up to protect our country, thinking they were fighting the bad guys who attacked us on 9/11. Their bosses however…

Tanbark @ 102

Iraq is nothing but “Westworld” on steroids and crack meth. Well armed Yul Brynner’s abound.

Erik Prince of Blackwater did say he fired some of his men because they were caught using steroids.

it can get worse.

LS @ 97

So, if we actually make through elections, etc., do you think they would consider encircling the WH with Blackwater and other private army entities for “security purposes”, should the cabal refuse to leave??? I have no problem seeing that as a distinct possibility. The good thing is that they did disarm the troops, because the troops are pissed off and would challenge them without hesitation should than come to pass.

I could see it. But Bush isn’t gonna stay - he’s through, I think, and can’t wait to get the hell outta town.

Cheney, on the other hand… Just what is it about the next election, or *any* election, that is gonna make that S.O.B. any less insane?

Tanbark @ 102

Iraq is nothing but “Westworld” on steroids and crack meth. Well armed Yul Brynner’s abound.

the sick and manaiacale PEEnacs set up a government based on thier principles of profit driving the economy and the government

one with flat tax, one with government buying everything from private industry

their vision is not only flawed it’s moronic, it can’t possibly work and we are left with the fruits of their moronic vision

jayt @ 108

LS @ 97

So, if we actually make through elections, etc., do you think they would consider encircling the WH with Blackwater and other private army entities for “security purposes”, should the cabal refuse to leave??? I have no problem seeing that as a distinct possibility. The good thing is that they did disarm the troops, because the troops are pissed off and would challenge them without hesitation should than come to pass.

I could see it. But Bush isn’t gonna stay - he’s through, I think, and can’t wait to get the hell outta town.

Cheney, on the other hand… Just what is it about the next election, or *any* election, that is gonna make that S.O.B. any less insane?

If there are no term limits for the VP, does he even need to go through an election to stay, or would he have to participate in an election and win, but be able to do it over and over?

behindthefall @ 15

Will someone please (re)investigate why Tillman had three closely grouped shots in his forehead, when such is also the ’signature’ of BW, at least as reported in a comment about a book written by a BW member. Do we really think that they are utterly incapable of firing on one of our own? Their loyalties obviously can be bought: that’s who they are. What would it take to make them a ‘death squad’? A lot? Not much?

dearie me - you really think things get investigated except to cover up?

LS @ 103

Frank33 @ 96

The super secret, Blackwater, has been protected by Kommander Guy since the beginning of the Genocide. One rumor is the 4 Blackwater merks, in Fallujiah, were on an assasination mission.

I have no evidence Blackwater carries out assasinations. But they have official government sanction to draw weapons on US soldiers. That makes me suspicious. Someone assasinated Pat Tillman and David Kelly. Eric Prince is psycho enough to do the dirty work for God and Kommander Guy.

How do you know they have official government sanction to draw weapons on US soldiers? Just curious.

I do not, other than the fact they did do it. They have also routinely shot Iraqis for “amusement”.

demi @ 103

Adie!
That bread smells Soooooo Good.
(I’m going to go get my nails done and when I get back I’m going to throw a chicken in the oven - will go well with your bread.)

You’re a good soul. I love cooking with a friend, but my nails need a little work. At least I no longer gnaw at them all the time the way I did as a kid.
See ya later!

Oh, wait. Hm-m-m. I’ve got some nice sweet fall chard in the garden just begging to be simmered with a big onion and some taters and a spritz of fresh herbs. And some smaller leaves to add to the salad. Woo Hoo! Hey Paw! Git the wine! ;->

If there are no term limits for the VP, does he even need to go through an election to stay, or would he have to participate in an election and win, but be able to do it over and over?

Hell - I dunno. I’m thinking more along the lines of some “national emergency” being declared between November 2008 and Jan 2009, GWB resigning, and turning it over to Cheney, who then proceeds to decide that’s it’s simply in the country’s “best interest” that the new administration’s take-over needs to be delayed until Prez Cheney has taken care of the “emergency” (you know - in three or four years).

jayt @ 108

LS @ 97

So, if we actually make through elections, etc., do you think they would consider encircling the WH with Blackwater and other private army entities for “security purposes”, should the cabal refuse to leave??? I have no problem seeing that as a distinct possibility. The good thing is that they did disarm the troops, because the troops are pissed off and would challenge them without hesitation should than come to pass.

I could see it. But Bush isn’t gonna stay - he’s through, I think, and can’t wait to get the hell outta town.

Cheney, on the other hand… Just what is it about the next election, or *any* election, that is gonna make that S.O.B. any less insane?

Cheney will hope to retain a great deal of influence behind the scenes in a future republican administration. There’s a way to frame some questions for the republican candidates.

Rudy, As Dick has demonstrated great enthusiasm and capability as a GWOT afficionado, do you see a place for him in your administration as a consultant or advisor? If not, why not?

jayt @ 114

If there are no term limits for the VP, does he even need to go through an election to stay, or would he have to participate in an election and win, but be able to do it over and over?

Hell - I dunno. I’m thinking more along the lines of some “national emergency” being declared between November 2008 and Jan 2009, GWB resigning, and turning it over to Cheney, who then proceeds to decide that’s it’s simply in the country’s “best interest” that the new administration’s take-over needs to be delayed until Prez Cheney has taken care of the “emergency” (you know - in three or four years).

Oh definitely…that is a real possibility and the most likely such a thing would go down. I do think you’re right about W being bored at this point.

solai @ 95

Did you all see the diary at DKos the other day?

All Haythem and the family know about the final moments of their loved ones is what two Iraqi police officers who witnessed the shootings have told them — that Ahmed was shot as he was driving his car in Nusoor Square and his mother clutched him tight as he was bleeding.

“Those who witnessed the incident say that my son’s head was scattered and my wife held him and hugged him,” Haythem said. “She was screaming, ‘My son, my son! Help me! Help me!’ “

The car slowly rolled forward until Blackwater guards unleashed more shots that turned the vehicle into a fireball, according to the witnesses.

“They understood the call for help. They sprayed her with bullets,” he said.

Here’s a link to the diary. Heartwrenching.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyo...../134725/74

O.k. this is the third time I have cried this morning twice from the previous thread when people were describing mothers who had died and best friends. But this story had me holding my breath and finally sobbing. This is a story that should be read far and wide. While most of us prefer to not hold onto these brutal stories of death and lives destroyed in Iraq, I believe we must. Americans need to get a dose of the reality taking place in Iraq. The Bush administration (our government) created this horrid environment.

Blackwater should be gone, out, of Iraq…destroyed, there are NO EXCUSES FOR THIS TYPE OF BRUTALITY.

The very very sad part is that there are hundreds, thousands of stories like this. Some from US soldiers who do not want to talk about how some of them have gone stark raving mad over there (I have talked with some of them in confidence) and believe me some US soldiers are also freaking out and killing Iraqi people indiscriminately also.

hackworth @ 115

jayt @ 108

LS @ 97

I could see it. But Bush isn’t gonna stay - he’s through, I think, and can’t wait to get the hell outta town.

Cheney, on the other hand… Just what is it about the next election, or *any* election, that is gonna make that S.O.B. any less insane?

Cheney will hope to retain a great deal of influence behind the scenes in a future republican administration. There’s a way to frame some questions for the republican candidates.

Rudy, As Dick has demonstrated great enthusiasm and capability as a GWOT afficionado, do you see a place for him in your administration as a consultant or advisor? If not, why not?

This is why John Dean has written about the Impeachment of lower level officials and extending the statute of limitations so that these killers can be impeached at a later date so that they can never serve in any administration again.

behindthefall @ 46

EvilDrPuma @ 37

For Erik Prince, maybe it’s about profit. For a lot of the mercenaries themselves, my worry is that they think this is fun.

‘Roland, the Headless Thompson-Gunner’ — Warren, you were ‘way ahead of us.

Isn’t it funny in a way, how songs guys like Warren wrote twenty and thirty years ago are still relevant? Or “Fortunate Son”?

This is why John Dean has written about the Impeachment of lower level officials and extending the statute of limitations so that these killers can be impeached at a later date so that they can never serve in any administration again.

Impeach? Hell, the D’s have yet to bring contempt charges against Rove or Harriet Meiers. Democratic impotency = “Dempotency”?

I’m all for the extension of any necessary statutes of limitation, but I don’t see either Reid or Pelosi having the stones to even bring it up.

GOP wants to talk about how tough they are on terror, but they’ll never ask for a draft. Blackwater is an understandable consequence of the resulting labor shortage. I wish Democrats could figure out a way to expose this inherent contradiction without actually calling for a draft.

CBS reported on the death of Ciara Durkin.

She died of a gunshot to the head
Three miles inside a secure base
After telling her family
She’d seen something that she didn’t like
And made enemies because of it
She asked her brother to look into it
If anything happened to her
She was gay
From a large Irish family
And they miss her.

Hi, all — I was watching an auto race on Speed this afternoon and saw that Blackwater.com is sponsoring the race truck driven by Joe Ruttman. He failed to qualify for the truck race today at Martinsville VA, but when you think about it, what better demographic, eh? Anyway, as a screamin’ liberal I’m in a distinct minority at the race tracks, which is one reason I no longer go in person, but I’ve noticed over the past few years that more and more hard-right entities find their way onto the quarter-panels of race vehicles on TV. A short list: in addition to Blackwater, we have the Border Patrol (no kidding), Glock, Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind series, and even a memorial to Rev. Jerry Falwell. It gets worse: Bear in mind, these “sponsorships” are powerfully effective sales tools. They have to be — otherwise multinational corporations would hardly invest the untold millions that they do into motorsport. Scary thought, this, no? This is a subject I’m hoping to write about in more detail.

Boo Radley @ 121

GOP wants to talk about how tough they are on terror, but they’ll never ask for a draft. Blackwater is an understandable consequence of the resulting labor shortage. I wish Democrats could figure out a way to expose this inherent contradiction without actually calling for a draft.

You use sign up cash, start out at $10,000, which I think they already do in some cases. Then if you don’t get enough go to $20,000, it would still be much, much cheaper than Blackwater.

demi @ 66

Mark C @ 35

But, but don’t the Democratic majorities in both houses of congress control the purse strings.

Couldn’t they simply shut off funding to these mercs if they wanted to?

The key point of course being “if they wanted to”

Mark Penn loves Blackwater AND Hillary.

D = R = Fascist piece of shit.

Power is all they understand, only a threat to their power will move them.

BOYCOTT THE DEMS IN ‘08!!

I know I am…

Understanding your frustration notwithstanding…
How will your boycott help our country?
That will leave the Repubs in control.
I suggest you stick around for BlueAmerica later this morning, here.
More and better Dems is the way to go, I think.

because passive co-dependency enables continued bad behavior, maybe?

people who care, people of conscience, have been taken for granted and abused by the national (D)’s for too long, and the (D)’s have allowed and condoned all of Bush’s excesses, including the use of mercenaries on U.S. soil.

and, someone who sincerely wants the idiotic, criminal Iraq occupation to end could not in good conscience vote for the leading (D) candidates, who couldn’t bring themselves to promise troops out by 2012.

so, boycotting is an easy choice, really.

Boo Radley @ 121

GOP wants to talk about how tough they are on terror, but they’ll never ask for a draft. Blackwater is an understandable consequence of the resulting labor shortage. I wish Democrats could figure out a way to expose this inherent contradiction without actually calling for draft.

Blackwater is privatization. Privatization is a part of the Republican plan to drown the Federal Government in the bathtub. They want to eliminate State government too. Jeb Bush once said that he hoped that all the government buildings in Tallahassee could be emptied (of government workers). Jeb believes himself to be king-like also.

With no government oversight, private corporations will poison us to death, take away our social security and medicare.

JW says
October 20th, 2007 at 9:54 am

Jeez, how’d you like to be a driver and see the Blackwater truck comin’ up behind you?

Hmmm..with the disappearance of living wages for the middle class, Blackwater could easily recruit hundreds of thousands of willing warriors, especially the Nascar types…in the name of the Lord.

Mod, I left a note to you on comment 79 of the Post about Paul Levy, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and SEIU. I’ll check back later.

LS @ 128

Hmmm..with the disappearance of living wages for the middle class, Blackwater could easily recruit hundreds of thousands of willing warriors, especially the Nascar types…in the name of the Lord.

And all they would have to do is establish themselves as the party of morals and values, then slowly bankrupt the country beginning with foreclosing on people’s houses. O wait.

Ooops I forgot demonizing immigrants and brown people, and a compliant media. There you go. Good guys against bad guys, with no one to say otherwise.

Can anyone confirm this:

Mitt Romney at the Values Voter Summit:

“I will ensure that every family has health care — without new taxes, without Hilarycare, without socialized medicine.”

Sandman @ 131

Can anyone confirm this:

Mitt Romney at the Values Voter Summit:

“I will ensure that every family has health care — without new taxes, without Hilarycare, without socialized medicine.”

His method is to make you buy health insurance.

Boston1775 @ 129

Mod, I left a note to you on comment 79 of the Post about Paul Levy, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and SEIU. I’ll check back later.

I saw your earlier comment and replied on that thread.

Sandman @ 131

Can anyone confirm this:

Mitt Romney at the Values Voter Summit:

“I will ensure that every family has health care — without new taxes, without Hilarycare, without socialized medicine.”

He’s going to send everyone a Merck Manual and a box of bandaids.

Elliott @ 79

marymccurnin @ 77

Immediately after the engineering failures in New Orleans some security people showed up in my parents’ neighborhood. A few blocks from their home there are really big, old houses. It must have been Blackwater because no one was allowed into the city yet.

Who was it that did hire Blackwater to go down to New Orleans?

Sorry I didn’t reply sooner. I have no idea who sent the mercenaries to N.O. Must have been Bush. I don’t think Blanco would have.

Sandman @ 131

Can anyone confirm this:

Mitt Romney at the Values Voter Summit:

“I will ensure that every family has health care — without new taxes, without Hilarycare, without socialized medicine.”

Was the next sentence “and it’s called the Emergency Room” ?

egregious @ 130

LS @ 128

Hmmm..with the disappearance of living wages for the middle class, Blackwater could easily recruit hundreds of thousands of willing warriors, especially the Nascar types…in the name of the Lord.

And all they would have to do is establish themselves as the party of morals and values, then slowly bankrupt the country beginning with foreclosing on people’s houses. O wait.

Ooops I forgot demonizing immigrants and brown people, and a compliant media. There you go. Good guys against bad guys, with no one to say otherwise.

It could happen, but somehow, even though I’m often cynical, I hold out hope that there will be a groundswell of had enough. I think there will be a landslide election in ‘08, and there will be a lot of cleaning up to do, including banning companies like Blackwater, and restoring our rights.

Gore/Dodd
Edwards/Dodd
Paul/Kucinich - Paul recently said that the person closest in most policies to him is Kucinich. Weird, but could possibly happen.

Vote update:

http://democracyforamerica.com/

Go freep this poll on SCHIP:

http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

marymccurnin @ 135

Elliott @ 79

Who was it that did hire Blackwater to go down to New Orleans?

Sorry I didn’t reply sooner. I have no idea who sent the mercenaries to N.O. Must have been Bush. I don’t think Blanco would have.

IIRC, while no real help was yet being sent to NOLA, it was revealed that KBR(?) had been hired to re-build a military base that had been damaged. My first thought was that Cheney wasted no time getting contracts for his friends even though there were more pressing needs that needed attention. With that in mind, my guess is that our illustrious veep probably called Blackwater also.

Getting up on soap box…slowly since just 2 weeks post-op
BUT
IF you are unhappy with what the big D’s are doing
THEN
Become the democratic party.
Elected officials ARE NOT the democratic party. Many are not state committee persons, many are not voting members of their state party.

If you do not like your congresscritter get off your butt and RUN… find someone to RUN and support them day and night…

Do not let them define what a is the Democratic Party ……
Become the Democratic Party

katymine @ 142

Getting up on soap box…slowly since just 2 weeks post-op
BUT
IF you are unhappy with what the big D’s are doing
THEN
Become the democratic party.
Elected officials ARE NOT the democratic party. Many are not state committee persons, many are not voting members of their state party.

If you do not like your congresscritter get off your butt and RUN… find someone to RUN and support them day and night…

Do not let them define what a is the Democratic Party ……
Become the Democratic Party

Left on!

LS @ 140

Go freep this poll on SCHIP:

http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

Goodlatte is getting his poll smoked.
Repubs are on the wrong side of the SCHIP debate.

LS @ 132

Sandman @ 131

Can anyone confirm this:

Mitt Romney at the Values Voter Summit:

“I will ensure that every family has health care — without new taxes, without Hilarycare, without socialized medicine.”

His method is to make you buy health insurance.

LS, just to be clear, were you joking or serious?

Sandman @ 144

LS @ 132

His method is to make you buy health insurance.

LS, just to be clear, were you joking or serious?

RomneyCare == FORCED Insurance…. mandated that everyone in MA MUST buy insurance

About Blackwater in New Orleans:

From The Nation, dated October 2005:

When asked what authority they were operating under, one guy said, “We’re on contract with the Department of Homeland Security.” Then, pointing to one of his comrades, he said, “He was even deputized by the governor of the state of Louisiana. We can make arrests and use lethal force if we deem it necessary.” The man then held up the gold Louisiana law enforcement badge he wore around his neck. Blackwater spokesperson Anne Duke also said the company has a letter from Louisiana officials authorizing its forces to carry loaded weapons.

I have yet to find or read if that has been confirmed or not.

Sandman @ 145

LS @ 132

His method is to make you buy health insurance.

LS, just to be clear, were you joking or serious?

Fairly ignorant about it, but serious. I think his M.O. is to require you buy insurance the same way you are required to buy car insurance…at least that is what I’ve understood from reading about it on occasion.

Kitt @ 147

About Blackwater in New Orleans:

From The Nation, dated October 2005:

When asked what authority they were operating under, one guy said, “We’re on contract with the Department of Homeland Security.” Then, pointing to one of his comrades, he said, “He was even deputized by the governor of the state of Louisiana. We can make arrests and use lethal force if we deem it necessary.” The man then held up the gold Louisiana law enforcement badge he wore around his neck. Blackwater spokesperson Anne Duke also said the company has a letter from Louisiana officials authorizing its forces to carry loaded weapons.

I have yet to find or read if that has been confirmed or not.

Great, they wouldn’t federlize the Army but they let these dude go down there loaded for bear.

Plame worked on preventing Iran from getting nukes:

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/....._1020.html

Still on soap box….

You have NOT RIGHT to whine

IF You are not doing anything. Are you a PC a voting member of your district, country & state party? Do you attend the meetings and help effect change?
THEN you have NO right to whine
Volunteer to help a campaign, become a precinct committee person, canvas your neighborhood, register new voters, attend a DFA of PDA meeting.
Become the Democratic Party

Ok slowly getting off of soap box…

katymine @ 142

Getting up on soap box…slowly since just 2 weeks post-op
BUT
IF you are unhappy with what the big D’s are doing
THEN
Become the democratic party.
Elected officials ARE NOT the democratic party. Many are not state committee persons, many are not voting members of their state party.

If you do not like your congresscritter get off your butt and RUN… find someone to RUN and support them day and night…

Do not let them define what a is the Democratic Party ……
Become the Democratic Party

Done. Workin’ for Barry Welsh against Mike Pence.

LS @ 150

Plame worked on preventing Iran from getting nukes:

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/....._1020.html

what’s that word I’m thinking of, starts with a t…

oh yeah, TREASON!

raven @ 149

Kitt @ 147

About Blackwater in New Orleans:

From The Nation, dated October 2005:

I have yet to find or read if that has been confirmed or not.

Great, they wouldn’t federlize the Army but they let these dude go down there loaded for bear.

Another part of the problem is that most of the LA National Guard HAD been federalized and sent overseas, so they weren’t available to do their normal duty in support of the hurricane emergency and Blackwater just happened to be around and available.

dakine01 @ 154

raven @ 149

Great, they wouldn’t federlize the Army but they let these dude go down there loaded for bear.

Another part of the problem is that most of the LA National Guard HAD been federalized and sent overseas, so they weren’t available to do their normal duty in support of the hurricane emergency and Blackwater just happened to be around and available.

roger that

Way to go jayt…. Good for you…

Isn’t it fun?
Some of my best and strongest friendships have developed working on a campaign.

I believe that Louisiana, California and Florida should only have a small percentage of their National Guard troops, overseas because of the risks each state face.

RBG @ 133

Boston1775 @ 129

Mod, I left a note to you on comment 79 of the Post about Paul Levy, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and SEIU. I’ll check back later.

I saw your earlier comment and replied on that thread.

I don’t mind people going OT on threads but it’s exceptionally irritating when there is a thread devoted to a particular topic (as there is with the Boston Hospital situation) and someone isn’t getting the satisfaction they want in terms of reply so they drag it into the current thread. Feel free to post anything you want that is relevant to the union situation in Boston to that thread. When it’s closed it’s closed, but we’ll be covering the story again and if you want to comment about it at that time feel free to do so.

katymine @ 156

Way to go jayt…. Good for you…

Isn’t it fun?
Some of my best and strongest friendships have developed working on a campaign.

We’re just gettin’ warmed up. And our own finifinito has been The Man so far - working his butt off.

We’re gonna surprise some people.

intro
I’m very excited and pleased to introduce today’s guest poster, Danny Postel, who comes to us with some absolutely chilling revelations about the bad faith of the neoconservatives’ supposed dedication to “freedom” (I know, I know: you’re shocked). Danny is the author of Reading “Legitimation Crisis” in Tehran: Iran and the Future of Liberalism and is co-coordinator of the Committee for Academic and Intellectual Freedom of the International Society for Iranian Studies.

.

During the week of October 22-26, an official announcement effuses, “The nation will be rocked by the biggest conservative campus protest ever – Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, a wake-up call for Americans on 200 university and college campuses.” Ringmastered by David Horowitz, this circus will be performing under the tent of something called the “Terrorism Awareness Project.”

Sandman @ 157

I believe that Louisiana, California and Florida should only have a small percentage of their National Guard troops, overseas because of the risks each state face.

I believe that no state should have significant portions of their National Guard troops overseas as each state has strong potentials for natural disasters and problems that require the assistance of the Guard.

dakine01 @ 161

Sandman @ 157

I believe that Louisiana, California and Florida should only have a small percentage of their National Guard troops, overseas because of the risks each state face.

I believe that no state should have significant portions of their National Guard troops overseas as each state has strong potentials for natural disasters and problems that require the assistance of the Guard.

There is a reason it is called the National Guard.

dakine01 @ 161

Sandman @ 157

I believe that Louisiana, California and Florida should only have a small percentage of their National Guard troops, overseas because of the risks each state face.

I believe that no state should have significant portions of their National Guard troops overseas as each state has strong potentials for natural disasters and problems that require the assistance of the Guard.

so aren’t you comforted by the knowledge Blackwater is here and prepared to help?

Here is where the missing guns in Iraq ended up. (snark)

link

marymccurnin @ 162

dakine01 @ 161

I believe that no state should have significant portions of their National Guard troops overseas as each state has strong potentials for natural disasters and problems that require the assistance of the Guard.

There is a reason it is called the National Guard.

Yes there is, and when it’s a National emergency like WWII, then it makes sense. But to support the adventurism of the Cowboy diplomacy crowd? Not so much.

Elliott @ 163

dakine01 @ 161

I believe that no state should have significant portions of their National Guard troops overseas as each state has strong potentials for natural disasters and problems that require the assistance of the Guard.

so aren’t you comforted by the knowledge Blackwater is here and prepared to help?

No.

Another example of simple answers for simple questions.

I wonder if the Spokesperson Duke named above is related to the infamous, La. sometimes politico, David Duke. Sounds like a similar crowd, but just a guess.

Steve-AR @ 164

Here is where the missing guns in Iraq ended up. (snark)

link

cool! I always wanted a Hello Kitty AK-47

Pardon if this is a duplicate (just skimmed thread), but this is the link to last evening’s Bill Moyer’s program on Blackwater:
Moyers on Blackwater

T’was truly creepy - with Jeremy Scahill talking about use of Blackwater or the like by corporations, gated communities, etc. for protection of all kinds. Did you know that some businesses in NOLA hired Israeli supertroops (I am not sure if governmental) during the Katrina aftermath; that Prince sent Blackwater folks to NOLA on his own - they got there before FEMA — and then got his contract?

OT–

Filed under “Ahem”:

Filed at 1:24 p.m. ET

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Turkey expects the U.S. to act against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq but will take its own measures if it sees no results in the fight, the prime minister said.

In northern Iraq Saturday, thousands of Kurds packed the streets of a border city to protest a threatened Turkish incursion and to warn they would defend their territory.

Turkey has threatened to cross the Iraqi border to try to wipe out Kurdish rebel bases, arguing it has the right to fight terrorism. The United States and Iraq oppose such unilateral action, fearing it could destabilize northern Iraq, the most stable part of the country.

The US will never go after the Kurds in northern Iraq…

Biodun @ 170

OT–

Filed under “Ahem”:

Filed at 1:24 p.m. ET

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Turkey expects the U.S. to act against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq but will take its own measures if it sees no results in the fight, the prime minister said.

In northern Iraq Saturday, thousands of Kurds packed the streets of a border city to protest a threatened Turkish incursion and to warn they would defend their territory.

Turkey has threatened to cross the Iraqi border to try to wipe out Kurdish rebel bases, arguing it has the right to fight terrorism. The United States and Iraq oppose such unilateral action, fearing it could destabilize northern Iraq, the most stable part of the country.

The US will never go after the Kurds in northern Iraq…

Maybe not but we might leave them hangin. . .again.

And here’s AP’s blatant spin:

Filed at 12:48 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — By any measure, President Bush had a good week on Capitol Hill.

At his urging, the Democratic-controlled Congress pulled back on an Armenian genocide measure, withdrew a surveillance oversight bill and, in a high-stakes showdown, sustained his veto on spending for a children’s health insurance program.

His fellow Republicans may pay a high price in next November’s elections, some people think. But that is about the only comfort Democrats could find from those recent turnabouts, which showed the resiliency of a lame-duck president with dismal approval ratings.

Democrats, to their shock, have learned that the 2006 elections did not yield a mandate to start winding down the Iraq war. This month they threw their strongest domestic punch, daring Bush to veto a $35 billion increase to the popular children’s health program.

The ties to the Clintons is not a surprise… we need to stop this (non)Christian Army before they are used again here at home.
The employment of foreigners and Blackwater itself (in this country) is an end run on Posse Comitatus!

And so things have now turned pugilistic:

Bush may be bruised and wobbly. But the president remains on his feet after another round in which Democrats hoped for a knockout.

(Same link as my 172.)

the one issue one might have with calling ‘em ‘mercs’ is.. aren’t mercs supposed to show one iota of professionalism??? I mean, this type of behavior is not what I would stereotypically associate with mercs.. more like an armed gang of thugs. It’s Bloods an’ Crips behavior

Howie’s upstairs with Howard Shanker..

911 = reichstag
usa patriot act = enabling act
blackwater = brownshirts
iraq = poland

the similarities…
silent coup? only to those who close their eyes and plug their ears. whatever you do, don’t follow the masses.

the following link is about the oct war games planned for usa.
http://www.911truth.org/articl.....1712100803

1: bring the troops home: leave Blackwater in Iraq.
2: US troops should start shooting back at Blackwater.

brendancalling @ 178

1: bring the troops home: leave Blackwater in Iraq

only if we don’t have to pay ‘em

Boston 1775 — don’t take it personally. It is always exceptionally irritating when someone drags nasty gray shadings of factual nuance into nice clean cases of right vs. wrong; good vs. bad. Especially to those accustomed to hearing their every utterance celebrated as divine revelation.

Blackwater does require a test for those applying to work for their company. One sniper told a reported that he was one of fifty selected out of six hundred candidates. He was 27 years old and took great pride in killing fifteen Iraqis. He hid on roof tops and someone he suspected of being a “terrorist” he killed. The reporter asked how he knew this was a terrorist. His response, “I can just tell.” So he was accuser, judge, jury and executioner.

Maybe a bunch of Liberals should apply to Blackwater for a position. The kind of thing that was done in Civil Rights period to show a company was prejudice in its hiring. Send in thousands of applications as non-violent anti-war Liberals and let Blackwater do the rejecting.

brendancalling @ 178

1: bring the troops home: leave Blackwater in Iraq.
2: US troops should start shooting back at Blackwater.

That would be difficult for our troops to do. They are not professional hit men who love killing for the sake of killing. Blackwater hires hit men. They wouldn’t lift a finger for an Iraqi unless to take aim and shoot the person three times in the forehead.

QuakerGirl @ 181

Blackwater does require a test for those applying to work for their company. One sniper told a reported that he was one of fifty selected out of six hundred candidates. He was 27 years old and took great pride in killing fifteen Iraqis. He hid on roof tops and someone he suspected of being a “terrorist” he killed. The reporter asked how he knew this was a terrorist. His response, “I can just tell.” So he was accuser, judge, jury and executioner.

Maybe a bunch of Liberals should apply to Blackwater for a position. The kind of thing that was done in Civil Rights period to show a company was prejudice in its hiring. Send in thousands of applications as non-violent anti-war Liberals and let Blackwater do the rejecting.

Unlike the test that most firms require, that presumably attempt to weed out the inappropriate person, my guess is the Blackwater test would be to find and encourage the sociopath/psychopaths and weed out the normal citizen who might have ethics and morals.

Blackwater is the Republican Party’s answer to the Brownshirts. Nothing more than a military arm at the bidding of the Party. They are a far greater threat to American democracy than any foreign terrorist.

dakine01 @ 183

QuakerGirl @ 181

Blackwater does require a test for those applying to work for their company. One sniper told a reported that he was one of fifty selected out of six hundred candidates. He was 27 years old and took great pride in killing fifteen Iraqis. He hid on roof tops and someone he suspected of being a “terrorist” he killed. The reporter asked how he knew this was a terrorist. His response, “I can just tell.” So he was accuser, judge, jury and executioner.

Maybe a bunch of Liberals should apply to Blackwater for a position. The kind of thing that was done in Civil Rights period to show a company was prejudice in its hiring. Send in thousands of applications as non-violent anti-war Liberals and let Blackwater do the rejecting.

Unlike the test that most firms require, that presumably attempt to weed out the inappropriate person, my guess is the Blackwater test would be to find and encourage the sociopath/psychopaths and weed out the normal citizen who might have ethics and morals.

Those with ethics, morals and conscience Need Not Apply.

Okay, how much convincing does it take someone from above that Blackwater is rogue and criminal, before their contract(s) are yanked. And why hasn’t that be done by now?

mui @ 186

Okay, how much convincing does it take someone from above that Blackwater is rogue and criminal, before their contract(s) are yanked. And why hasn’t that be done by now?

unfortunately, that decision rests solely with the political office, and that office is comprised of rogues and criminals

Blub @ 187

mui @ 186

Okay, how much convincing does it take someone from above that Blackwater is rogue and criminal, before their contract(s) are yanked. And why hasn’t that be done by now?

unfortunately, that decision rests solely with the political office, and that office is comprised of rogues and criminals

Oh *slaps head*. Forgot about that one. Has Hillary said anything about Blackwater and her plans *if* she should be so lucky to get the dem nomination? (I am forcing that if )

Correction @188. I am willing that “if.”

perris @ 73

pw, you missed a doozy

blackwhater stole “confiscated” jet aircraft from the Iraqis

that’s weaponwry that only governments posess and they “confiscated” it

I had an epiphane when I heard this

you remember the “cache of ordinance” our government ‘neglected” to guard, was raided and “disapeared”

well, I kind of am pretty sure it wasn’t the Iraqi’s that wound up with that ordinance, I am pretty sure it was blackwater.

I saw that, buried, of course, in a three sentence bullet pice in an “Also in Iraq” type box. Not only did they steal the planes but after the Iraqis caught them they refused to give them back! Clearly these guys think they can do whatever thefuck they want. And why shouldn’t they think that?

oddmommy @ 180

Boston 1775 — don’t take it personally. It is always exceptionally irritating when someone drags nasty gray shadings of factual nuance into nice clean cases of right vs. wrong; good vs. bad. Especially to those accustomed to hearing their every utterance celebrated as divine revelation.

I’m still in shock.

Boston1775 @ 191

oddmommy @ 180

Boston 1775 — don’t take it personally. It is always exceptionally irritating when someone drags nasty gray shadings of factual nuance into nice clean cases of right vs. wrong; good vs. bad. Especially to those accustomed to hearing their every utterance celebrated as divine revelation.

I’m still in shock.

sorry. But fwiw, I appreciated what you did.

Blackwater is preventing the Iraqi government from standing up and that means we’ll never be able to stand down (except on 9/11 here in America).

sadly yes @ 85

ps …a lot of the blackwater crew
ARE NOT AMERICAN…just sayin

I wonder how many of those that have American citizenship have been naturalized thanks to strings pulled by Mr. Prince. Lot’s of those currently in the military are non-Citizens or recently naturalized citizens promised that status as part of recruitment efforts abroad. Some have never stepped in the US until they signed up for the Army/Marines.

I’m wonder if many of Blackwater’s US Citizens are also undergoing a sped up form of naturalization???

One more interesting incident!

“Iraqi corruption judge Radhi Hamza al-Radhi discussed the conviction and escape of Ayham al-Samarrai, the former Iraqi electricity minister. Al-Radhi convicted al-Samarrai for embezzlement of millions of dollars of public funds. Al-Samarrai is the highest-ranking official to be convicted of corruption in Iraq.

McClatchy reporter Leila Fadel indicated that Blackwater assisted al-Samarrai to break out of his Green Zone prison last December. But Judge al-Radhi suggested that a rival private-security company, DynCorp, helped al-Samarrai’s escape.

In a bit of nifty spin DynCorp’s Gregory Lagana said “It’s absolutely untrue. We are absolutely 100 percent convinced it wasn’t us.” Lagana stated two DynCorp employees were in Iraq to assist in training Iraqi policemen. They had been detailed to the Green Zone police station where al-Samarrai was detained. In October, al-Samarrai, a dual U.S.-Iraqi citizenship, pleaded with the DynCorp employees that he would be executed if he was convicted.

The DynCorp employees tried to help al-Samarrai. After his conviction, they took him to the U.S. embassyfor asylum.The embassy told them the transfer was improper, and they supposedly returned al-Samarrai to the Iraqi police. “That was our last contact with him, and the two guys were fired,” Lagana said. “They had no business doing what they did.”

So Dyncorp WAS involved in the first effort to break al-Sammarai from jail after he was convicted…simply not the SUCCESSFUL plot!

Maybe that 100% Not True should be devalued to about 50%!

But both Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, have found that al-Samarrai DID escape Iraq and is currently living in Chicago. So perhaps Blackwater WAS the second unit that sprung al-Samarrai from jail. And just who pulled the strings to allow al-Samarrai to get back into the U.S.?

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004385.php

oddmommy @ 192

Boston1775 @ 191

I’m still in shock.

sorry. But fwiw, I appreciated what you did.

Thanks oddmommy, After some thought about the thread on a Boston shock-jock’s misstatement which I tried to gently correct (I’d heard him speak on his own radio show on the very subject with the other guest on my way to work) and the work I did to bring more information to table about the nurses’ union which already exists in Massachusetts (posted at the bottom of a post directed at Paul Levy and the appropriate place for him to receive therapy) I now understand.

These posts were not about facts or getting at the truth.

The first was posted because the Boston radio host appeared to say he’d tried to touch an eleven year old sexually. Because I’d heard the person talk on the subject that morning, I knew this was not the case.

No correction. No clarification. Nothing done, even though the writer was speechless over this. I don’t like the radio person’s show, but I am clear that he did not deserve to be characterized as a pedophile.

That is an attack that should have been retracted responsibly. But it wasn’t.

The post directed at Paul Levy and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital was lacking basic information. I sought to add to it for that reason. I ignored the insults and gave facts and context.

To headline that someone has tried to touch an eleven year old sexually and then not fix it is irresponsible. Maybe worse.

To attack an excellent hospital and its CEO and not welcome relevant information says more about FDL than it does about me.