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The article, 30 False Fronts Won Contracts for Blackwater, by James Risen and Mark Mazzetti discusses govenment contracts and cooperation with companies affiliated with the former security company Blackwater, now known as Xe Services. Blackwater was subject to criminal and congressional investigations after 17 Iraqi civilians were killed in Baghdad in September of 2007. Blackwater lost government contracts due to the incident but has since then gain many more with the use of subsidiaries.
“The Senate Armed Services Committee this week released a chart that identified 31 affiliates of Blackwater, now known as Xe Services. The network was disclosed as part of a committee’s investigation into government contracting.”
“The C.I.A.’s continuing relationship with the company, which recently was awarded a $100 million contract to provide security at agency bases in Afghanistan, has drawn harsh criticism from some members of Congress, who argue that the company’s tarnished record should preclude it from such work. At least two of the Blackwater-affiliated companies, XPG and Greystone, obtained secret contracts from the agency, according to interviews with a half dozen former Blackwater officials.”
The use of private security companies or contractors, in the American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has become a very contentious issue. (Blackwater has also recieved security contracts in Pakistan, leading some Pakistanis to fear they are next for US invasion http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2010/08/30/how-active-is-blackwater-in-pakistan/) The US military is not able to effectively operate without these companies, yet they are in live and fight in a grey area. They are not covered under the Geneva Convention as some consider them “unlawful combatants” or mercenaries; they do not operate under the same chain of command and rules of engagement that the US military does, yet they make up the majority of the “Americans with guns” in Afghanistan and especially Iraq.
How do we work with a group that continues to act recklessly and with less consequences than American soldiers, yet are a vital component of both American wars, our military presence would not last without them. America has arrived at a dilemma with no easy solution, we have been shortsighted in our actions and longsighted in creating problems. I believe the American government, in order to keep our soldiers and citizens safe, as well as the people of Iraq and Afghanistan (and Pakistan and other places we have crept into) we need to rethink our actions and the wave effect that we create and seem to always overlook. I do not have the access to information nor the knowledge to attempt a solution, but I do hope that those who do, will take the future of the following generations into account.
Related Articles
- Blood and Treasure and Blackwater (themoderatevoice.com)
- Blackwater Won Contracts Via Dozens Of Dummy Corporations (huffingtonpost.com)
- Blackwater created shell companies to fool government, public (capitolhillblue.com)
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Yes, I think this is a very important issue…
I also believe that US probably shouldn’t be using so much of the Blackwater service for war in the Middle East…The war effort should be with unitary chain of command and equal consequences, so that we can punish anyone when a “solider” does something wrongful.
Moreover, I definitely agree that US has often seemed to overlook the possible “wave effect” that we might create by our actions. Look at the Iranian Evolution that we created through CIA actions, for example. I don’t think there is an easy solution to the problems, but I believe that everyone has to work together to rethink through every major courses of actions and try not to overlook any serious side effect that might occur as a result of our actions. I do hope as well that our future political leaders have the ability and the knowledge to attempt a solution, and that they will take the future generations into account in their course of decision-making.
Using private security companies is not such a good idea because they are not held accountable for their actions if something unlawful is done. Black Water is probably not the first time that something has gone wrong with a private security company.
The United States uses these private security companies for the fact that they don’t have to abide by the same laws as a soldier. The fact that the CIA gives secret contracts to these groups should prove that they are being used as a private military.
Come on we let mercenaries run the show, because Blackwater, got connections!