To whom are Blackwater USA and other contractors accountable to?

Question

Would you support this bill and does it have any chance of passing?

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:1:./temp/~c1101Fx7YL::

Does anyone care if it passes?

blue!!!! So good to see you!!!

Let's try this one:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s2147is.txt.pdf

Answer 1

I don’t have direct information but I am x Military and I have observed this extremely botched tragedy in Iraq and it appears that Black Water may have begun as a reputable x military group selling the services of trained individuals for supposedly acceptable causes. What appears to have happened is some sweetheart deal with Rumsfeld, whose questionable abilities would allow such abuse of tax payer dollars.

BlackWater is now more or less a renegade mercenary organization with little or no accountability. This is what happens when our government is polluted by incompetents who fill the Military with senior, politically “correct” officers and special interest supported by the Pentagon. I am not referring to the mostly fine, competent officers at the Pentagon; I am referring to the Bushites and their

special cadre of barely-competent-to-dress-themselves

Republican gophers making unsupervised decisions that impact both our abused Military, our economy, the value of our dollar and our national reputation. Civilian organizations have no business in a theatre of war, doing things our military used to do very well for 1/1000th of the cost.

Black Water is just another reason a bunch of Repugnants need a long stay in Leavenworth Kansas.

Answer 2

It's my understanding that the majority of contracts with the U.S. gov't that involve Iraq are brokered through the "Carlyle group." As long as Blackwater mercs do there intended job and protect the corporate gravey train, there won't be any negative consequences. Civilian casualties are just collateral damage and secondary concern. these "incidents" may be considered a minor inconvenience but only if reported. There is no incentive for avoiding bad publicity.

Answer 3

Blackwater is accountable to no one!
This is so sad that people don't care. They need to live in a dictatorship. They would make perfect citizens there.
I wish this would pass, but the govt is in the pocket of big business.
Does that make the US a democracy or a corporatocracy?
A plutocracy at a minimum.

Answer 4

When Blackwater employees as signed on, they are given immunity from Iraqi laws. As for U.S. laws, I don't know if they can be held accountable for crimes committed off U.S. soil.

I definitely support this legislation or any legislation that would make these Hired Guns accountable. Why should our military have to face court martial or prison if they commit a brutal and unnecessary act, while these contracted fighters enjoy complete freedom to do as they please?

Answer 5

Two years ago all contractors in Iraq were made subject to the UCMJ.

This bill is nothing more than political grandstanding.

BTW - did you notice how the anti-Blackwater people are trying to hide the fact that that convoy was being shot at and the escorts were returning fire?

Answer 6

Currently accountable to know one.
Thats the problem, they should be held accountable under US law, for bodyguards.

Side note, they shouldn't even be allowed to exist, private military leads to goverment take over.

Private military is wrong and is a sure sign of impending doom.

Answer 7

I'd be willing to bet that somewhere already in the morass of government contracting regulations that nearly identical language is already in place. This looks more like an election year grandstanding effort by the sponsors of the bill.

Answer 8

I suppose they're accountable to whatever countries' laws they're working in. And, since that happens to be Iraq, and Iraq has no laws, they're not accountable to anyone.

You're link is dead by the way. But if it was an outlawing of privatized military, I would support it.

Yes I care, you know I do.

Answer 9

They are accountable to the people that they are paid to protect. AND NO ONE ELSE. The people that they are paid to protect are paramount and everyone else is just there. If this is what the bill says, then they will be putting their clients at risk.

Answer 10

To the people who hire them without a doubt. If they are unhappy with the way Blackwater conducts itself, they can fire them and hire someone else.