Resident Scholars of the A.P.I.
STOP BLACKWATER #1 - Know Your Enemy
Blackwater. The term brings to mind dark, dangerous liquid, empoisoned foul, spoiled for drinking.
Blackwater. Strangled stagnant with rotting things; it does not flow fresh and clear.
Blackwater. Its warning stench advances through free air, commandeering the nostrils.
A pungent prelude of power perverting; Blackwater is not life sustaining. - kww
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This is the first of several Dishpan blogs that will focus exclusively on Blackwater USA, an aggressive militaristic corporation that poses the greatest threat to American democracy the citizens of this nation have ever faced.
Although Blackwater USA masquerades as a patriotic extension of the American Armed Forces, nothing could be further form the truth. Blackwater, run by war profiteers, is a Shadow Army...
The young man who appeared in the above video arrived locally last Wednesday evening (May 2nd.) in La Mesa, CA to lecture and sign his recently published book. The event was attended by several hundred concerned citizens. Journalist Jeremy Scahill, author of "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army" proved to be as skilled and passionate a speaker as he is a writer. It was refreshing and restorative both to listen to and meet him. An investigative journalist whose signature includes the words, "In Truth and Justice", Jeremy Scahill, is a courageous champion of American democracy, the Constitution, and human rights.
Privatization of the American military has been a long-term pet project of Nixon White House survivors Donald Rumsfeld, and Dick Cheney. Dedicated American fascists, the disgraced former Secretary of State and the current Vice President, conspired to divert tax payer funds from the legitimate US military to private armies of mercenaries, like Blackwater, whose loyalties for a price, would be to their corporate employers - not to the American people.
Remember those quaint, useless treaties disdained and discredited by George W. Bush and his Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales? The Geneva Conventions specifically ban the use of mercenary soldiers. Perhaps that is why the 180 private security companies in Iraq disguise the employment of highly paid, MERCENARY hired guns by referring to such employees as CONTRACTORS.
Blackwater USA, founded and run by multimillionaire Christian fundamentalist, Erik Prince, has risen by stealth and opportunism to become the world's largest private army since Hitler's Schutzstaffel or SS. Blackwater's ascension to power accelerated after 9/11 assisted by the "Commander Guy" and his evil Vice, Cheney. Think of all those lovely no-bid, open ended contracts!
The largest military contractor in the world with a 7,000 acre compound in North Carolina and a smaller installation in Illinois, Blackwater, is actively seeking to expand its bases in the United States and its influence within our governmental agencies. The corporation has recently trained its sites on Potrero, a small California town very near the Mexican border, by purchasing an 824 acre chicken ranch where it proposes to build a new military base. This location is not surprising considering that Blackwater is stalking the Border Patrol with privatization in mind.
This predatory corporation no doubt also chose the location in San Diego County with the goal of exploiting the Naval and Marine forces who are based nearby. Can you say Privatize? Its North Carolina base is strategically located near American military bases and the nation's capitol.
Eric Prince with a small air force, his own navy, and a surveillance blimp has also opened a private intelligence company. Will Blackwater's new operation, "Total Intelligence", deliver to Vice President Dick Cheney the Niger Yellow Cake kind of information that he prefers over truthful observation?
The rise of PMC (private military contractor) corporations is symptomatic of the Bush Administration's complete disregard and disdain for the Constitution and the freedoms it guarantees the citizens of this country.
Responsible citizenship and patriotism involve more than slapping a flag sticker on a vehicle or applauding a president's lies. We, here in California, have plunged ourselves into a crash course on Blackwater USA and military contractors in general, for this knowledge will be the weapon we wield to STOP BLACKWATER WEST. It is important to Know Your Enemy.
I call upon all who read this, especially my fellow bloggers, to study up and inform everyone. It will not be easy to end the privatization march toward fascism but we must. Blackwater and other companies like it need to be stopped locally and nationally.
Some ideas.... Suspend all private contractor operations - freeze all payments pending investigation - investigate - prosecute - legislate to prohibit privatization and the formation of private mercenary companies - dissolve the existing companies - find and refund the billions of dollars that went missing in the private contractors' private fog of war.
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~ ENLIGHTENING LINKS ~
Blackwater: The World's Largest Most Powerful Mercenary Army by Jeremy Scahill available here.
- This link will take you to Jeremy Scahill's Blackwater web page. Please purchase this book if you have not already or check your library and friends for borrowing options. It is a well written and very detailed, informative book. It is difficult to read only in that the subject matter is so disturbing. Read it a little at a time or group read aloud and have a discussion. Pass it on when you are done.
Stop Blackwater.net
This link documents the fight to keep Blackwater out of Potrero, California. Click on "Learn More..." to find a wealth of information and links to other sites. A very useful website.
Check out SourceWatch for some additional info on Blackwater USA
Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers - available here.
- this film by Robert Greenwald exposes the privatizated culture of corruption and greed that is sapping financial support from American troops every day in Iraq. It is also available for rent at Blockbuster.
Please visit Capitol Hill Blue for some up-to-date information on Blackwater, similar militaristic contractor firms, and discussion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Blackwater contractor spoke of his mercenary work as Peace Enforcement. Peace does not exist at the end of a gun - oppression does.
..................Kitchen Window Woman.......................
..................American Patriot Institute....................
Blackwater. Strangled stagnant with rotting things; it does not flow fresh and clear.
Blackwater. Its warning stench advances through free air, commandeering the nostrils.
A pungent prelude of power perverting; Blackwater is not life sustaining. - kww
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the first of several Dishpan blogs that will focus exclusively on Blackwater USA, an aggressive militaristic corporation that poses the greatest threat to American democracy the citizens of this nation have ever faced.
Although Blackwater USA masquerades as a patriotic extension of the American Armed Forces, nothing could be further form the truth. Blackwater, run by war profiteers, is a Shadow Army...
The young man who appeared in the above video arrived locally last Wednesday evening (May 2nd.) in La Mesa, CA to lecture and sign his recently published book. The event was attended by several hundred concerned citizens. Journalist Jeremy Scahill, author of "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army" proved to be as skilled and passionate a speaker as he is a writer. It was refreshing and restorative both to listen to and meet him. An investigative journalist whose signature includes the words, "In Truth and Justice", Jeremy Scahill, is a courageous champion of American democracy, the Constitution, and human rights.
Privatization of the American military has been a long-term pet project of Nixon White House survivors Donald Rumsfeld, and Dick Cheney. Dedicated American fascists, the disgraced former Secretary of State and the current Vice President, conspired to divert tax payer funds from the legitimate US military to private armies of mercenaries, like Blackwater, whose loyalties for a price, would be to their corporate employers - not to the American people.
Remember those quaint, useless treaties disdained and discredited by George W. Bush and his Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales? The Geneva Conventions specifically ban the use of mercenary soldiers. Perhaps that is why the 180 private security companies in Iraq disguise the employment of highly paid, MERCENARY hired guns by referring to such employees as CONTRACTORS.
Blackwater USA, founded and run by multimillionaire Christian fundamentalist, Erik Prince, has risen by stealth and opportunism to become the world's largest private army since Hitler's Schutzstaffel or SS. Blackwater's ascension to power accelerated after 9/11 assisted by the "Commander Guy" and his evil Vice, Cheney. Think of all those lovely no-bid, open ended contracts!
The largest military contractor in the world with a 7,000 acre compound in North Carolina and a smaller installation in Illinois, Blackwater, is actively seeking to expand its bases in the United States and its influence within our governmental agencies. The corporation has recently trained its sites on Potrero, a small California town very near the Mexican border, by purchasing an 824 acre chicken ranch where it proposes to build a new military base. This location is not surprising considering that Blackwater is stalking the Border Patrol with privatization in mind.
This predatory corporation no doubt also chose the location in San Diego County with the goal of exploiting the Naval and Marine forces who are based nearby. Can you say Privatize? Its North Carolina base is strategically located near American military bases and the nation's capitol.
Eric Prince with a small air force, his own navy, and a surveillance blimp has also opened a private intelligence company. Will Blackwater's new operation, "Total Intelligence", deliver to Vice President Dick Cheney the Niger Yellow Cake kind of information that he prefers over truthful observation?
The rise of PMC (private military contractor) corporations is symptomatic of the Bush Administration's complete disregard and disdain for the Constitution and the freedoms it guarantees the citizens of this country.
Responsible citizenship and patriotism involve more than slapping a flag sticker on a vehicle or applauding a president's lies. We, here in California, have plunged ourselves into a crash course on Blackwater USA and military contractors in general, for this knowledge will be the weapon we wield to STOP BLACKWATER WEST. It is important to Know Your Enemy.
I call upon all who read this, especially my fellow bloggers, to study up and inform everyone. It will not be easy to end the privatization march toward fascism but we must. Blackwater and other companies like it need to be stopped locally and nationally.
Some ideas.... Suspend all private contractor operations - freeze all payments pending investigation - investigate - prosecute - legislate to prohibit privatization and the formation of private mercenary companies - dissolve the existing companies - find and refund the billions of dollars that went missing in the private contractors' private fog of war.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~ ENLIGHTENING LINKS ~
Blackwater: The World's Largest Most Powerful Mercenary Army by Jeremy Scahill available here.
- This link will take you to Jeremy Scahill's Blackwater web page. Please purchase this book if you have not already or check your library and friends for borrowing options. It is a well written and very detailed, informative book. It is difficult to read only in that the subject matter is so disturbing. Read it a little at a time or group read aloud and have a discussion. Pass it on when you are done.
Stop Blackwater.net
This link documents the fight to keep Blackwater out of Potrero, California. Click on "Learn More..." to find a wealth of information and links to other sites. A very useful website.
Check out SourceWatch for some additional info on Blackwater USA
Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers - available here.
- this film by Robert Greenwald exposes the privatizated culture of corruption and greed that is sapping financial support from American troops every day in Iraq. It is also available for rent at Blockbuster.
Please visit Capitol Hill Blue for some up-to-date information on Blackwater, similar militaristic contractor firms, and discussion.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Blackwater contractor spoke of his mercenary work as Peace Enforcement. Peace does not exist at the end of a gun - oppression does.
..................Kitchen Window Woman.......................
..................American Patriot Institute....................
Labels: Blackwater, Bush, Cheney, contractor, Erik Prince, investigate, Jeremy Scahill, mercenary, Potrero, privatization, Rumsfeld, Stop Blackwater, war profiteers
posted by Kitchen Window Woman at 4:10 PM
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