Sec. of State Blocking Blackwater Investigation?

Posted by The Crux | First, we learned that Blackwater USA employees questionably killed civilians in Iraq.  Next, we learned that Blackwater may have smuggled guns into Iraq -- guns that may have reached enemy hands through the black market. 

Then, evidence surfaced that State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard impeded   investigations of contractor misconduct in Iraq and Afghanistan, including a probe of Blackwater. Today, the Associated Press reported:

"A House lawmaker on Tuesday complained to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about the alleged muzzling of State Department officials in inquiries involving Blackwater USA and Iraq's government....

"Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif, chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said the State Department had informed the committee that State employees could not discuss potential corruption in the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki unless the information was treated as a national security secret....

"Blackwater USA... has also claimed that the State Department had banned company communication with Waxman's investigators....

"' I urge you to reconsider the unusual positions you are taking,' Waxman wrote to Rice. 'You are wrong to interfere with the committee's inquiry.'''

"The State Department said it was cooperating with the committee..."

I guess it depends on how one defines "cooperating." It'll be interesting to see what sort of "smoking gun" (or mushroom cloud) turns up.

Related post: Have U.S. Officials Protected Blackwater?