Posted by D. Cupples | Yesterday's New York Times reported that Blackwater teams released CS gas (a riot-control substance) from a helicopter in Iraq in 2005, temporarily blinding drivers, passers by, and least 10 U.S. soldiers. Reportedly, there was no violence on the ground during the gas drop. One Army Captain's reaction:
“It’s not a good thing to cause soldiers who are standing guard against car bombs, snipers and suicide bombers to cover their faces, choke, cough and otherwise degrade our awareness.”
The Associated Press reported that Blackwater has hired its third lobbying firm since October (Womble Carlyle) regarding contracting and "other issues" (possibly the multiple investigations Blackwater now faces).
Blackwater also paid lobbying firm C&M Capitol Link $300,000 in 2006 and part of 2007, reportedly wanting help breaking into the border-security business. (AP)
From where does Blackwater's lobbying budget come? Arguably from us taxpayers. In 2000, Blackwater had less than $1 million in government contracts. Now, as CEO Erik Prince told the House Oversight Committee in October, Blackwater's contracts total about $1 billion -- with 90% of the company's business coming from us taxpayers. (See hearing video)
Note that in some cases, Blackwater billed the U.S. government $1,200 per day for State Department security guards, while paying those guards $600 a day. That's not necessarily illegal, but the State Department might save a ton of tax dollars by taking Blackwater out of the equation and simply paying those same guards the same $600 a day.
In September 2005, Blackwater came under fire after its guards questionably shot and killed 17 Iraqi civilians -- one of a number of questionable shootings involving Blackwater. Investigations and a civil suit are under way.
In 2006, Blackwater guard Andrew Moonen shot and killed the Iraqi vice president's personal guard at a Christmas Eve party. Prince seemed to mislead the House Oversight Committee during the October hearing, when stating that Blackwater had sufficiently dealt with that particular shooting by firing and fining Moonen.
The Oversight Committee later learned 1) that Blackwater didn't actually fine Moonen (instead it withheld his bonus), and 2) that "the State Department and Blackwater kept the [guard killing] incident quiet and out of Moonen's personnel records." (See letter, page 3.) Moonen was later got a job with a Defense Department contractor that likely would not have hired him if it had known of the "incident."
The Oversight Committee also reported:
"According to a military official who has contacted the Committee, in 2005 Blackwater attempted to transport at least two Iraqi military aircraft out of lraq. The official stated that the Iraqi Ministry of Defense attempted to reclaim the aircraft, but that Blackwater would not comply...." (Committee letter)
In November 2007, MSNBC reported that Blackwater had come under yet another investigation over the company's allegedly illegal exporting of gun silencers (a crime carrying penalties of up to 10 years' prison and $1 million in fines per incident).
Between the high costs and the apparent performance problems, federal officials should be hyper-cautious about giving Blackwater any more government contracts. Unfortunately, cautiousness may be eroded by the hundreds of thousands of (tax) dollars that Blackwater has paid to well-connected Washington lobbyists.
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