Now those who will survive can be selected by their superior genetic qualities
to repopulate the proper areas. Herr Doktor Strangelove.
Victor Bozzo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:Hello All,
I cannot believe the same trained killers that have brought 'order' (more like
chaos and disorder) to Iraq are being
deployed to the streets of New Orleans.
I could say I told you so that violence sent abroad will eventually be used at
home but should be obvious to anyone who has studied history.
"As this psychopathic administration now scans its world atlas for new targets
upon which to direct its forces of "shock and awe," it is time for all of us to
understand that there is nothing "noble" in the systematic slaughter of people.
There is no "honor" in bringing grief and suffering to others; and no
transcendent "purpose" in being part of a collective of fungible human beings
to be exploited for whatever ends suit those with ambitions over the lives of
others."--"The War Against Cindy" by Butler Shaffer
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Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans
By Jeremy Scahill and Daniela Crespo
t r u t h o u t | Report
Saturday 10 September 2005
New Orleans - Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the
Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly
patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have
been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold
Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo
identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the
Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal
force. Several mercenaries we spoke with said they had served in Iraq on the
personal security details of the former head of the US occupation, L. Paul
Bremer and the former US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte.
"This is a totally new thing to have guys like us working CONUS
(Continental United States)," a heavily armed Blackwater mercenary told us as
we stood on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. "We're much better equipped
to deal with the situation in Iraq."
Blackwater mercenaries are some of the most feared professional
killers in the world and they are accustomed to operating without worry of
legal consequences. Their presence on the streets of New Orleans should be a
cause for serious concern for the remaining residents of the city and raises
alarming questions about why the government would allow men trained to kill
with impunity in places like Iraq and Afghanistan to operate here. Some of the
men now patrolling the streets of New Orleans returned from Iraq as recently as
2 weeks ago.
What is most disturbing is the claim of several Blackwater
mercenaries we spoke with that they are here under contract from the federal
and Louisiana state governments.
Blackwater is one of the leading private "security" firms servicing
the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. It has several US government contracts
and has provided security for many senior US diplomats, foreign dignitaries and
corporations. The company rose to international prominence after 4 of its men
were killed in Fallujah and two of their charred bodies were hung from a bridge
in March 2004. Those killings sparked the massive US retaliation against the
civilian population of Fallujah that resulted in scores of deaths and tens of
thousands of refugees.
As the threat of forced evictions now looms in New Orleans and the
city confiscates even legally registered weapons from civilians, the private
mercenaries of Blackwater patrol the streets openly wielding M-16s and other
assault weapons. This despite Police Commissioner Eddie Compass' claim that
"Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons."
Officially, Blackwater says its forces are in New Orleans to "join
the Hurricane Relief Effort." A statement on the company's website, dated
September 1, advertises airlift services, security services and crowd control.
The company, according to news reports, has since begun taking private
contracts to guard hotels, businesses and other properties. But what has not
been publicly acknowledged is the claim, made to us by 2 Blackwater
mercenaries, that they are actually engaged in general law enforcement
activities including "securing neighborhoods" and "confronting criminals."
That raises a key question: under what authority are Blackwater's
men operating? A spokesperson for the Homeland Security Department, Russ
Knocke, told the Washington Post he knows of no federal plans to hire
Blackwater or other private security. "We believe we've got the right mix of
personnel in law enforcement for the federal government to meet the demands of
public safety." he said.
But in an hour-long conversation with several Blackwater
mercenaries, we heard a different story. The men we spoke with said they are
indeed on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and the Louisiana
governor's office and that some of them are sleeping in camps organized by
Homeland Security in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. One of them wore a gold
Louisiana state law enforcement badge and said he had been "deputized" by the
governor. They told us they not only had authority to make arrests but also to
use lethal force. We encountered the Blackwater forces as we walked through the
streets of the largely deserted French Quarter. We were talking with 2 New York
Police officers when an unmarked car without license plates sped up next to us
and stopped. Inside were 3 men, dressed in khaki uniforms, flak jackets and
wielding automatic weapons. "Y'all know where the Blackwater guys are?" they
asked. One of the police officers responded, "There are a bunch of them
around here," and pointed down the road.
"Blackwater?" we asked. "The guys who are in Iraq?"
"Yeah," said the officer. "They're all over the place."
A short while later, as we continued down Bourbon Street, we ran
into the men from the car. They wore Blackwater ID badges on their arms.
"When they told me New Orleans, I said, 'What country is that
in?,'" said one of the Blackwater men. He was wearing his company ID around his
neck in a carrying case with the phrase "Operation Iraqi Freedom" printed on
it. After bragging about how he drives around Iraq in a "State Department
issued level 5, explosion proof BMW," he said he was "just trying to get back
to Kirkuk (in the north of Iraq) where the real action is." Later we overheard
him on his cell phone complaining that Blackwater was only paying $350 a day
plus per diem. That is much less than the men make serving in more dangerous
conditions in Iraq. Two men we spoke with said they plan on returning to Iraq
in October. But, as one mercenary said, they've been told they could be in New
Orleans for up to 6 months. "This is a trend," he told us. "You're going to see
a lot more guys like us in these situations."
If Blackwater's reputation and record in Iraq are any indication of
the kind of "services" the company offers, the people of New Orleans have much
to fear.
-----
Jeremy Scahill, a correspondent for the national radio and TV
program Democracy Now!, and Daniela Crespo are in New Orleans. Visit
www.democracynow.org for in-depth, independent, investigative reporting on
Hurricane Katrina. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-------
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t h o u t Cindy Sheehan: One Mother's Stand -------------- Blackwater
Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans Pentagon's "Freedom Walk" Criticized The New
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The Contenders to Replace Justice O'Connor Bill Fletcher Jr. | The Titanic of
Our Era Republicans Still Plan to Cut Welfare Spending Stirling Newberry | Will
FEBAR Bring Down the House? Roberts Refused to Defend FCC on Minority Ownership
Policy General: Guard Deployment in Iraq Hurt Katrina Response -------------- t
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