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Congress Wants Testimony From Blackwater Boss

September 20, 2007 5:05 PM

Congresswants_mn The founder and chairman of Blackwater USA, the private security contractor, has been told to appear next month before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

In a letter today to Blackwater chairman Erik Prince, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said the hearing would concentrate on "the mission and performance of Blackwater USA and its affiliated companies in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Blackwater's role in providing security for the State Department in Iraq has been the focus of intense scrutiny this week after a firefight in Baghdad left as many as 20 civilians dead,  allegedly killed by Blackwater guards.

The incident, which is now under investigation by both Iraq and the United States, is not the first time Blackwater has been accused of shooting Iraqi civilians.

In his letter, Waxman touched on that performance record.

"Another question will be whether the specific conduct of your company has advanced or impeded U.S. efforts," he wrote.

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Blackwater says its employees "heroically defended" the U.S. officials they were assigned to protect. As for Prince's requested appearance before the congressional committee, Blackwater did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Next month's hearing will not be the first time Blackwater has been the subject of a congressional hearing.

This past February, families of the four contractors killed in a ghastly 2004 ambush in Fallujah testified before Waxman's committee on how they believed Blackwater tried to cover up what led to that tragedy.

The families told Congress they had discovered their men were sent out by Blackwater in unarmored cars, without automatic weapons, no maps and no tail-gunner to provide back-up as had been promised. 

Blackwater's general counsel told the committee the security contractor didn't cut any corners in providing for its workers and said Blackwater had met its obligation to equip the men in Fallujah adequately on the day of the ambush.

"They just let him out there to die; they did not provide anything for him," Donna Zovko, the mother of one of the murdered contractors, said.

Her son, Tom Zovko, reached earlier this week, had a similar sentiment for Blackwater when asked for his thoughts on the most recent incident in Baghdad.

There is "absolutely no one that this company has to be accountable for," he told ABC News. They always "have a type of golden parachute to get out of it."

The families of the slain contractors are currently involved in a lawsuit against Blackwater that has been tied up in "legal limbo for three years." Blackwater, which filed a counter lawsuit, maintains the men all knew the risks when they signed on to go to Iraq.

"We're not giving up," Zovko said of the suit. "We were wronged; our family members were wronged by people they were trying to help and that they trusted and for what?"

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September 20, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (38)

User Comments

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Expect the dodge the subpoena move supported by the whitewash house, which will lead to the emasculated congress to fully understand who they bend over and whinny toward these days.

Posted by: daddy | Sep 21, 2007 9:33:55 AM

I cannot believe you people sit there behind your computer critizing the American Government and the people who risk their lives on a daily basis...all you know is what the media tells you...and you act as if you were judge and jury. If you want change, get out and get involved, do something about it...

Posted by: VM | Sep 21, 2007 10:41:34 AM

Blackwater is what happens when Dems try to micro-manage the war from Washington...let the millitary do its duty and if they really believe what they preach they can cut funding..what???too close to '08 for that,huh?

Posted by: LJ | Sep 21, 2007 2:01:13 PM

I do not like the current CONONDRUM we are in in IRAQ any better than Democrats who are investigating every mistake we make over there, (or even percieved mistakes); or Republicans who must defend same. However, it might be good to remember that in every conflict in history, whatever the country involved, there are ALWAY "hired guns".
We can never solve Religious sectarion differences anywhere. But we are going to have to face the dangerous realities of a changed world, with REAL evil people intent on destroying us & every other civilized country, regardless of how many innocent people they have to kill to achieve their purpose. Remember Hitler, Attilla the Hun,
The crusades, etc.

Posted by: Roger Hill | Sep 21, 2007 2:14:54 PM

Blackwater is a domestic Terrorist Organization. When the president declares Martial Law after the next attack they have planned on the American people, you will see Blackwater out in full force thoughout American neighborhoods, rounding up anyone that opposes the Bush Regime.
Hallibert already has been given monies by the administration and Congress to secure and restore concentration camps throughout the U.S. Google it if you don't believe me.

Good Luck Americans in your complacency.

Peace.

Posted by: Rich G. | Sep 21, 2007 2:43:26 PM

First, I believe that those calling Blackwater a domestic terrorist organization or Praetorian Guard for the extreme right are not helping the argument: it just gives ammunition to those who believe everyone critical of the war is an alarmist, anti-American lefty. Second, the idea of private security firms be used so heavily in wars does not sit well with me at all. I don't like the idea of forces under the U.S. umbrella having two bosses - the U.S. government and some corporate president. I also don't like the idea of armed people over there whose primary motivation is coin. If we do have a shortage of troops, the answer is to reinstate the draft. I am against the war in Iraq as a matter of foreign policy, but if we're sending soldiers over there, I want them trained by the U.S. military and loyal to the U.S. government. I want them to be serving out of duty, for old military traditions of loyalty and honor, not to make a buck. I don't trust anyone in it to make a buck. Would you?

Posted by: Dwight S. | Sep 22, 2007 9:12:54 AM

Seems there is no limit in DickNBush world to the number of people who are "above the law". Like DickNbush, these are a bunch of incompetent criminal thugs. The investigation of Blackwater needs to very broad and thorough - it will lead directly to the White House.

Posted by: ALEX H. | Sep 22, 2007 4:48:04 PM

If we paid our solders even 1/4 of what Blackwater employees make we'd probably have plenty of people signing up - to the point we wouldn't need Blackwater or other hired commercial gun slinger support. And we'd have more money to properly protect them to boot. I have no problem with contracting out support like food services but, lets keep the mission integrity solid - using only American solders and the honour and dignity they are pledged to represent.

Posted by: Rick_VT | Sep 23, 2007 2:49:20 PM

Somehow executive privilege is going to be invoked... gotta happen somehow.

Posted by: Oh_Mercy | Sep 23, 2007 8:58:32 PM

If Blackwater, as alleged, also supplied weapons to Iraqi insurgency groups, guess what? That means US tax dollars are supporting TREASON against US soldiers.
THAT is the main thing that needs investigated!

Posted by: yes1fan | Sep 23, 2007 11:22:50 PM

toni,
Oh! It's "...accountability to any gov't org (which represents the people)..." that solves this sort of thing, huh?

Gee, the Nam Vets exposed to herbicide spraying will be real happy to hear this.

I've heard so many lies from accountable gov't agencies that I can't count them any more.

tgsqrd

Posted by: tgsqrd | Sep 24, 2007 11:06:27 AM

What do you want to bet that Bush claims "Executive Privilege"

Posted by: bobby stickers | Sep 24, 2007 4:15:28 PM

If this were Kosovo we were talking about, and Blackwater was a company hired by the Clinton Administration to fight on behalf of the US, Republicans would be up in arms and simply -shocked- that America's foreign interests have been outsourced to hired guns. But, since Bush hired 'em, anybody who questions them is un-patriotic. Give me a flippin' break.

Posted by: AppeaseThis | Sep 24, 2007 5:58:25 PM

When are the talking heads on television going to start talking about what the Blackwater personnel really are..........mercenaries!!! and they are much better paid than our soldiers and Marines, I'm sure.....

Posted by: E. Everett | Sep 24, 2007 6:23:51 PM

When are the talking heads on television going to start talking about what the Blackwater personnel really are..........mercenaries!!! and they are much better paid than our soldiers and Marines, I'm sure.....

Posted by: E. Everett | Sep 24, 2007 6:25:43 PM

I concur with AppeaseThis, Hole Heartily.. Well Said my Patriotic American. Thank you for keeping a real level head. In my Opinion it's Unpatriotic to support Evil Bush, Who has shredd my consititution.
from a former (Staunch-Republican)
the Rebulicans SUCK.
Nothing further needed

Posted by: Adeeb Nasir | Sep 25, 2007 1:09:17 AM

Wait until George W. brings Blackwater back to the United States to take care of all the people who complain about Blackwater.

Posted by: US Citizen | Sep 25, 2007 9:33:42 AM

Stop all taxpayer funding for this politically connected ban of Mercenaries. Who do they have loyalty to besides that of the highest bidder? Who police's them and who are they accountable to? There should be absolutely no way that Black Water or any other private security firm should be above the law in any country including on U.S. soil. Privatization of the military has got to be one of the worst decisions that Rummy made before being forced out of office. All they're doing is robbing the American taxpayer and profiting from war. There's got to be a better way to spend the taxpayers money. Put it back into our own military and let our own military protect State Dept. Personnel. That's the way it's always been until Black Water came along. Seems like nothing more then a scam to make profit at the expense of the taxpayer.

Posted by: Concerned citizen. | Oct 2, 2007 11:22:15 AM

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