"U.S. government officials who have overseen the controversial Blackwater security firm's activities ...."
Where is the oversight of Blackwater's illegal activity falsely claiming their employees are "independent" contractors, thus, avoiding having social security and other deductions from their employees' paychecks.
This saves the company from having to pay for payroll expenses, which is illegal since they are employees. Why hasn't the IRS filed charges against the owners of Blackwater?

Black water is the secret police force of Bush-Cheney and co. they are pushing to be able to deploy then domestically.

Louis - thats true actually. They are looking to insinuate them into the Secret service and start getting rid of more government employees and using Blackwater as contractors for domestic security and organized hits on opposition party members.
Putin an Bush love each other. They act the same way.

"they are pushing to be able to deploy them domestically"

they have already deployed private security forces, including Blackwater subsidiaries, domestically. they have done so ever since Katrina, where they assisted FEMA's non-response and filled in as armed patrols against looters because our domestic militia, the National Guard meant to protect and assist The People of our nation, is out of the country fighting for The People of a new nation based on money-laundering - a nation which no longer wants them there, with many good reasons.

The arrogant Good Old Boy mentality of the Republican party persists unabated. Is Blackwater a new Sturm Abteilung?

What a bunch of scumbags!

Black Water the American Terrorist Organisation. How Sad is that.O.K. , We are now Rewarding and supporting Domestic Terrorist's, I thought the Purpose of Contracting was, so the Contractor does not have to pay the Contractee anything extra you know like a Bonus or Benefits. We need Cross hairs on the 2, idiots in charge. (P and VP)for dereliction of Duty.
or atleast impeachment is in order.

YOU LIBERAL HIPPIES CRYING MURDER OF INNOCENT IRAQI INSURGENT WHILE YOU LIBS SUPPORT LEGALIZED ABORTION. ISN'T THAT MURDER OF MILLIONS OF INNOCENT UN-BORN AMERICAN BABIES...WHAT DO YOU GUYS KNOW THE REAL OBJECTIVE OF BLACK-WATER? AND HOW IN THE HECK THIS BECOME OF BUSH SECRET POLICE? WHEN ERICK PRINCE CREATED THIS ORGANIZATION IN 1997?

YOU LIBERAL HIPPIES...HOW IN THE HECK DID BLACK-WATER BECOME BUSH'S SECRET POLICE? ERICK PRINCE FORMED THIS ORGANIZATION IN 1997 UNDER THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION. AFTER THE KATERINA HURRICANE, WHILE THE NEW ORLEANS PD WASN'T AROUND TO PROTECT PEOPLE BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE TOO BUSY LOOTING THEMSELVES, BLACK-WATER EMPLOYEES RUSHED TO A HOTEL TO RESCUE A FEW DOZENS PEOPLE WHO WERE IN GREAT DANGER FROM THE ARTOCITY THAT FOLLOWS...NOW YOU DUMB HIPPIES FINALLY HEARD OF THE BAD THINGS THEY DO, BECAUSE SOME STUPID ISLAMIC JIHADIST GOT SHOT...NOW YOU IDIOTS LABEL THEM AS THE MURDERERS AND HENCHMEN? IF I WAS BACK IN COMBAT I WOULD RATHER HAVE THESE GUYS AROUND TO WATCH MY SIX, BECAUSE THIS GUYS ARE PROFESSIONALS AND WELL EXPERIENCE SOLDIERS...SEMPER FI...

whoa Mr. Marine calm down, your blood pressure is rising. may be you should get them too protect you from us ignorant Citizens.

I live in North Carolina near the training camp and let me tell you these guys are THE MOST PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE you could ever meet. They are not the Terrorists the crazy Al Sadir and others ARE!!!!

OK, does anyone else think it's wrong to give State Department our tax dollars to hand over bonus money for a job well done to private contractors, then we hear of inadequacies and our MILITARY must pay back the signing bonus because they got injured and could not complete their tour of duty?
Then we hear about giving immunity for doing things (not accountable for actions, yet we hired them?)
Privatizing military is a very bad idea, because to be profitable, we must have wars and ongoing missions.

I worked katrina 3 days after the storm and the flood of 9th ward I drove rescue people from gard 1 under black water along with 600 other vets and cops and when the police blackwater and the army helped each other to restore peace,but noe one tell anything about that! usn v.vet. Terry Cowboy Carson

I don't understand why when companys do an exceptional job,you bleeding heart libs want to prosicute. I'm a vet and if black water or any other security co mpany needed my expertise I'd be their.RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!! If you don't like the way they handle situations go do a better job...

With all of the lies and illegal acts, how can anyone perseve Blackwater anything other than a private army. When they keep building up troops that answer to no one but the head of the organization, the rest of the people are going to be hurting. When handled properly, our own military can outdo any mercenaries anyone can dish out. Even some of Blackwater people would be in our military.

Blackwater belongs in the sewer along with other human waste.

REAL MEN respect and protect all innocent human life. They don't engage in illegal wars or violence of any kind for profit.

If you can't find something constructive to do. Don't do anything at all.

Blackwater are men that have served their country, they are veterans,and former police officers. They are well trained and professionals.
They are to protect their detail, not start a fight, but to defend. They pay their personal taxes just like you. They work on 3-6-12 month contracts. When you say they are scumbags you are talking about the veterans that have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan for you. Do you want to put veterans out off work? They have a split second to make a decesion to protect their detail at all cost. Do not judge a whole group on and incident of a few. Sept was an unfortunate accident, when they feel threatened they have to act. Could you for one moment put your self in their boots? They are trained professionals and are being critized by people that set in their safe homes and watch TV and don't have a clue!

For all of you people calling Blackwater employees murderers and raising hell that our military could beat them blah blah..remember this, Blackwater employees operating in overseas environments are former members of our military! Most of them special forces none the less. So next time you want to call them out for being murderers, would you go and call any of our uniformed soldiers murderers? I think not.