Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Henry Kissinger, Hillary Clinton’s Tutor in War and Peace [View all]Octafish
(55,745 posts)61. Do you ever wonder what Hillary and Erik Prince talk about?
Lawmakers Ask Hillary Clinton to Explain Erik Princes Mercenaries in the UAE
The implications of allowing a US citizen to assemble a legion in any foreign country, and especially in a combustible region like the Middle East, are serious and wide-ranging, they allege.
By Jeremy Scahill
MAY 23, 2011
Five members of Congress have called on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to clarify if Blackwater founder Erik Princes recently disclosed deal to provide a small mercenary army to the United Arab Emirates complies with US law and export regulations. We question whether private US citizens should be involved in recruiting and assembling forces, as well as providing military training and support to foreign governments and militaries, wrote the lawmakers, led by Representative Jan Schakowsky, a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The implications of allowing a US citizen to assemble a foreign legion in any foreign country, and especially in a combustible region like the Middle East, are serious and wide-ranging.
On May 14, the New York Times revealed that Prince was leading an effort to build an army of mercs 800 strongincluding scores from Colombiain Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. They would be trained by US, European and South African special forces veterans. Princes new company, Reflex Responses, also known as R2, was bankrolled to the tune of $529 million from the oil-soaked sheikdom, according to the Times, adding that Prince was hired by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
According to the lawmakers, under US law, Princes company is exporting a defense product and therefore falls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), requiring him to first seek the approval of the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls before the defense services are provided. The DDTC is controlled by the State Department. Has Mr. Prince, or any of the other Americans involved in the training contract, received such approval from DDTC? the lawmakers ask Clinton in the May 23 letter [PDF], a copy of which was obtained by The Nation. Past attempts by The Nation to obtain certain DDTC records on Blackwater-affiliated companies have been rejected by the State Department.
They further ask Secretary Clinton for any clarification as to US policy toward private US citizens who recruit, assemble, or train foreign militaries, and toward foreign countries that hire private US citizens to train their militaries. They add: We have long expressed concerns about the US government continuing to do business with Blackwater, despite that companys growing list of misconduct, and we are concerned that Mr. Prince is now exporting his services. In addition, the Emirati regimes use of an American-created and trained force of foreign troops has the potential to introduce further instability and suspicion into an already volatile region (and at a particularly sensitive time). In addition to Schakowsky, the other signers of the letter are: John Conyers, Maurice Hinchey, James Moran and Peter Welch.
SOURCE: http://www.thenation.com/article/lawmakers-ask-hillary-clinton-explain-erik-princes-mercenaries-uae/
Lawmakers Ask Hillary Clinton to Explain Erik Princes Mercenaries in the UAE
The implications of allowing a US citizen to assemble a legion in any foreign country, and especially in a combustible region like the Middle East, are serious and wide-ranging, they allege.
By Jeremy Scahill
MAY 23, 2011
Five members of Congress have called on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to clarify if Blackwater founder Erik Princes recently disclosed deal to provide a small mercenary army to the United Arab Emirates complies with US law and export regulations. We question whether private US citizens should be involved in recruiting and assembling forces, as well as providing military training and support to foreign governments and militaries, wrote the lawmakers, led by Representative Jan Schakowsky, a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The implications of allowing a US citizen to assemble a foreign legion in any foreign country, and especially in a combustible region like the Middle East, are serious and wide-ranging.
On May 14, the New York Times revealed that Prince was leading an effort to build an army of mercs 800 strongincluding scores from Colombiain Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. They would be trained by US, European and South African special forces veterans. Princes new company, Reflex Responses, also known as R2, was bankrolled to the tune of $529 million from the oil-soaked sheikdom, according to the Times, adding that Prince was hired by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
According to the lawmakers, under US law, Princes company is exporting a defense product and therefore falls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), requiring him to first seek the approval of the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls before the defense services are provided. The DDTC is controlled by the State Department. Has Mr. Prince, or any of the other Americans involved in the training contract, received such approval from DDTC? the lawmakers ask Clinton in the May 23 letter [PDF], a copy of which was obtained by The Nation. Past attempts by The Nation to obtain certain DDTC records on Blackwater-affiliated companies have been rejected by the State Department.
They further ask Secretary Clinton for any clarification as to US policy toward private US citizens who recruit, assemble, or train foreign militaries, and toward foreign countries that hire private US citizens to train their militaries. They add: We have long expressed concerns about the US government continuing to do business with Blackwater, despite that companys growing list of misconduct, and we are concerned that Mr. Prince is now exporting his services. In addition, the Emirati regimes use of an American-created and trained force of foreign troops has the potential to introduce further instability and suspicion into an already volatile region (and at a particularly sensitive time). In addition to Schakowsky, the other signers of the letter are: John Conyers, Maurice Hinchey, James Moran and Peter Welch.
SOURCE: http://www.thenation.com/article/lawmakers-ask-hillary-clinton-explain-erik-princes-mercenaries-uae/
I can't find the answer online. Maybe if State had had an inspector general they could have asked Mark Penn about that. Maybe you could help, but I know you're busy with the strawman.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
140 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Bill Clinton, the Lippo Group, and Jackson Stephens of Little Rock, Arkansas (5th Version) 1999
Octafish
Jun 2016
#19
You support white supremacist Paul Craig Roberts. Your argument is invalid. nt
Dr Hobbitstein
Jun 2016
#70
And you've shown DU that you'll believe any far-fetched conspiracy and bring it back to the BFEE.
Dr Hobbitstein
Jun 2016
#72
I hope I've shown DU that I'm not scared to call out supporters of white supremacists,
Dr Hobbitstein
Jun 2016
#79
Here's a more current link for your analysis Doc-its still open for those that can read.
bobthedrummer
Jun 2016
#101
A conversation with yourself about woo sites? I'll pass (as did everyone else).
Dr Hobbitstein
Jun 2016
#109
No, it's code for Conspiracy Theorist. I never called anyone Better Believe It nt
Dr Hobbitstein
Jun 2016
#112
How come you are not trotting out the Trump/Hillary wedding pictures any more?
Sheepshank
Jun 2016
#5
So, show the first you find in what I've posted on this or any thread that's not true.
Octafish
Jun 2016
#18
It's important for those interested in Democratic Action, not Kissinger Action.
Octafish
Jun 2016
#16
The Last Man of the Junta: Open Letter to Henry Kissinger from One of Pinochet's Political Prisoners
Octafish
Jun 2016
#39
K&R Embracing an evil war criminal: all one needs to know (combined with record of reckless Neo Con
amborin
Jun 2016
#23
Emails expose close ties between Hillary Clinton and accused war criminal Henry Kissinger
Octafish
Jun 2016
#67
I would respond to this calumny in my inimitable way but Skinner asked me to be nice.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#53
I would respond to this calumny in my inimitable way but Skinner asked me to be nice.
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#59
I am trying to help you. I want you around after we go into G E mode
DemocratSinceBirth
Jun 2016
#66
Banksters! BCCI and Marc Rich were two of those thousand points of green light.
Octafish
Jun 2016
#89
An intelligent person listens to ALL opinions. It helps in not repeating those same mistakes.
tonyt53
Jun 2016
#103
If Kissinger has a house in the DR that he, Hillary and Bill go to for holidays, why can't they
2cannan
Jun 2016
#114
Another learning curve kick for the real DU reality-based community. n/t
bobthedrummer
Jun 2016
#140