Ahoy Washington, Need Advice: Blackwater Plans Pirate Hunt

[Turborama]

Source: NYT

WASHINGTON — Besieged by criminal inquiries and Congressional investigators, how could the world’s most controversial private security company drum up new business? By battling pirates on the high seas, of course.

In late 2008, Blackwater Worldwide, already under fire because of accusations of abuses by its security guards in Iraq and Afghanistan, reconfigured a 183-foot oceanographic research vessel into a pirate-hunting ship for hire and then began looking for business from shipping companies seeking protection from Somali pirates. The company’s chief executive officer, Erik Prince, was planning a trip to Djibouti for a promotional event in March 2009, and Blackwater was hoping that the American Embassy there would help out, according to a secret State Department cable.

But with the Obama administration just weeks old, American diplomats in Djibouti faced a problem. They are supposed to be advocates for American businesses, but this was Blackwater, a company that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had proposed banning from war zones when she was a presidential candidate.

The embassy “would appreciate Department’s guidance on the appropriate level of engagement with Blackwater,” wrote James C. Swan, the American ambassador in Djibouti, in a cable sent on Feb. 12, 2009. Blackwater’s plans to enter the anti-piracy business have been previously reported, but not the American government’s concern about the endeavor.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/world/africa/01wikileaks-blackwater.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

[ElsewheresDaughter]

1. America better not give that SOB any US tax payers support!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. It would all be from shipping companies

And Blackwater is far from the only one doing it

[saigon68]

9. He's on the Hillary Trough

He made billions protecting Karzai and the rest of the sorry ass diplomatic slugs

[earcandle]

3. These war and crime fronts are so transparent and boring. What a pitiful way to make money.

[CJvR]

4. Oh yeah, this is going to end well!

BW can hardly do a feebler job than the world's various navies.

One wonders what they are going to do with any pirates they catch, prosecuting them is generally more troublesome that catching them. This has real potential to turn into a shark feeding expedition.

[Blue_Tires]

5. Those shipping companies DO realize bilgewater would just become another

de-facto pirate gang, right?? (with the added advantage of crossing the lawful/lawless line whenever convenient)

If nothing else, Prince is an expert at the protections racket...Even the Mafia had codes of honor...

[BrightKnight]

6. LOL - Leave the poor little mistreated pirates alone! - n/t

[pitchforksandtorches]

7. It is always much better with

Yo Ho Yo Ho - a Pirates Life for me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A19q7rysLs&feature=related
…but we're loved by our Mommies and Dads

[quakerboy]

8. Pirates fighting pirates

Seems appropriate.

Except that reading the article, it seems to say that the venture foundered and came to nothing. But I'm sure Mr Prince still has his own personal pirate ship waiting around for any opportunity to make use of it, easily kept in good repair with the money from his CIA contract.

[Judi Lynn]

10. WikiLeaks: Blackwater anti-piracy plan worried U.S.

WikiLeaks: Blackwater anti-piracy plan worried U.S.
Controversial contractor would 'use lethal force against pirates if necessary'
updated 2 hours 58 minutes ago 2010-12-01T11:27:15

- WASHINGTON — Besieged by criminal inquiries and Congressional investigators, how could the world’s most controversial private security company drum up new business? By battling pirates on the high seas, of course.

In late 2008, Blackwater Worldwide, already under fire because of accusations of abuses by its security guards in Iraq and Afghanistan, reconfigured a 183-foot oceanographic research vessel into a pirate-hunting ship for hire and then began looking for business from shipping companies seeking protection from Somali pirates.

The company’s chief executive officer, Erik Prince, was planning a trip to Djibouti for a promotional event in March 2009, and Blackwater was hoping that the American Embassy there would help out, according to a secret State Department cable.

But with the Obama administration just weeks old, American diplomats in Djibouti faced a problem. They are supposed to be advocates for American businesses, but this was Blackwater, a company that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had proposed banning from war zones when she was a presidential candidate.

More:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40447975/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times/