Obama's Blackwater?

[katty]

more: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/134594

By Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet. Posted April 2, 2009.

Federal records obtained by AlterNet reveal a multi-million dollar contract for a private U.S. paramilitary force operating out of Jerusalem. Obama to Bring More Mercenaries to Afghanistan -

On the campaign trail, Barack Obama's advisers said he "can't rule out won't rule out" using mercenary forces, like Blackwater. Now, it appears that the Obama administration has decided on its hired guns of choice: Triple Canopy, a Chicago company now based in Virginia. It may not have Blackwater's thuggish reputation, but Triple Canopy has its own bloody history in Iraq and a record of hiring mercenaries from countries with atrocious human rights records. What's more, Obama is not just using the company in Iraq, but also as a U.S.-government funded private security force in Israel/Palestine, operating out of Jerusalem.

Beginning May 7th, Triple Canopy will officially take over Xe/Blackwater's mega-contract with the U.S. State Department for guarding occupation officials in Iraq. It's sure to be a lucrative deal: Obama's Iraq plan will inevitably rely on an increased use of private contractors, including an army of mercenaries to protect his surge of diplomats operating out of the monstrous U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

The Iraq contract may come as no surprise. But according to federal contract records obtained by AlterNet, the Obama administration has also paid Triple Canopy millions of dollars to provide "security services" in Israel. In February and March, the Obama administration awarded a "delivery order" to Triple Canopy worth $5.5 million under State Department contract SAQMPD05F5528, which is labeled "PROTECTIVE SERVICES--ISRAEL." According to one government document, the contract is scheduled to run until September 2012. (Another document says September 2009.) The contract is classified as "SECURITY GUARDS AND PATROL SERVICES" in Israel. The total value of the contract was listed at $41,556,969.72. According to a January 2009 State Department document obtained by AlterNet labeled "Sensitive But Unclassified," the Triple Canopy contract is based out of Jerusalem.

[MADem]

1. If this writer is going to put the phrase "security services" in quotes,

he really needs to do the same with "mercenary forces" as well.

Otherwise, one might suspect he has a bit of an agenda working...which he does.

And I rather doubt Obama EVER used the term "mercenary forces" to describe "security services" providers like the the outfit that used to be called Blackwater. The clever way that sentence is crammed together with that phrase suggests otherwise.

Duplicitous writing never convinces me of anything. I prefer the Jack Webb "just the facts" approach. This effort lacks that.

[balantz]

2. Scahill discussed that with Amy Goodman today on Democracy Now!

I posted it in the video forum: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x291765

[peacetalksforall]

3. I can't take this. From one private 'army' to another. An who the heck are we protecting in

Israel? Tourists? Embassy? The Israel military and the Rabbi's from Palestinians? from al Queda?

I've been wondering when we were going to end these private administration armies?

I don't even want them to be legal? I don't even know whether they are or not?

Isn't this the same thing as the sub-government of Iran Contra?

A continuation of Cheney?

Why don't we know why they are needed?

The minute I heard Hersch talking about assassination team - I thought Blackwater working with or without others, like Pentagon murderers.

So what about this Triple Canopy?

I feel miserably uncomfortable.

If any of this leads to the bombing of Iran, Afganistan, Pakistan as was done in Iraq - or as Israel did to the Gaza Strip - it's the end of caring about my country - for me.

The talks that are going on better not be a trap, appeasement to peace lovers, or any form of deception. We are trusting everything to pleaders who approved of the devestation of Iraq.

I am distrubed and sick to my heart and stomach.

[alarimer]

4. It doesn't matter which group of paid thugs he hires

they are all scum and we have no business using them. Well we have no business being in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Scahill has been on top of the mercenary issue for years.

[katty]

6. yes, Scahill has been doing this for over a decade, he's

been everywhere-but this has been his main focus.

[GuyJello]

5. exaggeration

This company is not comparable to Blackwater, which committed numerous atrocities later found to ber criminal.