The first time I heard of Blackwater was around the Katrina disaster in New Orleans. We started hearing reports that there was a private army that was running around, guarding hotels and preventing people from taking refuge and seeking shelter as they fled from the horrors of the 9th Ward.
At first we thought they were security guards, but later learned they were navy seals, and ex military men who had come in from Iraq and were given full authority to shoot and kill, detain folks and basically run the show. The word was these guys were scary and out of control.
Those early reports were later confirmed by journalist Jeremy Scahill who went down to New Orleans and pretty much let us know that just like Saddam Hussein had his special Revolutionary Guard, George Bush and friends had their own army of sorts in the form of Blackwater..
Headed up by former elite Navy Seal and fundamentalist Christian, Erik Prince, Blackwater epitomized the growing trend to outsource all aspects of our military operations to private companies who with their entrance into New Orleans have also started doing domestic work. For example, the city of Oakland was talking about having Blackwater patrol their streets.
We caught up with Jeremy and had an in depth conversation about Blackwater and Scahill’s new book. ‘Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army’.
Here Jeremy gives the full history of this organization and details how many of our best trained military personnel are now employed by Blackwater. We talk about the use of private armies around the world and how they have been used for years to destabilize governments in Africa including Apartheid South Africa. Scahill talks about the sadness of having white mercenaries running around the continent killing Black leaders and tipping their government on behalf of rich and powerful business interests.
This is the worlds biggest private army
We talked in depth about how Blackwater had started their own CIA.. Yes, you read that correctly, this private company has its own CIA headed up by former high ranking CIA members. We talked about how and why members were not in violation of the law since they were sharing state secretwith private individuals. In short we train Blackwater members with our tax dollars. They then go off and work for a private company who may at times hold a different agenda then that of the people.
Scahill soberly noted that this private CIA is one of the most under reported stories today and he took his fellow journalist to task for not speaking up on this and letting the world know. Scahill also detailed how Blackwater is part of a secret Assassination Squad that he accuses former Vice President Dick Cheney of putting together and shielding from Congress.
We spoke with Scahill about President Obama and where he stood on this issue.. He noted that Obama as a Senator was one of a handful of people who stood up and demanded that Blackwater be held accountable. He even backed that up with legislation that didn’t pass. As President Obama uses Blackwater in Afghanistan but won’t extend their contract in Iraq where they guard government officials.
We talked about whether Obama or any other country would have to concern themselves with a possible Coup. The question was asked with the understanding and concern that for years there have been racist paramilitary groups training all over the US and joining the military and police forces. I wanted to know if those types of people holding supremacists attitudes were working for Blackwater.. Scahill noted that Blackwater is fully capable of defeating small nations but didn’t think they would run a coup on this country. Our military is not too keen on the whole Blackwater thing. Scahill said that many in our military feels that Blackwater’s unchecked actions cause problems on the battlefield. He did however say he feared for Obama’s safety and said one should not underestimate the extent that white supremacist attitudes run deep and what sort of crazy reactions it inspires.
During our interview we noted how the popular Fox TV show 24 featuring Keifer Sutherland last season had as its theme a Blackwater type army undermining the government. Scahill noted he had heard this and was presently watching the series. He noted that the show had unfortunately helped undermine the argument that torture is wrong. Many have watched Sutherland’s character Jack Buer routinely torture people in his quest to save the world. Many have come to fusethe fact with fiction.
We ended our interview with a discussion on the role media has played or not played in all this. Scahillconcluded that way too many have become too friendly with the rich and powerful and instead of vigorously covering them, reporters are drinking beers and playing golf. Scahill said we no longer have journalists, we have media personalities.
Listen to the Breakdown FM podcast by clicking the links below…
Breakdown FM Podcast of Jeremy Scahill Interview on Blackwater
Would you like some cheese with that whine? At least these brave souls have enough intestinal fortitude (balls) to fight for our country. You whiny liberals wouldn’t know what to do if you faced danger except to piss your pants…
Rick W…
The main question is exactly WHO’s interests they are fighting for besides our country. If this were a special ops section of the military, I MIGHT be able to see it. Otherwise, its a bunch of mercs…wtf?!
“You whiny liberals wouldn’t know what to do if you faced danger except to piss your pants…”
tell that to the innocent Iraqi cab driver (and 18 other folks)) Blackwater’s mercs blew up with rockets, grenades, and machine gun fire…
the “24” parallel is interesting, as last season dealt primarily with not only the possibility of a coup by a Blackwater-type corp headed by Jon Voigt, but also with the ramifications (both legal and emotional) of Bauer’s interrogation methods…
“Black Water” are just some folks financed by American Zionist. David Axel Rod and Rham Enanuel, both, Zionist jews are running this country. Barack Obama is just the Black face they are using to make this a Zionist America. Wake up, People! Blackwater is white boys hired to fight for isreal, wake up, People! You are not heroes, your fighting against “democracy” in America, you idiots. AMERICA IS RUN BY ZIONIST AND THEY ARE USING A BLACK FACE TO PULL IT OFF. TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT.
““Black Water” are just some folks financed by American Zionist. ”
uh, Erick Prince is a right-wing Christian…
There will always be Ku Klan Klan militia’s, but who’s “hiring” them, think!
Thanks again, Davey. I like watching Jeremy Scahill, especially when he’s on Democracy Now! Let’s also not forget that incident on the Gretna Bridge during KKKatrina where Black people were being used as target practice – guess who was doing the shooting? BLACKWATER. And to Mr. Rick W – Just because someone STOLE a country, it does not make it THEIRS. Exactly WHOSE interests are Blackwater working for? Hmmm. . .seems to me to be the same interests that stole the land from indigenous people, the same interests that see Non-whites, especially people of African and Hispanic descent as subhumans, the same interests that go around the world trying to control every damnbody and every damn thing. Check yourself before you wreck yourself, Rick W!!!!
What leftists fail to realize is that 99% of things are better when left to the private sector, and the military is no different. Fact is, most contractors are good Americans who are ex US military guys who want to fight for their country, and still be able to pay the bills. Most of their work involves training Iraqi military and police officers to actually run their own country, not blowing shit up for whoever pays the most.
If you guys hate PMC’s so much, maybe you should stop cutting the military budget. That way the military wouldn’t be underfunded and understaffed, thus they would have no need for PMC’s. Just throwing it out there.
What about those that write books about these guys (who are just making a living), exaggerate and lie just to get something publsihed? Oh and yeah, make a living too.
Parasite, coakroach, human garbage….
In America like not all Have grown fat brains, you with brains a little but is, basically – idiots considering that the American Army on other continents what that is engaged in the image in protection of America… I understand America and Americans-it not the people and the nation, the nation with the past of 200 years, not to time not knowing that such to battle for the native land and fatherland, anybody never attacked the earth America whence Thought in heads what to Protect interests to America it is possible in Afghanistan and Iraq…. Those who so thinks – the idiot, In Iraq oil and base for an attack to Iran, Afghanistan – control of drugs of 94 % of the narcotraffic of all world-it Afghanistan (Plus base India – China) Children your children мрут on another’s earth is necessary because the companies to manufacturers of arms need to gain money
Send more emails,etc
We need private armys ! I want an SS !