Cross-posted from The Global Sociology Blog.

It is a story that has made headlines in the UK because it involves some high-level British players, via The Guardian:

"The British mercenary Simon Mann was today sentenced to 34 years in prison for plotting to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.

The Eton-educated former SAS officer was sentenced after a trial last month during which it was claimed that a number of western governments knew about the coup plans. The court heard that Sir Mark Thatcher, the son of the former British prime minister, was a committed member of the group.

Mann was arrested in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 2004 with dozens of mercenaries when their private plane landed. He acknowledged knowingly taking part in the attempt to topple the government, but his lawyer argued Mann was a secondary player.

The sentence is longer than expected."  Read more 

The headline:

Iraq Shooting Illustrates Contractors’ Legal Void

The story:

Guards employed by Unity Resources Group, a security company responsible for the shooting deaths of two Iraqi women here Oct. 9, had shot and seriously wounded a man driving a van 3 1/2 months earlier on the same Baghdad thoroughfare, according to four witnesses.

The case demonstrates how security companies such as Unity operate in a lawless void in Iraq, with many shooting incidents escaping official or public scrutiny.

Most of the more than 100 security firms in Iraq work under contracts or subcontracts for government agencies, private companies or individuals, creating layers of responsibility that make oversight difficult. Unity effectively regulates itself: The company reported 38 weapons-discharge incidents while protecting RTI employees over the past two years, according to a source familiar with the data. In each instance, the company conducted its own investigation.

Iraq is a conservative paradise! It’s a laboratory for Conservative social engineering! Entrepreneurs, free of pesky governmental regulations like the rule of law, free to unleash the magic of the marketplace in a war zone! What could go wrong?  Read more 

In comments on Michael Jerkoff’s blog (!), dadw5boys writes:

I have to say I am totally disappointed as a disabled vet that our Military could watch the Israeli Army use armoured vehicles for years and not have at least 2,000 armoured vehicles on hand to would protect our soldiers from IEDs.

This one is easy to explain, dadw5boys:  Read more 

Because we know, with Bush, that’s what it always comes down to. And since they’re mercenaries, there’s a lot of money to be put into willing Republican hands.* WaPo:

enior Iraqi officials repeatedly complained to U.S. officials about Blackwater USA’s alleged involvement in the deaths of numerous Iraqis, but the Americans took little action to regulate the private security firm until 11 Iraqis were shot dead last Sunday, according to U.S. and Iraqi officials.

Before that episode, U.S. officials were made aware in high-level meetings and formal memorandums of Blackwater’s alleged transgressions. They included six violent incidents this year allegedly involving the North Carolina firm that left a total of 10 Iraqis dead, the officials said.

And then there’s the arms dealing:  Read more 

While we want for the Iraqi government to figure out that what they want to do is put their video up on YouTube, here’s the the story:

Iraqi investigators have a videotape that shows Blackwater USA guards opened fire against civilians without provocation in an incident last week in which 11 people died, a senior Iraqi official said Saturday. He said the case was referred to the Iraqi judiciary.

Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said Iraqi authorities had completed an investigation into the Sept. 16 shooting in Nisoor Square in western Baghdad and concluded that Blackwater guards were responsible for the deaths.

He told The Associated Press that the conclusion was based on witness statements as well as videotape shot by cameras at the nearby headquarters of the national police command. He said eight people were killed at the scene and three of the 15 wounded died in hospitals.

Khalaf also said the ministry was looking into six other fatal shootings involving the Moyock, N.C.-based company in which 10 Iraqis were killed and 15 wounded. Among the shootings was one Feb. 7 outside Iraqi state television in Baghdad that killed three building guards.

“These six cases will support the case against Blackwater, because they show that it has a criminal record,” Khalaf said.

Shortly after the Sept. 16 shooting, U.S. officials said they “understood” that there was videotape, but refused to give more details. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not supposed to release information to the media.

Well, some Regent grad or whoever else Bush can hire these days must be sweating, waiting for the tape. Good. They’ve earned it.

And while we wait, here’s the video of Hassan Salhan, an Iraqi lawyer, being interviewed. They shot him in the back, from helicopters.  Read more 

Xan noted the walking papers the democratically-elected government of Iraq are handing out to Blackwater Mercenary Industries.

Naturally, I thought of Paul McCartney…

++++

Blackwater

Blackwater shooting in the dead of night, take your smoking guns and say goodbye
Wasted lives, you were making money as their blood fell from the sky

Blackwater shooting in the dead of night, occupiers bring the world such misery
Wasted lives, you were making money as their blood fell from the sky

Blackwater sky
Blackwater sky, into a fight where Mohammed cries

Blackwater sky
Blackwater sky, into a fight where Mohammed cries  Read more 

Yeah, Bush is privatizing the war. Concealed casualty figures, murky chain of command, no oversight, no laws that apply, and billions for Republican contractors.

What’s not to like? It’s the magic of the marketplace!  Read more 

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Yeah, I know we “knew” these things oh, three years ago or so. But this is why it makes a difference to have Democratic chairs of committees and hearings out in the bright light of day. Because then you know things from the Congressional Record and hear about them from the AP, not dirty fucking hippie bloggers. This piece from the Raleigh NC N&O/AP could be better with some copy editing, so I have taken the liberty of rearranging some paragraphs. The material is otherwise unchanged:

WASHINGTON — After numerous denials, the Pentagon has confirmed that a North Carolina company provided armed security guards in Iraq under a subcontract that was buried so deeply the government couldn’t find it.
The secretary of the Army on Tuesday wrote two Democratic lawmakers that the Blackwater USA contract was part of a huge military support operation by run by Halliburton subsidiary KBR.

Vice President Dick Cheney ran Halliburton before he became vice president.

Would we have seen that sentence, that high up in the story, without a Democratic Congress? Kinda answers itself, don’t ya think? But to continue:  Read more 

It goes on. Nor is it merely an isolated incident. I have no snark for such stories, even as I think it’s important to keep them at the fore, while our fine, fact free media ignores them for the most part. Oh, here- this should scare some piss out of you as well.  Read more 

The battle Blackwater Security, the favored private militia of the favored few, fears most is coming nearer. From the NC News & Observer:

A North Carolina-based security contractor lost a federal appeal Thursday in a wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the families of four men killed and publicly mutilated in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004
The decision by the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., means that after a year and a half of motions and appeals, the lawsuit can move forward in Wake County Superior Court and that Blackwater Security Consulting will likely have to give up records and oral depositions about the incident, said Marc Miles, an attorney for the families.

That highlighted part is what they fear worst. And this news may be even better than it sounds..  Read more