Iraq: Blackwater staff will face criminal charges

Source: CNN

The Iraqi government will file criminal charges against employees of U.S. security firm Blackwater who are blamed for a gun battle in Baghdad in which civilians were killed, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said Sunday.

It is unclear how Iraqi courts will attempt to bring the contractors to trial. A July report from the Congressional Research Service said the Iraqi government has no authority over private security firms contracted by the U.S. government.

The Iraqi government claims that as many as 20 civilians were killed by the private contractors, who were guarding a U.S. diplomatic convoy.

Iraqi officials, who claim the shootings were unprovoked, dispute the U.S. claim that the guards were responding to an attack and said on Saturday they had a videotape that showed the Blackwater guards opened fire without provocation.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/09/23/blackwater.probe/index.html

So, do we seriously maintain that Iraq is a sovereign government?

I'd assume they have no duty of care either so they'd be able to just lock them up in an undislosed location, without food or water and throw away the keys.

:evilgrin:


K and R

IIRC, there was a big push to get the Iraq gvmt declared 'sovereign' so that various laws would remain in force even if, some day, US wasn't there to enforce them.

Since it's clear that the US overrides/ignores/laughs at Iraqi laws whenever it pleases, it is also clear that sovereignty is a myth. Equally mythical, therefore, is the legitimacy of laws the US has gotten, and wants to get, passed.

Reminds me, for some reason, of a great T-shirt I saw the other day:

"The beatings will continue until morale improves"

the whole lie of our illegal and immoral invasion and occupation of Iraq.

and his fellow-felons will sacrifice a few of these mercenaries.

The publicity around the world would be horrible.

even without the film.

And BTW, the world wonders what happened to the horrible films about the children raped at Abu Ghraib that were only shown to a few members of Congress.

Any "update" on those (other) war crimes? Anyone?

politicians, that the Iraqi government needs to "stand up". (not this article)

Well, it seems they're Standing Up.

The message just strikes me as dissonant. Either the U.S. is supporting Iraq's government in its efforts to Stand Up, or the U.S. citizen is being lied to -- not by the media directly -- but by the U.S. politicians the media repeatedly quotes.

instances they know of as well. Wonder if the criminals will be languishing in Abu Grab while they wait for trial? Bush ought to be considered their ring leader and have charges brought against him, too. Put him in ol' Abu Grabbie to wait. Big ol' hood on his head. No wonder he sneaks in to see the troops. Yeah. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Cuz I like it. My fantasy world is a much better place than reality these days.

tell Iraq: neener neener neener

Who do these bureaucrats think they are, anyway? They don't get it, not one facet of Iraq's culture, history, politics, location, not anything. It's their country, and the Iraqis are going to be there long after Bush has turned to dust in the Hague.

This is where the US Constitution is just "a goddamned piece of paper", along with any other rule the Bush regime tries to impose on the the desert sands. This is where bullyboy Bush meets his Waterloo. How fitting, how appropriate--How ironic!

george bush is a war criminal and should be imprisoned for life.

So there! Take that!



Cher

have they condemed this action and what a cross they have now to bear. My guess; they don't give a flying f.

Chinese mercenaries hired to bodyguard American CEOs.
Those mercenaries then gun down pedestrians on Wall Street because they came within 300 feet of the Exxon CEO's motorcade.

Would we stand for it?
Of course not.
So why inflict these massacres on others?

Blackwater out of Iraq!

you know? Give it another two terms under a Republican president and we'll be there.