Warnings about contractors went unheeded

[Barrett808]

Source: Washington Post

Warnings about contractors went unheeded
Despite shootings, security companies expanded their presence in Iraq
By Steve Fainaru

The U.S. government disregarded numerous warnings over the past two years about the risks of using Blackwater Worldwide and other private security firms in Iraq, expanding their presence even after a series of shooting incidents showed that the firms were operating with little regulation or oversight, according to government officials, private security firms and documents.

The warnings were conveyed in letters and memorandums from defense and legal experts and in high-level discussions between U.S. and Iraqi officials. They reflected growing concern about the lack of control over the tens of thousands of private guards in Iraq, the largest private security force ever employed by the United States in wartime.

Neither the Pentagon nor the State Department took substantive action to regulate private security companies until Blackwater guards opened fire Sept. 16 at a Baghdad traffic circle, killing 17 Iraqi civilians and provoking protests over the role of security contractors in Iraq.

"Why is it they couldn't see this coming?" said Christopher Beese, chief administrative officer for ArmorGroup International, a British security firm with extensive operations in Iraq. "That amazes me. Somebody -- it could have been military officers, it could have been State -- anybody could have waved a flag and said, 'Stop, this is not good news for us.' "

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22383265

[acmavm]

1. Dumbest statement of the whole article:

<snip>

"Why is it they couldn't see this coming?"
<snip>

THEY DID! They just didn't fucking care.

[Demeter]

2. It Was a Bonus for Bush

Now he has all those unregulated, unchecked, legaL murderers out in the field--slip them a small gratuity, and troublesome people just "cease to exist".

[Barrett808]

4. The "nobody could have foreseen" administration scores another own goal... n/t

[Drum]

3. The prospect of making a bundle of $s created an acceptance of deafness.

And fear caused the rest to be mute.

:shrug:

Sickening.

[fenriswolf]

5. i posted an article

which contains a story about just how bad blackwater has gotten

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2522301&mesg_id=2522301

[BeHereNow]

6. Thanks- I just hit it with a recommend and a

suggestion.
Hope you don't mind.
BHN

[fascisthunter]

7. There NEVER was a Need for Private Contractors

those saying so are benefiting from it financially and are liars protecting that interest.