barack obama on blackwater

[niyad]

this is a transcript of the video of amy goodman talking to obama about blackwater and other merc companies, and jeremy scahill's comments (about 3/4 way down the daily transcript):

. . . . . . \


AMY GOODMAN: That was Barack Obama.

JEREMY SCAHILL: This is interesting. I mean, this is one of the more interesting exchanges I’ve seen with a presidential candidate on this issue. I mean, it almost never gets raised at all.

Barack Obama—this is the reality about this. Barack Obama understands this issue extremely well. His staff has been on top of this for quite some time. He—what he said to you is true. He did introduce the legislation in the Senate that has become the Democrats’ official legislation on these private security companies, and he did it eight months before Nisour Square. So, clearly, Barack Obama is someone who has been following this very closely. He understands it very intimately.

What’s interesting—and you raised this with him—is that he won’t take the step toward actually trying to ban these companies. Representative Jan Schakowsky and Senator Bernie Sanders have put forward legislation called the Stop Outsourcing Security Act in the Congress, and Barack Obama has said he’s not going to come onboard and support that legislation.

Interestingly, when I reported in The Nation that Obama would not support that legislation, which seeks to ban the use of these companies in US war zones, Hillary Clinton, five days before the Texas and Ohio primaries, the day my piece comes out, she responds by putting a statement on her website saying that she’s going to endorse Bernie Sanders’ legislation, and she becomes the single most important US political figure to come out for a ban. Now, I’m glad that Hillary Clinton did that, and I look forward to her making this one of her top legislative priorities after the primary season is over.

But on Barack Obama, he’s in a very complicated situation, because his Iraq plan actually is not a plan to end the occupation of Iraq. It’s to continue it with a different label attached to it. And so, you hear him there talking about how “I don’t want to replace contractors with US troops.” The reality is, and Barack Obama knows this very well, his Iraq plan could not be implemented if he was against the use of Blackwater or other private security forces. And the reality is, he’s probably going to have to use these companies for two to three years at a minimum, unless he makes it an aggressive point of trying to shut them down. He might even have to use Blackwater for the first year of his administration.

. . . . . .
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/6/2/blackwater_jeremy_scahill_on

[babylonsister]

1. I heard Scahill saying this, and as much as I like him, how does

Scahill know what Obama's intentions are? Lots of speculation coming from him, no solid facts, because at this point there are none to be had. I'll wait to hear what Obama's plans are once he's in a real position to make any.

So, OP, if you're trying to slam Obama, you FAIL.

[EFerrari]

3. The only thng Scahill is really saying is tha BW will be there

as long as we are. He's probably right about that.

While I was listening to him, though, I realized that BW may be doing more than just recruiting right now in Colombia. Bush can't leave office soon enough.

[babylonsister]

7. That may be, but the rules could change rapidly. Like, for starters,

accountability by contractors for misdeeds done. That has got to be addressed. I wish we'd get out lock, stock, and barrel, but my crystal ball is misted over.

[eleny]

13. They've been recruting in South America for some time now

Scahill talks about it in his book.

And it's awful how the mercs are even treated. In the book he talks about how they brought some mercs over to Iraq from South America. When they got there, they changed the terms of their contracts offering to pay them way less. If they chose not to accept the new terms the mercs could get themselves out of Iraq on their own. Not that my heart breaks for the mercs. But it's a dirty, dirty business.

[EFerrari]

16. Yep. But i was also thinking, if Bush needed forces to "help out"

along the border between Colombia and Venezuela, BW would have no problem taking that mission where our own forces would have an ethcal problem.

[eleny]

17. Even BW would have legal problems to overcome

If I recall right from the book, they want to expand to overseas contracts with foreign governments and had to get permission from our government to do so being an American company. But I have no doubt that the Bush administration would make that road slick as snot for them.

I'm concerned about that border, too. Chavez has his hands full with the situation. What gives me hope is how few right wing countries are left in SA. Keeping my fingers crossed that it's too sticky for Bush to take strong steps there. Heck, even too sticky for him to take refuge in Paraguay. I hope the Paraguayans even kick out the Rev. Moon some day. :D

[EFerrari]

21. Now, if we can only help Obama recognize progressive governments

when he sees them, we'll be in good shape. :)

[eleny]

22. We'll have our hands full

But we knew that ever Kucinich dropped out. ;-)

[niyad]

9. not trying anything, just pointing out a few facts, including the fact that

obama has said he won't support the legislation to prohibit those merc companies in war zones, which Sen. Clinton does support.

[babylonsister]

10. Good. Senator Clinton can put forth legislation...in the Senate, if she's

so inclined. I'll be waiting for someone to do something.

[EFerrari]

11. Obama wrote the legislation to hold these mercs accountable

under the law. He was the first one to address the fact that they couldn't be sued in civilian courts, weren't subject to military law or international law.

[Dhalgren]

14. Just out of curiosity, what ARE Obama's intentions

regarding the use of BW in war zones? If Scahill doesn't have it right, what are they? And if no one knows, why doesn't anyone know?

:shrug:

[babylonsister]

28. Google sez he'd insist on accountability:

Obama goes after Blackwater
Posted October 3, 2007 3:03 PM
The Swamp

by John McCormick



IOWA CITY –Sen. Barack Obama charged today that a private security firm operating in Iraq has acted "with reckless disregard to Iraqi life," as he called his proposals to better monitor such contractors the toughest reforms offered by any candidate in the presidential race.

Although Obama has previously mentioned Blackwater USA, the Illinois Democrat drew greater attention to the firm's actions in an extended discussion on the University of Iowa's campus.

"Most contractors act as if the law doesn't apply to them," he said. "Under my plan, if contractors break the law, they will be prosecuted."

In announcing his "Security Contractor Accountability Plan," Obama said he would like to see greater transparency on contractor hiring and costs.

"I've proposed tougher government reforms than any other candidate in this race – reforms that would eliminate the kind of no-bid contracts that this administration has given to Blackwater," he said.

A new congressional report suggested Blackwater employees engaged in nearly 200 shootings in Iraq since 2005, with a vast majority cases being shootings from moving vehicles.

Obama said he would create an entire FBI unit that would be charged with investigating such incidents.

"Given the attention these scandals have generated we can no longer plead ignorance," Obama said.
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[LakeSamish706]

2. In all honesty, under a Barack Obama Presidency I would not worry about...

BlackWater, because he would be able to control these companies as President. If they didn't tow the line he would be in the position to advise changes that would make them. It's under a Cheney, Bush, or McCain Presidency that there is an obvious problem.

[MrCoffee]

4. Whooo....thanks, I needed a laugh.

And that was a DUzy!

[LakeSamish706]

6. I'm happy to accommodate.. n/t

[EFerrari]

5. The real danger from BW once Little Bush is out of office

isn't their government contracts but their contracts with private companies. And make no mistake about it, BW can't be reformed. They are a right wing, white supremest, fundy nightmare with the ethics of sewage.

[midnight]

8. The writing has been on the wall for some time.

Jeremy Scahill: Despite Antiwar Rhetoric, Clinton-Obama Plans Would Keep US Mercenaries, Troops in Iraq for Years to Come
Jeremy Scahill reports Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will not “rule out” using private military companies like Blackwater Worldwide in Iraq. Obama also has no plans to sign on to legislation that seeks to ban the use of these forces in US war zones by January 2009. Despite their antiwar rhetoric, both

How can we bring home the troops when our Democratic leaders :Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton have adopted the congressional Democratic position that would leave open the option of keeping tens of thousands of US troops in Iraq for many years.

[niyad]

12. the silence from obama's supporters on this board about scahill's comments

on that previous episode of DN has been very interesting.

[EFerrari]

15. What? It sounds like you didn't watch the episode or read the transcript. n/t

[niyad]

18. really? how in the world do you figure that? in view of the fact that I commented

on that segment, and posted it? nice try at distraction, though.

[EFerrari]

20. There's nothing in your "remarks" that shows you've watched

or read.

And, there is no "silence" on this thread. You've received several responses.

[niyad]

23. really? nothing shows I read or watched? and how do you come to this

conclusion? by the way, you might try noticing that the "silence" referred to posts about scahill's previous segment.

but that's okay, you just keep trying to distract from observations about his statements and intentions. I really need the humour today.

[EFerrari]

24. I'll chat with you all you want about Scahill, BW and Obama.

I've done a ton of work on Black Water. But, you don't really want that. You seem to want to clobber Obama for positions he doesn't hold or something. Chose your own adventure.

[niyad]

26. you have no idea what I really want, but you are welcome to your assumptions.

glad you have done so much work on blackwater. please do tell me who published it, so that I can read the material.

as for you saying that I want to clobber obama or whatever, you have no clue. again, I am going to point out, carefully, that looking at his positions, his statements (the statements to amy goodman were on tape)and asking questions is actually allowed under our present systems. sorry you have problems with that.

[EFerrari]

27. What questions did you raise in this thread that haven't been answered?

[crankychatter]

19. he's too conservative... he's too liberal ... he's too black... he's not black enough

Scahill is on record as stating unequivocally that Obama's positions are much preferable to Clinton's in this matter

you are bringing up old primary talking points under the guise of constructive criticism

[niyad]

25. no, I am bringing up last night's edition of DN. nice try, though.