Blackwater used gas to clear traffic at checkpoint in 2005

[unhappycamper]

Blackwater used gas to clear traffic at checkpoint in 2005
Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Saturday, January 12, 2008

A helicopter and an armored vehicle operated by Blackwater Worldwide released a chemical similar to tear gas at a Baghdad checkpoint in 2005, The New York Times reported Thursday.

A Blackwater convoy appeared to be slowed by traffic and may have used CS gas, normally only used by the U.S. military in Iraq under the strictest conditions, to clear a path, according to officers with the 3rd Infantry Division.

There was no sign of violence at the checkpoint, they told the Times.

No soldiers exposed to the gas required medical attention, and it’s unclear whether any Iraqis did, the paper said.

Anne Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for Blackwater, said in an e-mail to the Times that the Blackwater teams were trying to provide passage for a motorcade. The team mistakenly used CS gas instead of a smoke canister, she said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51559

[RC]

1. A helicopter and an armored vehicle operated by Blackwater BOTH

released the same CS gas by accident? Where is this bridge you want to sell me again?
When are we going to start allowing our solders to defend themselves against attacks by Blackwater? That is what this was. Who is in charge? Our military or Blackwater? I think our military should be and Blackwater should have lost two vehicles. Treat them, Blackwater the same way we would have dealt with the situation if the so called insurgents had done the same thing.
Their arrogant actions put our solders at risk.

Edits - I'll get it correct yet.