Is it possible that the likes of Blackwater have f-ed up Military missions in Iraq?

[patrice]

I know I'm asking you to guess at a hypothetical and, for some reason, hypotheticals are not PC, but what do you think? And why?

Aside from crippling fraud, waste and financial abuse, in regard to whatever it was (???) that the U.S. was trying to do militarily in Iraq, could Blackwater and other private Soldiers of Fortune have screwed up "our" military missions?

[TomInTib]

1. Without a doubt.

They are clearly operating totally clear of any RoE and that will screw with any organized strategy.

The Brass must be seething with anger and frustration.

[movonne]

3. 2nd Damn right

[tridim]

2. Yes, but our "military mission" was f-ed up from the beginning because Bush went to war on lies

Blame Blackwater, but let's not forget who sent them there.

[okasha]

4. In one word:

Fallujah.

[Solly Mack]

5. Most definitely

[Maq]

6. Mercenary business 101

It is in the best interests of the military arm(y) of the republican party to degrade the effectiveness of the US Armed Forces to ensure the profits of the private military corporations. They are in direct competition with the US Armed Forces.

Business 101.


Erik Prince the principal of the Blackwater military is the son in law of Richard Devos, AMWAY the multi level marketing corporation.

[PA Democrat]

7. According to US military officers, YES.

Colonel Thomas Hammes, the US military official once overseeing the creation of a new Iraqi military, has described driving around Iraq with Iraqis and encountering Blackwater operatives. " were running me off the road. We were threatened and intimidated," Hammes said. But, he added, "they were doing their job, exactly what they were paid to do in the way they were paid to do it, and they were making enemies on every single pass out of town." Hammes concluded the contractors were " hurting our counterinsurgency effort."

Brigadier General Karl Horst, deputy commander of the 3rd Infantry Division said of private security contractors, "These guys run loose in this country and do stupid stuff. There's no authority over them, so you can't come down on them hard when they escalate force.... They shoot people, and someone else has to deal with the aftermath. It happens all over the place." Horst tracked contractor conduct for a two month period in Baghdad and documented at least a dozen shootings of Iraqi civilians by contractors, resulting in six Iraqi deaths and the wounding of three others. That is just one General in one area of Iraq in just 60 days.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071008/scahill0921

[american_typeculture]

8. It's proven.

The PMCs get all bogged down and have to call in for military backup. So the military is pulled off of essential missions to rescue a bunch of yahoos and mavericks.

[tekisui]

9. Yes, and perhaps intentionally.

[patrice]

11. All of this is kind of a new idea to me.

It occurred to me that there was some sort of other, un-seen, actor in Abu Ghraib, but I hadn't thought about intention yet.

[tekisui]

12. Greater Instability=Longer Presence=More Profits

for all contractors in Iraq. Plus, its easier to suppress or steal Iraqi oil.

[daninthemoon]

10. I'm certain they've gotten USsoldiers killed and maimed. Not to

mention countless innocents. Bang, bang shoot'em up. Yeehaw. And it's all blood on our hands, from our taxes, and our legislators.