CEO Blackwater graduate of Alberto Gonzalez School of Law?

[Didereaux]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/10/03/MNENSIL30.DTL

"The chairman of the Blackwater private security firm said Tuesday that guards working for his company have "acted appropriately at all times" while protecting U.S. diplomats in Iraq, and accused critics of making "baseless allegations of wrongdoing" against them.

In a contentious hearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Erik Prince said it is up to the Justice Department, not Blackwater, to investigate shootings and other acts of violence involving Blackwater employees and, if warranted, prosecute personnel involved in the deaths of Iraqi civilians.

"We fired him," he said of a drunken Blackwater employee who allegedly shot and killed a security guard of one Iraq's vice presidents Christmas Eve. The man was fined "multiple thousands of dollars," Prince said. "We can't flog him. We can't incarcerate him. That's up to the Justice Department." The guard has not been charged.

But senior State Department officials testified that it remains unclear whether U.S. laws cover contractors.

"The area of laws available for prosecution is very murky," said Richard Griffin, head of the department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. "That lack of clarity is part of the problem."

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Let's see now: First no Blackwater employee has EVER done anything wrong!, but we fired the drunk who went out and shot an Iraqi civilian. Oh and we fined several others for similar acts.

...oh yes, and you can't prosecute these guys that we hire and pay with US tax dollars because they are acting outside the US. hmmmm! Well, we can certainly prosecute the hell out of Dept of State appointees and employess who cover up murder, no matter where it is committed. Perhaps we should proceed upon that course right after we terminate immediately all contracts with private companies providing 'military-like' support?