White House Goes Silent On Blackwater: It's All "Under Review"

[babylonsister]

Blackwater Immunity Draws Criticism


LARA JAKES JORDAN | October 30, 2007 05:36 PM EST | AP

WASHINGTON — Democrats criticized the Bush administration Tuesday for giving immunity to Blackwater USA bodyguards, calling the move a failure to hold the security contractors responsible for the shooting deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians.

The State Department, whose investigators initially promised to shield the bodyguards' statements in the criminal inquiry of the Sept. 16 shootings, maintained that any lawbreakers "must be held to account" as a result of the inquiry that has since been taken over by the Justice Department and FBI.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, who sits on two Senate panels that oversee the State Department and the Justice Department, called the immunity deal an example of "the amnesty administration."

The offer for limited immunity has delayed the government's criminal inquiry of the shootings that enraged the Iraqi government, and threatens to derail prosecution as investigators seek other evidence from the crime scene now six weeks cold.

"In this administration, accountability goes by the boards," said Leahy. "That goes equally for misconduct and for incompetence. If you get caught, they will get you immunity. If you get convicted, they will commute your sentence."

Sen. Barack Obama, the Illinois Democrat running for president, demanded to know whether Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was aware of the immunity offers and agreed with it. In a letter to Rice Tuesday, Obama asked whether the FBI and Justice Department were consulted before limited immunity was offered.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20071030/blackwater-prosecutions/

[pinto]

1. Glad to see this getting some legs. It's one aspect of the dark underbelly of our occupation.

Folks minds seem to blank at the enourmous dollar costs, some may grow numb at the daily 'x personnel killed in insurgent attack' - yet this is another chink in the wall of secrecy Bushco has built around the whole scenario. A rogue private army, with little to no oversight, has to unsettle the most ardent supporters of the misadventure.

I yet hold out that hope.

[crickets]

2. Who exactly has the authority to offer immunity?

Obama asked whether the FBI and Justice Department were consulted before limited immunity was offered.

Good question.

K&R

[babylonsister]

5. I don't think anyone knows who actually authorized this. That's the

flaming question imo. Everyone's pointing at everyone else.

[crickets]

8. Aha! Situation normal, etc. Thank you. (edited)

ETA

Wait, I spoke too soon, and should have read this article more carefully:

Reports of Blackwater immunity deal embarrass Rice
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071030/ts_alt_afp/iraqusunrestsecurityblackwater_071030204634

Reports that State Department investigators offered an immunity deal to security guards accused of shooting dead 17 Iraqis dealt an embarrassing blow to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday.

...Most of the guards involved in the shooting were promised they would not be prosecuted for anything they said in interviews as long as their statements were truthful, the Times reported.

State Department official Sean McCormack refused to confirm the reports on Tuesday, saying only that "the Department of State cannot immunize an individual from federal criminal prosecution.

"The kinds of, quote, 'immunity' that I've seen reported in the press would not preclude a successful criminal prosecution," he added. (more)

I see egg on lots of faces, boohoo.


There's a DU post here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2167512

[begin_within]

3. How could any of them not know about it? Bremer signed Order 17 on June 27, 2004

It's crucial to the contractors' existence in Iraq. I can't believe any of those people did not know about it for the last 3 years.

[spanone]

4. they know, they lie.

[babylonsister]

6. Bremer signed for immunity for contractors in Iraq, but not here I don't think. nt

[librechik]

7. isn't there a couple of ongoing investigations they can hide behind?

jeezuzzz