Comments on: The Blackwater Showdown — Clear As Mud http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/ west coast cap peelers Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:18:37 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: sarabeth http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-75036 sarabeth Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:46:54 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-75036 Don't mind him, folks. It's all those fumes. They're especially strong in the region where his head is so firmly lodged. And what's with the gun bit? To be saying that <em>now</em> when it's pretty damn clear that no one was shooting at the Blackwater guards on Nisoor Square on Sep. 16 suggests something a lot more serious than head-deep-in-ass syndrome. For the record, the behavior of the Blackwater guards in question is best described as "Let's shoot first and then if somebody actually asks questions afterwards this time, we'll just say If someone pointed a gun at us". Don’t mind him, folks. It’s all those fumes. They’re especially strong in the region where his head is so firmly lodged.

And what’s with the gun bit? To be saying that now when it’s pretty damn clear that no one was shooting at the Blackwater guards on Nisoor Square on Sep. 16 suggests something a lot more serious than head-deep-in-ass syndrome.

For the record, the behavior of the Blackwater guards in question is best described as “Let’s shoot first and then if somebody actually asks questions afterwards this time, we’ll just say If someone pointed a gun at us”.

]]> By: dogallama http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-75035 dogallama Mon, 31 Dec 2007 06:43:30 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-75035 The men and women at Blackwater are doing a job that the no one else can do. As for Bill Mathews...he is a great guy...served his country and still does. If someone points a gun at me...I would shoot first and then ask questions afterwards...it is tough to do it in a different order. The men and women at Blackwater are doing a job that the no one else can do. As for Bill Mathews…he is a great guy…served his country and still does. If someone points a gun at me…I would shoot first and then ask questions afterwards…it is tough to do it in a different order.

]]> By: sarabeth http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-60573 sarabeth Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:29:28 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-60573 For the record, I had emailed Bill Matthews on the 18th, inviting him to respond to 4. He didn't reply. For the record, I had emailed Bill Matthews on the 18th, inviting him to respond to 4. He didn’t reply.

]]> By: sarabeth http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-60572 sarabeth Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:27:07 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-60572 With reference to 3 and 4, <em>WaPo</em> sheds some light on why Blackwater may be <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/22/AR2007092201424_2.html" rel="nofollow">keen to avoid</a> the licensing process: <blockquote>The Iraqis were concerned that the firm had refused to obtain a license to operate legally in Iraq, a process that required companies to provide sensitive personnel data and submit to weapons inspections.</blockquote> With reference to 3 and 4, WaPo sheds some light on why Blackwater may be keen to avoid the licensing process:

The Iraqis were concerned that the firm had refused to obtain a license to operate legally in Iraq, a process that required companies to provide sensitive personnel data and submit to weapons inspections.

]]> By: chatterbox http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-60460 chatterbox Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:10:58 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-60460 baikonur, I believe sarabeth is saying that the Iraqi government is using the Blackwater incident as a point of leverage -- not merely as a means to gain American attention. If you don't have the ability to do something but you have the ability to do something that may be perceived by our government as much worse, that something much worse can be used as a point of leverage to obtain the first thing. In this case something worse, by our government's estimation, is the expulsion of Iraq and the first thing is the ability to prosecute private security forces operating on Iraqi soil. Either way, a precedent is going to be set that will strengthen Iraqi sovereignty. Interesting analysis sarabeth. I appreciate your insight on the subject. baikonur, I believe sarabeth is saying that the Iraqi government is using the Blackwater incident as a point of leverage — not merely as a means to gain American attention.

If you don’t have the ability to do something but you have the ability to do something that may be perceived by our government as much worse, that something much worse can be used as a point of leverage to obtain the first thing. In this case something worse, by our government’s estimation, is the expulsion of Iraq and the first thing is the ability to prosecute private security forces operating on Iraqi soil. Either way, a precedent is going to be set that will strengthen Iraqi sovereignty.

Interesting analysis sarabeth. I appreciate your insight on the subject.

]]> By: baikonur http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-60458 baikonur Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:44:45 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-60458 I guess I find your attitude towards the Iraqi government a bit puzzling. Do you really think they brought up the Blackwater incident merely as a means of getting American attention? That's a rather condescending view to take of the Iraqis -- who you seem to believe constitute a "sovereign nation" who should be able to expel whomever thry want. Iraq is an occupied country and can't make all its own rules -- wny isn't this clear? I guess I find your attitude towards the Iraqi government a bit puzzling. Do you really think they brought up the Blackwater incident merely as a means of getting American attention? That’s a rather condescending view to take of the Iraqis — who you seem to believe constitute a “sovereign nation” who should be able to expel whomever thry want. Iraq is an occupied country and can’t make all its own rules — wny isn’t this clear?

]]> By: sarabeth http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-60457 sarabeth Wed, 19 Sep 2007 16:42:18 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-60457 I've never had anyone <em>thank</em> me for writing a post before. Thank <em>you</em>! I’ve never had anyone thank me for writing a post before.

Thank you!

]]> By: somegril http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-60449 somegril Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:39:07 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-60449 best post i've seen on this! thanks! i'll be stopping in here more often. best post i’ve seen on this! thanks! i’ll be stopping in here more often.

]]> By: sarabeth http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-60406 sarabeth Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:35:36 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-60406 That then raises the question of why Blackwater had a license before, and why it now has a license renewal in process. That then raises the question of why Blackwater had a license before, and why it now has a license renewal in process.

]]> By: Bill Mathews http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/comment-page-1/#comment-60403 Bill Mathews Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:25:08 +0000 http://www.1115.org/2007/09/18/the-blackwater-showdown-%e2%80%94-clear-as-mud/#comment-60403 Sarabeth: Your analysis is, indeed, very accurate. As to the license issue, the last paragraph of CPA Memo 17 excludes private security companies from obtaining a license from the MOI if they are serving the diplomatic mission. Bill Mathews, Executive Vice President, Blackwater USA Sarabeth: Your analysis is, indeed, very accurate. As to the license issue, the last paragraph of CPA Memo 17 excludes private security companies from obtaining a license from the MOI if they are serving the diplomatic mission. Bill Mathews, Executive Vice President, Blackwater USA

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