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Iraqi Government Ejects Blackwater

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 18 2007 5:00 PM

Submitted by Zarth. Edited By erin_broadley.

Hot on the heels of Iceland's critical withdrawal from the Coalition of the Willing, it seems that the Iraqi government is beginning to lose patience with having a 20,000 to 30,000 strong collection of foreign mercenaries on their soil.

After a firefight on Sunday in which Blackwater security contractors allegedly killed eight civilians, the Iraqi Interior Ministry revoked the company's license - banning the company from working in the country - and commenced a criminal investigation into the incident.

The Iraqi government has also vowed to prosecute the contractors involved - a decision likely to provoke tensions with the United States, not only because Blackwater USA is notoriously well-connected, but also because the Coalition Provisional Authority, while in power, decreed that both American soldiers and mercenaries would be immunized from Iraqi prosecution. That decree, Order 17, has apparently never been formally overturned.

Though details of the shooting remain unclear as of this writing, the Iraqis have characterized the incident as a "vicious assault" and "a big crime," while the State Department has issued a singularly lackluster denial.

“There was a firefight,” said Sean McCormack, the principal State Department spokesman. “We believe some innocent life was lost. Nobody wants to see that. But I can’t tell you who was responsible for that.”

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has promised American assistance and support in dealing with the matter.

Blackwater, meanwhile, is less shy about claiming innocence of any wrongdoing.

“The ‘civilians’ reportedly fired upon by Blackwater professionals were in fact armed enemies, and Blackwater personnel returned defensive fire,” said Anne Tyrrell, a company spokeswoman, in an e-mail message. “Blackwater professionals heroically defended American lives in a war zone.”

Heroic or not, the scene was certainly confused. Initial reports indicated that a State Department in Nisour Square had come under fire, but witnesses claim that a pair of car bombs provoked the mercenaries to start shooting "in response" and call in air support.

"The car bomb was in proximity to the place where State Department personnel were meeting, and that was the reason why Blackwater responded to the incident,” he said on a conference call for reporters in Baghdad on Monday afternoon.

Mirenbe Nantongo, an embassy spokeswoman, said directly, “Our people were reacting to a car bombing.”

But typical for Iraq, confusion prevailed over who was firing at whom. Iraqis who had been at the scene said they saw helicopters, though American officials did not speak of air power. Ms. Tyrrell said helicopters came but did not shoot.

A grocery shop owner, Abu Muhammad, reported seeing two helicopters firing down into the area, around the time of the bombing. “I was hearing the shooting continuing every now and then, for about 15 minutes,” he said, adding that the gunfire sounded low and fast, different from the sound of an AK-47 firing.

It's hard to blame a man for shooting some rounds out of his gun after somebody's just tried to blow him up. Nevertheless, it's not clear at this point whether the Blackwater fire was at any point returned.

Regardless, the event has underscored some longstanding criticisms of mercenaries in Iraq.

The deaths on Sunday that were linked to Blackwater have struck a nerve with Iraqis, who say that private security companies are often quick to shoot and are rarely held responsible for their actions.

Moreover, the Iraqi government has used the incident to initiate a thorough review of all mercenary companies currently serving in Iraq, not just Blackwater, emphasizing the growing gap between the political interests of Washington and Baghdad.

60 Comments

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FearTheReaper

NEWSWIRE

I'm lost

SEP 18, 2007 05:15 PM

It might actually do us some good if we allowed the government to prosecute.

zarth

Seattle, WA

December 2004

SEP 18, 2007 05:20 PM

FearTheReaper said:
It might actually do us some good if we allowed the government to prosecute.

Possibly. But that would be opening a hell of a can of worms. It seems unlikely to me (for what it's worth) that the administration is going to want to set that precedent.

mingol

Singapore

July 2005

SEP 18, 2007 05:24 PM

Zarth said:
Possibly. But that would be opening a hell of a can of worms. It seems unlikely to me (for what it's worth) that the administration is going to want to set that precedent.

This administration has so far been completely unwilling to permit anyone connected with it - no matter how remotely - to be held accountable for absolutely anything. So I'm guessing that you're right.

d20

San Francisco, CA

September 2003

SEP 18, 2007 05:42 PM

wouldn't be a kick in the pants if the whole "we'll stand down as they stand up" thing were resolved by the Iraqi government standing up to foreign mercenaries occupying their country? i mean just for the irony of it... it'd be Alanis song worthy.

zarth

Seattle, WA

December 2004

SEP 18, 2007 05:47 PM

mingol said:

Zarth said:
Possibly. But that would be opening a hell of a can of worms. It seems unlikely to me (for what it's worth) that the administration is going to want to set that precedent.

Given their demonstrable corruption and probable criminality, I can't even really blame them.

d20 said:
wouldn't be a kick in the pants if the whole "we'll stand down as they stand up" thing were resolved by the Iraqi government standing up to foreign mercenaries occupying their country? i mean just for the irony of it... it'd be Alanis song worthy.

Maybe. A lot depends on what happens there - whether the government in Baghdad can really advance a plausible, legitimate claim to being a national one.

I'm given to understand that most non-Kurdish Iraqis actually favor that. Sectarian parties have lost a lot of popularity as a result of the violence. Nevertheless, our own policies of strengthening local governments are helping to promote warlordism along with security.

Gerry_D

Los Angeles, CA

May 2003

SEP 18, 2007 05:58 PM

It seems the country may be unable to rid themselves of the armed group calling itself "Blackwater in Iraq"

mingol

Singapore

July 2005

SEP 18, 2007 06:07 PM

Zarth said:

mingol said:
This administration has so far been completely unwilling to permit anyone connected with it - no matter how remotely - to be held accountable for absolutely anything. So I'm guessing that you're right.

Given their demonstrable corruption and probable criminality, I can't even really blame them.

Exactly. I mean, would you want to accept responsibility for this mess? I sure wouldn't.

And by "this mess" I don't only mean Blackwater, or even the whole Iraq war.

OhSoOrdinary

Sunnyside, NY

July 2006

SEP 18, 2007 06:17 PM

I never really understood the necessity of Blackwater in the first place.

Sonofabeach

Camp Pendleton, CA

November 2004

SEP 18, 2007 06:20 PM

I wouldn't be suprised if BlackWater was a fault. I worked with those guys when I was with the SEALS. They are pretty trigger happy.

code_red

Portland, OR

July 2005

SEP 18, 2007 06:25 PM

It's hard to blame a man for shooting some rounds out of his gun after somebody's just tried to blow him up.

If a Soldier or Marine shot randomly after a roadside bomb attack, would you say its understandable?

My point is that for $600/day, they should learn some trigger control.

r00kers

Nederland, CO

February 2003

SEP 18, 2007 06:27 PM

I saw some mention of 'rules of engagement' for the mercs. I wonder what they are and if they are comparable to the military rules of engagement?

I don't think Blackwater will be kicked out. The founders/principals of the company are completely embedded with the neo-con rebublicans and ms. Rice will smooth things out. The Iraqi government has already backpedaled significantly. Maybe Blackwater will have to not shoot so MANY civilians next month.

I find it almost unfathomable that we employ mercenaries. What an ugly, soulless profession.