October 3, 2007
Blackwater Probe Ignores their Perfect Record of Protection
Democrats on the Hill are trying to portray Blackwater Corporation, the security company hired by the State Department to protect its employees in Iraq, as a bunch of out of control cowboys who shoot first and do not differentiate between civilians and insurgents.
But the reality is something a little different as pointed out in StrategyPage.com:
Iraqis are upset with Blackwater International, the security firm that provides protection for American diplomats (and many other VIPs) when they travel about. Blackwater recruits experienced military veterans, especially commandos, to do the job. When Blackwater is attacked, they attack right back. Blackwater's aggressiveness and competence is well known in Baghdad, and Iraqi police and civilians stay out of the way. As a result, Blackwater has never lost any of the State Department people they have escorted. But 30 Blackwater personnel have been killed, along with hundreds of Iraqis (armed and unarmed, the terrorist attacks often use civilians for cover). American politicians, who are opposed to the Iraq war, are joining in to attack Blackwater, and accuse it of misbehavior. The State Department remains silent, but is unwilling to give up Blackwater. There are enough experienced people inside the State Department who understand that Blackwater is professional and effective, and you can't beat a perfect record when it comes to security.A report compiled by Democratic staffers for Representative Waxman's Oversight Committee listed 200 incidents involving Blackwater personnel. The report charges that Blackwater employees open fire on insurgents, hitting civilians in the process, and don't stop to check on the wounded but rather keep their vehicles moving. Now I'm not much of a military man but isn't the whole point of an enemy ambush to disable or stop the vehicles so that the occupants can be trapped and killed? And Democrats are complaining that Blackwater refused to commit suicide by stopping their vehicles after a firefight to help with the wounded?
I am not much enamored with the idea of private security firms being so prevelant in Iraq. But clearly, Blackwater is something of an exception. A perfect security record after 4 years in such a violent land is a record to be proud of.