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September 17, 2007

The Blackwater Incident In Iraq

Blackwater being banned from Iraq by Iraq's Interior Minister, the Islamist - Jawad Bulani, is all over the cable media today, with CNN International putting on what could only be described as an anti-Blackwater hit piece featuring the anti-blackwater, ultra-liberal, author and moonbat exraordinaire - Jeremy Scahill. Blackwater's position is that a State Department convoy protected by Blackwater was violently attacked by armed insurgents, not civilians, and the Blackwater security contractors did their job, as they damned well should have - they fired back to defend human life - their own and the lives of the people their job was to protect:

The deadly incident occurred when a convoy of U.S. personnel protected by Blackwater security contractors came under small arms fire. Blackwater returned fire, resulting in the Iraqi deaths. The loss of life has provoked anger in Baghdad, where the Interior Ministry has suspended Blackwater's license to operate around the country. Several Iraqi government officials have indicated their opposition to Blackwater's continued presence in their country. If the suspension is made permanent, it could significantly impair security for key U.S. personnel in the country, a U.S. official in Baghdad told TIME. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whose State Department depends on Blackwater to protect its Iraq-based staffers, plans to call Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki to say that the U.S. has launched its own investigation into the matter.

... eyewitnesses said the fighting began after an explosion detonated near the U.S. convoy, but the incident report does not reflect that. The Blackwater official declared that, contrary to some reports from Iraq, "the convoy was violently attacked by armed insurgents, not civilians, and our people did their job, they fired back to defend human life." The official said that "Blackwater is contracted to work in a war zone, its personnel are under frequent fire, and all the rules of engagement permit them to defend themselves."

Given the Iraqi Interior minister's quickness to condemn BW, I have a question for him and the media: Why did the Iraqi police join with the attackers in sustaining fire against the convoy from several locations in Al-Nissur Square - after the suicide attacker exploded his vehicle? From reliable (non-BW) sources that were there - that is what happened!

Were the BW personnel suppose to refrain from returning fire at those that were trying to kill them and those in the convoy?

Posted by Richard at September 17, 2007 4:54 PM