Blackwater

So... this is interesting. If you don't know what "Blackwater" is, then you aren't paying attention. Check it out. I heard about Blackwater last year during the election for governor last year. My friend Jay told me about them. Here are some interesting things about Blackwater

1. They are a mercenary group which is hired for private protection in volatile areas. The obvious hot spot right now is in Iraq. Here is my understanding, and I'd love and welcome correction if I get the facts wrong.

2. They were started by one of the Prince kids from Holland. Erik Prince went to Holland Christian and was/is a Navy Seal. His father is very rich and he used some of the family money to start a training school in S. Carolina to train these mercenaries.

3. How I understand it, they don't have to follow the same rules of engagement as the military and don't really have to follow and rules at all. I think they get their license to practice mercenary type things from the State Department and don't really have to follow Iraqi law.

4. So when they kill at least 11 civilians and Iraq says they must leave, they don't have to listen because they don't really answer to the Iraqi gov't. It's a sweet deal for these businessmen. They can keep their constituents happy and safe because they can carry out operations and violence that not even our military can. They can guarantee safety because at any hint of danger, they can start blasting. The problems with this are obvious.

5. Dick Devos's daughter is married to Erik Prince. There is a lot of Michigan money tied up in this whole thing. A lot of West Michigan money. Two families from our area that are very influential and thought of highly.

I wonder how the U.S. will handle this. The Press today interviewed a "senior military official" that said that this most recent scandal was bigger than Abu Graib. That's frickin' scary!

This is the scariest part:

"Meanwhile, the State Department interceded in a congressional investigation of Blackwater last week, ordering the company not to disclose information about its Iraq operations without approval from the Bush administration."

Well, if we can't trust the Bush administration to give it to us straight, then who can we trust. I'm sure Cheney will look over the material and let us know exactly what we need to know.

God save us from this war. Give us a way out that will glorify you and waste as few lives as is possible. Help us to love our enemies and to do what is right for all involved rather than seeking our own benefit.