I’m going about my nightly survey of Blackwater news for today’s Four at Four and I’m reading a background story by Robert O’Harrow Jr. and Dana Hedgpeth in the Washington Post, ‘Building Blackwater‘ about how the company became so large and lucrative, and at the end of the piece there is this passage. Erik Prince, Blackwater CEO and owner, is showing the WaPo reporters, around his “7,000-acre facility in North Carolina known as Blackwater Lodge and Training Center.”
At the center’s original lodge, he proudly pointed out a stuffed bobcat, a wild turkey and a beaver that he recalled killing. The lobby of the Blackwater headquarters resembles a ski lodge with a twist: The front doors feature barrels from .50-caliber machine guns. Inside, a glass showcase displays replicas of guns used to assassinate presidents.
Holy Zarquon’s Singing Fish!
Yes. I’m certain Prince has this collection for a reason — it’s freakin’ scary. For most people, it would just be an eccentric collection, but then most people do not command a large mercenary army. If the U.S. Congress does not stand up now and shut this mercenary CEO down now, then say good bye to the United States of America.
A couple of weeks ago, Naomi Wolf asked Blackwater: Are you scared yet? If you were not worried after you read her diary, then you might want to reconsider.
More from the WaPo article:
Democrats in Congress could not have been clearer how they view Blackwater during a packed oversight hearing last week. The company, lawmakers said, operates as an out-of-control, mercenary force.
As Prince drove around the grounds of his property Monday, six days after the hearing, he still fumed at the accusations…
Prince had become more voluble about his business, but he grew frustrated when pressed about exactly who can hold his growing Blackwater empire accountable. When it comes to his contractors, he said, there’s only so much he can do. It’s up to the Justice Department and the Pentagon to enforce criminal infractions.
In the end, he said, Blackwater is always ultimately answerable as a business to its government customers.
“We’re open honest Americans trying to do a good job,” he said. “If they don’t like what we’re doing then” — he snapped his fingers — “cut off that revenue steam right now.”
Prince is right. Tear up the contracts and shut down Blackwater right now.
13 comments
Skip to comment form
Author
If Erik Prince’s collection isn’t a veiled threat, then life isn’t a very good novel.
I have a collection of every type of shoe left behind at the 1990 Alpine Valley Wisconsin Grateful Dead Shows.
is for governments that have constitutions and the rule of law.
the poster boy for all that is wrong with humans
he is a born again christian… first fucking clue
it is a perversion, this whole company and our relationship to it
not to mention that son-of-a-bitch was born on June 6, 1969… he just freaks me out since the hearings
great essay caveman and tip’d/rec’d at orange as well!!!!
Why don’t they stop the money flow? Perhaps they are too frightened themselves not to pay the vig. Saw an interview with Naomi Kline who wrote Crisis Capitalism and she was talking about the connection between government and these corporate thugs. Think I’ll read it. The same old story this time with global non governmental entities pulling the triggers and raking in the money via the governments, who funnel ours to these criminals.
aleady classify the current government as thugs and Satan inspired Draconian overlords so what would be the difference between current state and Blackwater state?
What is the Congress disapproval rating 89%.