Ridgeway, the Blackwater operative, admitted that he and the other Blackwater operatives "opened fire with automatic weapons and grenade launchers on unarmed civilians." None of the victims that day "was an insurgent," he said, adding that "many were shot while inside of civilian vehicles that were attempting to flee." Full Story »
Posted by Randy Morrow - via The Nation
A story every American should read to become fully aware of just how destructive Blackwater has been to our efforts in Iraq. The article completely fails, however, to answer the question it poses: "Why, indeed, is Blackwater still being used." A larger question is just as important: " Why have we gone in the direction of using mercenaries at all?" Without even the veneer of professionalism associated with formal military training, we can expect nothing better from Blackwater--or any other mercenary organization. The use of mercenaries to pursue military objectives was a feature of the Roman empire before its demise, and I believe it signals an important moral failing
Frankly, I thought Blackwater was long gone. The only positive note here is that some Blackwater guards drew their weapons on their murderous associates--I wish they had followed through and simply killed the bastards.