[lit-ideas] Re: A rose by any other name...
- From: "Lawrence Helm"<lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:31:31 +0000
I quoted the entire thing.
But if you want to see it on the Blackwater site, it is under Media/ Reference
Materials /Myths vs Reality. http://www.blackwaterusa.com/media/myths.asp
Lawrence
------------Original Message------------
From: "Judith Evans" <judithevans1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, Sep-18-2007 10:20 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: A rose by any other name...
I can't find a Myths V Realities section there, Lawrence; could you please post
the url?
Judy Evans, Cardiff
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 6:06 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: A rose by any other name...
I read the material in the site Judy posted:
http://prairieweather.typepad.com/the_scribe/2007/03/blackwater_usa_.html The
NPR interview was long but the factual material was very short. It was mostly
taken up with Leftist innuendo and speculation. Apparently Blackwater is used
to that. They have posted a "Myths vs Reality of Blackwater" page on their web
site:
http://www.blackwaterusa.com/
Notice especially that the Blackwater 100,000-man army consists of between 1000
and 2000 people world wide.
Lawrence
Myths vs. Reality of Blackwater USA
Myth: Blackwater USA is a “private army.”
Reality:
Blackwater is a team of military and law enforcement veterans and other
motivated, capable Americans who protect diplomats, provide training, and offer
logistic services. Blackwater only conducts defensive missions and currently
has no Department of Defense contracts in Iraq.
Myth: Blackwater has approximately 100,000 contractors deployed in Iraq.
Reality:
Blackwater has approximately between one and two thousand contractors deployed
worldwide. The 100,000 figure is an estimate of the total number of
contractors in Iraq for all companies, including dish washers, food servers,
drivers etc., the majority of which are Iraqi nationals.
Myth: Most of Blackwater’s work with the U.S. Government is based on “no-bid”
contracts that rely on political connections.
Reality:
Every one of our contracts was based on Blackwater’s merits and capability to
do the job. No-bid contracts result from urgent and compelling needs of the
U.S. Government; not political connections. The few contracts that were not
bid account for only a few percent of our revenue—more than 90% of our
contracts, and our revenue, came via competitive bidding.
Myth: Blackwater contractors earn much more money than members of the U.S.
Armed Forces.
Reality:
Contrary to numerous media reports, no Blackwater contractor is paid $1,000 per
day. Depending on engagement, contractors are paid between $450 and $650 per
day. Blackwater contractors work temporarily and are paid only for the days
they work, unlike members of the U.S. military who are paid a salary. Also
unlike military members who enjoy a well deserved and rich benefits package,
Blackwater security professionals receive only pay, no benefits. After paying
federal taxes, including Social Security matching, and covering health care and
retirement payments, private contractors’ take-home pay is often less than the
full compensation package many U.S. servicemen earn when salary and benefits
are included.
Myth: Blackwater contractors are unaccountable under U.S. and international
laws.
Reality:
Blackwater is accountable under the U.S. Constitution, international treaties,
U.S. regulations, defense trade controls acts and numerous U.S. statutes.
Specifically, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) applies to
contractors accompanying the total force and the Military Extraterritorial
Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) creates jurisdiction for federal court trials. Any
wrongdoing is covered under statutes such as the War Crimes Act, the Victims of
Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, the Anti-Torture Statute, the Defense
Base Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and many other domestic and
international regulations. Blackwater advocates stricter enforcement of
existing laws.
Myth: It is “wrong” to have contractors working with the U.S. military.
Reality:
Blackwater professionals are former servicemen and law enforcement personnel
who continue to serve their country with duty and honor, selflessly placing
their lives at risk to serve at the behest of the United States Government.
Thirty of Blackwater’s contractors have been killed. No one who Blackwater has
protected has ever been killed or seriously injured.
Myth: Blackwater’s founder and CEO is a “Christian supremacist.”
Reality:
Blackwater’s founder and CEO is a Roman Catholic. His views, which are hardly
radical, are shared by over 1 billion Catholics worldwide. Blackwater employs
people of many different religious beliefs.
Myth: Blackwater’s work in providing security in dangerous places is its core
competency.
Reality:
Blackwater’s core competency is in training military and law enforcement
personnel. Our training facility in Moyock, NC existed long before the war in
Iraq and has trained more than 100,000 military and law enforcement
professionals since its inception.
Myth: Blackwater lures people away from serving in the U.S. military.
Reality:
Blackwater does not recruit active duty military personnel. Blackwater
encourages servicemen to remain in the U.S. Armed Forces. A recent GAO report
found that private security companies such as Blackwater have had no measurable
impact on military retention.
Myth: Tension is high and coordination is poor between military forces and
Blackwater professionals deployed throughout the world.
Reality:
Blackwater professionals, most of whom formerly served in the U.S. military,
often serve in support of the U.S. military. Coordination between private
security contractors and the military has greatly improved thanks to the U.S.
Regional Cooperation Offices.
------------Original Message------------
From: "Judith Evans" <judithevans1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, Sep-18-2007 8:37 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: A rose by any other name...
I have, of course, no idea what happened in this instance. But I am concerned
about Blackwater. I've read various in-depth accounts, this is the only
thing I could find quickly (I hadn't read it before).
http://prairieweather.typepad.com/the_scribe/2007/03/blackwater_usa_.html
Judy Evans, Cardiff
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