[lit-ideas] Re: A rose by any other name...
- From: "Julie Krueger" <juliereneb@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:37:57 -0500
Re. Mirembe -- why doesn't anyone ever tell me anything?
Julie Krueger
On 9/18/07, Judith Evans <judithevans1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> 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 <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *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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