As Congress investigates, we learn. Lately, they have been investigating a company called Blackwater. Some think it sounds like backwater; I think it sounds like Black Ops. Freudian? No matter. I had a bunch of questions that I was hoping would be asked and answered, but they weren’t. This leaves me confused. What else is new?
First, why does the state department have a billion dollar contract with Blackwater, a private company, to protect American officials in Iraq? Don’t we have a bunch of people in uniform over there already being paid to serve American interests? Are private contractors needed because our Army can’t do it? If our Army can’t do it, why don’t we hire Blackwater to fight our wars and disband the Army. It’s very expensive to have an Army, you know. The cost of all those medals alone is staggering.
Second, if Blackwater is a private company, why is it okay for them to shoot people? Would it be okay if Argentina sent some private security guards to protect their officials in the United States and they went around shooting people? Does it matter to an innocent bystander, a child perhaps, whether the bullet comes from an official gun or an unofficial gun? I understand that things are crazy in Iraq and, under those conditions, mistakes will happen. But will the dead child be as understanding as I am?
Third, if Iraq is a sovereign nation with a government and borders, why is Blackwater not subject to its laws? If the Argentinian private security force shot someone on East 46th Street, outside of a certain steakhouse, would we not expect the police to investigate and, perhaps, prosecute under our law? So why is Blackwater beyond the reach of Iraqi law?
I have a great deal of difficulty squaring the rhetoric with the reality. It seems to me that there is no Iraq. Not really. If there was, it would be a sovereign nation that would have a say in who gets to shoot their people. Granted, our Army is all over the place, but thankfully not an occupying force. But if it is not an occupying force, and we are not their colonial rulers, then who’s in charge over there? If we are “helping” them, who are we helping?
While we can support our country, right or wrong, because we are patriots, there remains a question as to whether that extends to these private security guys with guns and bullets and the apparent right to shoot at will. If no one is stopping them, and if they are in someone else’s country but not subject to any restraint over there, then we have a fairly large conceptual gap in Iraq.
I wish Rummy were still on board, because I know that he would be able to explain all of this to me. Instead, this falls into that hole of “unknown unkowns” that makes no sense. And if we are just pretending that there’s a real Iraq over there, when there is no Iraq left and we are indeed colonial rulers, can’t we at least do a better job of it? At least then we can crush resistance and maintain a steady flow of inexpensive oil. If we’re going to stay there “until the job is done,” let’s make it work for us no matter how cynical all our prior efforts at justifying this war become. Otherwise, we not only look foolish and lose young Americans, but nobody is any the better for it. Except Blackwater.
First, why does the state department have a billion dollar contract with Blackwater, a private company, to protect American officials in Iraq? Don’t we have a bunch of people in uniform over there already being paid to serve American interests? Are private contractors needed because our Army can’t do it? If our Army can’t do it, why don’t we hire Blackwater to fight our wars and disband the Army. It’s very expensive to have an Army, you know. The cost of all those medals alone is staggering.
Second, if Blackwater is a private company, why is it okay for them to shoot people? Would it be okay if Argentina sent some private security guards to protect their officials in the United States and they went around shooting people? Does it matter to an innocent bystander, a child perhaps, whether the bullet comes from an official gun or an unofficial gun? I understand that things are crazy in Iraq and, under those conditions, mistakes will happen. But will the dead child be as understanding as I am?
Third, if Iraq is a sovereign nation with a government and borders, why is Blackwater not subject to its laws? If the Argentinian private security force shot someone on East 46th Street, outside of a certain steakhouse, would we not expect the police to investigate and, perhaps, prosecute under our law? So why is Blackwater beyond the reach of Iraqi law?
I have a great deal of difficulty squaring the rhetoric with the reality. It seems to me that there is no Iraq. Not really. If there was, it would be a sovereign nation that would have a say in who gets to shoot their people. Granted, our Army is all over the place, but thankfully not an occupying force. But if it is not an occupying force, and we are not their colonial rulers, then who’s in charge over there? If we are “helping” them, who are we helping?
While we can support our country, right or wrong, because we are patriots, there remains a question as to whether that extends to these private security guys with guns and bullets and the apparent right to shoot at will. If no one is stopping them, and if they are in someone else’s country but not subject to any restraint over there, then we have a fairly large conceptual gap in Iraq.
I wish Rummy were still on board, because I know that he would be able to explain all of this to me. Instead, this falls into that hole of “unknown unkowns” that makes no sense. And if we are just pretending that there’s a real Iraq over there, when there is no Iraq left and we are indeed colonial rulers, can’t we at least do a better job of it? At least then we can crush resistance and maintain a steady flow of inexpensive oil. If we’re going to stay there “until the job is done,” let’s make it work for us no matter how cynical all our prior efforts at justifying this war become. Otherwise, we not only look foolish and lose young Americans, but nobody is any the better for it. Except Blackwater.
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