Black Waters Run Deep (Part I)
Have you heard of Blackwater USA? If not, it’s time you did because they may soon be playing an important role in border enforcement.
Blackwater is a private security firm, a.k.a paramilitary group, that is already quite established in Iraq. There are as many as 126,000 “contractors” over there now. Chris Hedges points out in his excellent article, “What if Our Mercenaries Turn on Us?” that Americans have so far paid $4 billion to private armed security companies such as Blackwater, thus making our presence in Iraq quite the lucrative venture.
When Blackwater made its way into New Orleans, the US Government paid them $240,000 per day. As Hedges points out, the black uniformed and heavily armed security guards that patrolled the streets may be a sneak peek at what’s to come. As long as there is unrest… Blackwater is there.
Blackwater was founded by Eric Prince, one of Bush’s buddies and also closely aligned with the radical Christian Right. “What he and his allies have built,” explains Hedges, “is a mercenary army, paid for with government money, which operates outside the law and without constitutional constraint.” A 2004 edict protects all private contractors in Iraq from prosecution.
Hedges compares Blackwater to the Praetorian Guard of ancient Rome:
The Praetorian Guard in ancient Rome was a paramilitary force that defied legal constraints, made violence part of the political discourse, and eventually plunged the Roman Republic into tyranny and despotism. Despotic movements need paramilitary forces that operate outside the law, forces that sow fear among potential opponents, and are capable of physically silencing those branded by their leaders as traitors. And in the wrong hands, a Blackwater could well become that force.
It is especially important to be aware of Blackwater now that they are building a training camp in San Diego County. Nancy Conroy gives a detailed account of what’s happening here. Here is just a brief look at why we should be concerned:
A Blackwater camp on the border may be a covert attempt to militarize the border without going through congressional oversight or public debate. A so-called “training camp” could probably also function as an operational base. Perhaps Blackwater will obtain government contracts to patrol the border, gradually edging out US agents and putting border security into the hands of a private army away from public scrutiny.
And Blackwater could run immigrant detention camps using the same methods they use in the Middle East. Even if this is not the plan, the Mexicans would have good reason to suspect this motivation.
Blackwater in New Orleans
Source: thepeoplesvoice.org