Blackwater killers get off on technicality

[wibble]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/31/us-court-dismisses-blackwater-charges

 

No surprise there then.

[Cade]

Yanks letting Yanks off for killing Muslim Civilians??

 

What next?

 

Bears going to the toilet in forests?

Popes being Catholics?

[Cade]

Breaking news!

 

More US hostages being taken in Iraq and immediately executed!

[wibble]

Breaking news!

 

More US hostages being taken in Iraq and immediately executed!

 

... and immediately afterwards people jumping on here to say that it was completely unjustified.

[Brian Whittaker's Tache]

Bad luck for the 6th guy who pleaded guilty already!!

[wibble]

Bad luck for the 6th guy who pleaded guilty already!!

 

 

... and agreed to testify against 5 fellow mercenaries.

 

A hard time in jail and murdered as soon as he gets out.

[Nucky Thompson]

... and immediately afterwards people jumping on here to say that it was completely unjustified.

Do you think that it would be justified

[maltese jambo]

Do you think that it would be justified

 

Don't you think its a bit ridiculous that coalition forces, israeli and anyone who happens to have americas blessing is immediately percieved as justified whereas the second anyone dares stand up for themselves its totally unjustifiable and anyone who dares argues their case is a 'terrorist'?

 

In my opinion anyone who is harmed against has the right to stand up for themselves and im not afraid to say it .

[Say What Again]

Don't you think its a bit ridiculous that coalition forces, israeli and anyone who happens to have americas blessing is immediately percieved as justified whereas the second anyone dares stand up for themselves its totally unjustifiable and anyone who dares argues their case is a 'terrorist'?

 

In my opinion anyone who is harmed against has the right to stand up for themselves and im not afraid to say it .

 

Which surely makes the judge right to dismiss the Blackwater case.

[maltese jambo]

Which surely makes the judge right to dismiss the Blackwater case.

 

Standing up for yourself is a bit different from using weapons when there was no threat necessitating the use of force, whilst fighting an illegal war and occupying a soveriegn country.

[wibble]

Which surely makes the judge right to dismiss the Blackwater case.

 

 

It wasn't dismissed because the mercenaries were considered to be innocent, it was dismissed on a pure technicality.

 

Another ****-up by the septics. Useless bunch of ***** that they are.

 

If they aren't useless then the technicality was a set-up to get the guys off the hook.

 

There will be retribution from the Iraqi's because it shows that the yanks have allowed mercenaries to kill civilians and have let them off scot free. Arguing a technicality with the families of the dead won't cut it.

 

While it would be impossible to say that the future deaths of contractors, journalists etc would be justified, it will certainly be easy to understand why the perpetrators feel like a taste of vengeance.

 

The bad feeling this creates will be massive. The yanks have ****ed up the most important trial in their country in the last 20 years.

[Say What Again]

Standing up for yourself is a bit different from using weapons when there was no threat necessitating the use of force, whilst fighting an illegal war and occupying a soveriegn country.

 

Standing up for yourself. Like executing kidnapped civilians and suicide bombings in crowded markets?

 

I'm not saying what the Blackwater lot did was right or justified, far from it. But you seem to be saying two wrongs make a right.

[Hickups]

Privitised armies should be illegal, their basically contract killers, no better than mafia hitmen.

[maltese jambo]

Standing up for yourself. Like executing kidnapped civilians and suicide bombings in crowded markets?

 

I'm not saying what the Blackwater lot did was right or justified, far from it. But you seem to be saying two wrongs make a right.

 

I see your point mate. Im not trying to justify any of the atrocities that happen day in and day out from both sides; but i think fundamentally particularly in places like Iraq, the occupying forces have absolutly no right to be in the country and things like Blackwater, Abu Gharib and countless other atrocities obviously dont do anything to help the understandable resentment.

 

Im not condoning anything im just saying that oppressed peoples grievances and resentment are understandable.

[wibble]

Standing up for yourself. Like executing kidnapped civilians and suicide bombings in crowded markets?

 

I'm not saying what the Blackwater lot did was right or justified, far from it. But you seem to be saying two wrongs make a right.

 

These weren't terrorists that they killed. It was normal civilians in the street.

[Say What Again]

These weren't terrorists that they killed. It was normal civilians in the street.

 

I'm aware of that.

 

It was this quote from maltese jambo I was referring to:

 

Don't you think its a bit ridiculous that coalition forces, israeli and anyone who happens to have americas blessing is immediately percieved as justified whereas the second anyone dares stand up for themselves its totally unjustifiable and anyone who dares argues their case is a 'terrorist'?

 

I read it that mj seemed to be saying insurgents were simply sticking up for themselves so there actions were justified.

 

Reading mj's post #14 (which I entirely agree with), it's clear I misinterpreted his first post on this thread.

[jambo in iraq]

Privitised armies should be illegal, their basically contract killers, no better than mafia hitmen.

 

with respect mate you haven't got a clue what you are talking about and to be fair your not the only one it would appear.

 

I have been dealing with Security companies in Iraq for the last 5 years and believe me, there are good guys and bad. But to call them contract killers is just bull****.

 

Blackwater are and always have been essentially an extension of the US Military. They were always going to get off with it, end of story.

 

Let me tell you something about Security in Iraq. Without convoy security no medical supplies, provision, re-construction equipment, or charity workers would be able to move around the country. Without them no hospitals would be built, schools repaired or roads and Bridges.

 

You can argue until the sun comes down about the rights and wrongs of the war in Iraq, but not everyone here is a mercinary. Most of the guys working security are honest ex-squaddies who are doing the same job they were trained to do in the army and getting paid well to do it. Who can blame them? have you any idea what a private in the army gets to go through the crap they go through?

[Hickups]

with respect mate you haven't got a clue what you are talking about and to be fair your not the only one it would appear.

 

I have been dealing with Security companies in Iraq for the last 5 years and believe me, there are good guys and bad. But to call them contract killers is just bull****.

 

Blackwater are and always have been essentially an extension of the US Military. They were always going to get off with it, end of story.

 

Let me tell you something about Security in Iraq. Without convoy security no medical supplies, provision, re-construction equipment, or charity workers would be able to move around the country. Without them no hospitals would be built, schools repaired or roads and Bridges.

 

You can argue until the sun comes down about the rights and wrongs of the war in Iraq, but not everyone here is a mercinary. Most of the guys working security are honest ex-squaddies who are doing the same job they were trained to do in the army and getting paid well to do it. Who can blame them? have you any idea what a private in the army gets to go through the crap they go through?

 

Point taken.

[wibble]

with respect mate you haven't got a clue what you are talking about and to be fair your not the only one it would appear.

 

I have been dealing with Security companies in Iraq for the last 5 years and believe me, there are good guys and bad. But to call them contract killers is just bull****.

 

Blackwater are and always have been essentially an extension of the US Military. They were always going to get off with it, end of story.

 

Let me tell you something about Security in Iraq. Without convoy security no medical supplies, provision, re-construction equipment, or charity workers would be able to move around the country. Without them no hospitals would be built, schools repaired or roads and Bridges.

 

You can argue until the sun comes down about the rights and wrongs of the war in Iraq, but not everyone here is a mercinary. Most of the guys working security are honest ex-squaddies who are doing the same job they were trained to do in the army and getting paid well to do it. Who can blame them? have you any idea what a private in the army gets to go through the crap they go through?

 

 

You can argue about calling them contract killers, but they ARE mercenaries. Private contractors getting paid to do a soldiers job are mercenaries.

[jambo in iraq]

You can argue about calling them contract killers, but they ARE mercenaries. Private contractors getting paid to do a soldiers job are mercenaries.

 

ok i take your point. But you could say that about security guards in the uk. the money maybe be more but, so are the dangers.

 

You find in iraq nothing is as clear as you read in the press. Believe me most journos out here never leave their hotels so how can they give you the truth. Someone has to do the security job and these lads, most of which are minimum special forces are the most capable.

[wibble]

ok i take your point. But you could say that about security guards in the uk. the money maybe be more but, so are the dangers.

 

You find in iraq nothing is as clear as you read in the press. Believe me most journos out here never leave their hotels so how can they give you the truth. Someone has to do the security job and these lads, most of which are minimum special forces are the most capable.

 

Regardless of Blackwater's role or the role that these contractors are supposed to play, the actual incident that they were involved in was a crime. The individuals made it clear that they had acted illegally in the statements they had made and one of the 6 was going to testify against the rest. It was only the technicality that got them off and that is going to come back and bite guys like you because of the additional bad feeling that it causes.

 

Would be interested to know your position on private armies like Blackwater. A radical deviation from the norm. These guys may be paid well but operate outside of the full control of the military and have a profit driven agenda.

[jambo in iraq]

Regardless of Blackwater's role or the role that these contractors are supposed to play, the actual incident that they were involved in was a crime. The individuals made it clear that they had acted illegally in the statements they had made and one of the 6 was going to testify against the rest. It was only the technicality that got them off and that is going to come back and bite guys like you because of the additional bad feeling that it causes.

 

Would be interested to know your position on private armies like Blackwater. A radical deviation from the norm. These guys may be paid well but operate outside of the full control of the military and have a profit driven agenda.

 

my dealings with blackwater go back a few years. I work in transport so know most companies here. If asked, would you hire BW? not in a million years. I wouldn't hire any american security, its like putting a target sign on your vehicle. Nevertheless, Private security is necessary because companies need to protect their interests be it cargo or human life.

 

They don't act outwith the law anymore. Yes, when i first arrived maybe, but not now. I used to carry a colt revolver on my shin and a pistol on my waist. Now i would need a strict licence to do that.

[jambo in iraq]

i should say i agree 100% it was a crime.