Throw the Bloody Blackwater Bastards Out!

Were the Geek the letter writing type, he would be tempted to write to the Iraq Ambassador to the United States. The purpose would be to offer advice.

The advice would be simple. Since the current American administration and Congress are both too spineless and too enamored of what Texans call big "bidness" to do the job, you have to do it. You have to evict Blackwater USA immediately and without undue ceremony.

It's in your country's best interests to kick Blackwater's gun-totting, rent-a-thugs out. Right now.

Because of the dilatory practices of the Pentagon, to say nothing of major Constitutional questions, the trigger-pullers responsible for the most recent unnecessary wasting of Iraqi civilian lives will never stand before a court-martial.

The Geek is certain that the Iraqi government was relieved a year or so back when Congress passed legislation placing employees of contractors such as Blackwater under military law. It seemed to be a step up from the regulation promulgated by Paul (I'm-in-charge-here) Bremer during his period as American pro-consul.

The Bremer regulation was redolent of extraterritoriality such as practiced by the US and other powers in China. Bremer, showing his usual ignorance of history and contempt for reality, dictated that employees of foreign contractors in Iraq would be exempt from Iraqi criminal jurisdiction. Undoubtedly, the neo-con nitwits at the Pentagon assured all who expressed a concern that this diktat was simply the equivalent to the many status-of-forces agreements extant between the US and host governments around the world.

That just ain't so.

The correct analogy would be the extraterritoriality treaties (aka unequal treaties) between the Great Powers and China. This get-out-of-jail-free agreements were justified by the bland assertion that citizens of "advanced" countries must not be subjected to the codes and processes of "lesser breeds without the law."

To mention that these treaties were resented by the government of the "lesser breed" would seem unnecessary.

While the Bremer voyage back to the "good old days" of extraterritoriality has ended, the court-martial alternative is unrealistic. No procedures have been established to implement the law. Severe Constitutional questions must be addressed at some time in the future to see if the law even passes muster.

In effect, extraterritoriality still exists! With a difference--the likelihood that any Blackwater gunslinger would ever stand trial in any American court is so close to zero that you would need an electron microscope to find it.

Of course, the Iraqi Ambassador would realize that jurisdiction would never be granted by Washington to an Iraqi court--even if a Blackwater shooter is seen plugging a baby on video. After all, the Iraqi's are one of those "lesser breeds without the law." It's OK with us if they string up Saddam, but throw one of our people in an Iraqi slam? Forget it!

While you're at it, Mr Ambassador, you might advise your government to take a hard look at the latest wrinkle in the security contracting bidness. Hiring East African nationals.

You read that right. US and other foreign providers of security services in Iraq are seeking to widen their profit margins by hiring less expensive personnel from Kenya and other East African nations (Somalia perhaps? Those boys have a lot of recent experience with security in a violent environment. Hmmm.)

Without some quick, accurate thinking and fast action, the Iraqi government might find itself with even more unhappy (and dead) civilians on its collective hands. What a vision to consider! Foreign companies hiring third country nationals to protect fourth country nationals in Iraq. With nobody from the shooters on the street to the bosses in the boardrooms having more than a theoretical legal accountability for their actions.

The Iraqi government may not be able to agree on oil revenue sharing, oil field development, power sharing among the various factions. But, it ought to be able to agree that Iraqi civilians dying as unaccountable foreigners put another notch on their weapons is a poor idea.

In short, throw the foreign security firms out. If the Coalition Forces including the Iraqi military and police forces cannot protect the necessary international civilian presence, then these people, including US Foreign Service and akin personnel have to take their chances. Or be withdrawn.

Congress and the current administration could act. Either or both could require the ending of private security contracts. The Geek won't hold his breath though. Congress and the current administration are responsible for the presence of Blackwater and other firms.

The current administration has the motto: "Our pencils have no erasers!" Congress has shown itself worthy of Theodore Roosevelt's famed quip, "I've met banana splits with more backbone."

Is it likely that either will step up and demand an end to both de facto extraterritoriality and the presence of private armies?

What do you think?

Get a grip on this.

Blackwater USA and others of its ilk don't protect US interests. Blackwater USA and its ilk don't help develop security and stability in Iraq.

Blackwater USA and others of its ilk only help al-Qaeda in Iraq and similar groups. Blackwater USA is in effect America's enemy.