Despite shooting 17 innocent Iraqi civilians last year in one incident, the US private security firm, Blackwater, has had it's contract renewed by the US government.
After the incident, the US installed Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, setup an investigation and concluded that Blackwater had no right to shoot the civilians because there was no grounds for them to fire. 1
Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh stated that
What they committed is considered a crime of deliberate killing and they must be held accountable according to the law... [There was] no evidence that the Blackwater convoy came under any direct or indirect fire, or that it was even hit by stones. 2
A US Congressional report released last year said Blackwater had been involved in at least 195 shooting incidents in Iraq since 2005. In 84 per cent of those cases, it said Blackwater personnel were the first to open fire. 3
In November 2007, the FBI stated that in the incident in which 17 civilians were killed, at least 14 of them were unjustified with a separate military review concluding that all the killings were unjustified. 4
However, the Iraq government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh, looks like he has changed his tune.
The demands of the Iraqi Government have been taken into consideration and Blackwater will follow the Iraqi Government's laws...We were never against Blackwater's work in Iraq, but the company has committed a mistake. 5
What a complete back flip! One second the Iraqi government is completely pissed that 17 innocent civilians were killed with their own investigation showing there there was no evidence of Blackwater being under fire, and now the Iraqi government has no problems with Blackwater being in the country. Say what!?
The Iraqi people are less sympathetic to the Blackwater contract renewal.
Naseer Kahdim, an Iraqi soldier said
These companies should be removed from the country. They don't deserve to stay here a moment. They committed massacres and killed innocent people. 6
Saleem al-Jubouri from the mainly Sunni Arab Accordance Front bloc, said
So far we haven't passed laws governing the work of foreign companies. The Government should have shown its influence and authority by taking the initiative...But the Americans want to show that Iraq is under their control. It's a violation of the Iraqi judicial system. 6
Finally, Abbas Hasoun who is an ordinary grocer said
Renewing this contract means we will see this sort of thing again in the streets...I wish we could turn the page on this, but keeping this company here means bloodshed will continue. 7
It's very clear to most people, that the US will continue to be a presence in Iraq. Tactically, it is in their best interest to have a base in Iraq which neighbors the other "axis of evil" country, Iran. Having a private security firm which is out of the hands of the US government ensures that Iraq stays in order even when the US military slowly starts to retreat from the country.
There just seems to be so many pieces of the puzzle missing over the Blackwater shooting and the Iraqi governments complete 180 degree turn on the situation. I wonder what was said behind closed doors?
- Beju -
