Iraq - Ministry Expands Blackwater Investigation

Via The Guardian comes an AP report that the Iraqi Interior Ministry is expanding its investigation into Blackwater, the U.S.-based private mercenary company headquartered in Moyock, N.C.

According to the Ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, Blackwater has been implicated in six other incidents over the past seven months, including a Feb. 7 shooting outside Iraqi state television in Baghdad in which three building guards were fatally shot.

Khalaf said other incidents include: a Sept. 9 shooting in front of Baghdad's municipal government building that killed five people and wounded 10; a Sept. 12 shooting that wounded five on the capital's Palestine Street; a Feb. 4 shooting near the Foreign Ministry, in which Iraqi journalist Hana al-Ameedi died; a May shooting near the Interior Ministry that claimed the life of a passer-by and a Feb. 14 incident in which Blackwater employees allegedly smashed windshields by throwing bottles of ice water at cars.

What the fuck is this about? Why is our government using our tax dollars to let some bunch of thugs run riot on the streets of a tiny foreign country that never did shit to us? Killing with impunity, terrorizing innocent civilians, burning a baby alive till its stuck to its mother's burned corpse?

Our Congresscritters need to cut every cent that is earmarked for private mercenaries, beginning with Blackwater who are the most egregious of the offenders:

According to Khalaf, eight died at the scene and 15 were wounded, three of whom later died in hospital. He said other security companies have ``committed violations'' in Iraq but all ``apologized for these violations, met the families of the victims and compensated them, something Blackwater hasn't done.''

As Ms. Manitoba says, IMPEACH NOW!!! And impeach Cheney first. Nothing else will keep these miserable ghouls from continuing to kill innocent people every single day.

Stumble It!