Your Tax Dollars At Work
In the wake of the Blackwater shootings in Iraq, has anybody noticed much reporting on Blackwater's CEO and founder, Erik Prince? I, for one, would like to know why no bid contracts for "security" in Iraq, Afghanistan, and New Orleans were given to a company headed by a right-wing, billionaire, Republican Jesus freak. Oh, because the Bush administration, recipient of much of Blackwater's largesse, gave them contracts straight out and through Halliburton.
In New Orleans, Blackwater got a contract to provide security - millions (73 of them) that could have been spent on rebuilding or new levees. In Iraq, they're charging us a fortune to kill Iraqi civilians.
Another question: If we actually withdraw our soldiers, how do we know Blackwater won't just stay in Iraq and keep playing video-game shoot-'em-up with living targets? And finally - don't we already pay people to do this sort of thing?
I'm guessing you missed the free-for-all when Jeremy Scahill published his book last year.
Posted by: actor212 | 09/18/2007 at 01:56 PM
It is almost reflexive to point out that the idea of a “Jesus freak” making his living from a trade that requires killing people is at best hypocritical. The more interesting observation is that, despite an endless stream of scandals, the cloak of religion still works. Apparently all one has to do is declare themselves a Christian (or Muslim for that matter) and it is assumed that you are virtuous and morally correct.
In the fable, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the words, “open sesame”, opened the secret door to treasure. Today the magic words to open the doors to the treasure of lucrative government contracts must be, “praise Jesus”.
Posted by: Jerome Llerandi | 09/18/2007 at 02:37 PM
I'm guessing you missed the free-for-all when Jeremy Scahill published his book last year.
I meant lately.
Posted by: blogenfreude | 09/18/2007 at 03:51 PM
I'm more worried about them conquering SoCal.
Posted by: Comandante Agi | 09/18/2007 at 09:24 PM