How richly ironic that, like the U.S. in Iraq, Blackwater USA is a law unto itself – answerable to no one no matter how questionable its actions may be.
As reported here yesterday, Iraq has withdrawn the license of the controversial security firm, which provides many of the mercenaries who work alongside U.S. troops and diplomats, after company bodyguards allegedly shot dead eight civilians and wounded 13 others in west Baghdad on Sunday.
Blackwater’s distinctive small black helicopters hover in the skies above Baghdad and its armed vehicles shadow convoys of senior officials through the city’s streets but, like the firm’s nominal bosses, under U.S. law it is immunized against prosecution in Iraqi courts.
The only exception would be if the U.S. acceded to such a prosecution, which is beyond unlikely.
Further, under the rules that govern private security contractors in Iraq, the Iraqi government does not have the legal authority to yank its license, while Blackwater may also be immune from prosecution in the U.S. under domestic law. It also is beyond the reach of international law because previous presidential administrations — and not just the Bush administration — have rejected the jurisdiction of international courts.
The incident, which followed a mortar attack near where State Department personnel were meeting, has become a diplomatic row of the first water and further inflamed anti-U.S. feelings.
There are more than 180,000 private contractors, including mercenaries, in Iraq. Astoundingly, this is more than the number of U.S. troops and a consequence of the Bush administration’s radical vision to outsource virtually all government work, up to and including waging war.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to express her regret “over the death of innocent civilians,” said Tom Casey, a State Department spokesman.
Al Maliki’s office said Rice had pledged to “take immediate steps to show the United States’ willingness to prevent such actions.”
It said today that it would review the status of all security contractors, but don’t expect any decisive action. The Iraqi government doesn’t do decisive, and while it is playing to a war-weary population it also is beholden to the U.S. and the security blanket that its military and security contractors provide. Which sums up nicely why what military progress there has been since the surge is pretty much meaningless without a government with the will do deal with the country’s profound sectarian political ills.
The embassy said it was cooperating with the Iraqi Government but declined to confirm that Blackwater’s license had been revoked. The North Carolina-based company is responsible for U.S. embassy security.
Blackwater defended its actions, saying its personnel had come under attack from armed militants.
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