When articles skirt the edge of libel

This article brushes the edges of libel, you know.  "Bob, a decent man, knows Sue, an alleged crack addict and dealer by the high school nerd group.  Sue moves to Bob's neighborhood.  Sue is observed by the nerd group talking to Bob.  Bob is also now an alleged crack addict and dealer.

Now, let's use some of the article's points to modify the example above.

Most domestic law enforcement agencies are marginal at best.  Blackwater, a mini-evil empire propped up by a fascist government according to some in the Progressive movement, moves to several regions within the fascist government.  Some in the Progressive movement post a list detailing that Blackwater has been retained by some of the marginal law enforcement agencies.  The marginal law enforcement agencies have now converted to the Dark Side and are tools of the fascist government.

The article provides not one scintilla of proof to associate these agencies to the Dark Side via Blackwater other than, "Wayne, plop this one out and toss it on the wall to see what sticks, will yeah!?!"

"These training centers... may result in the establishment of a network of Blackwater-trained police, sheriffs, and other police units around the country. Given Blackwater's dismal record on human rights and brutality, this spells trouble for civilian control of police and paramilitary forces in the United States, from major metropolitan areas to small rural towns."

No, it doesn't spell that at all unless you're a crack baby high on smack and have abandoned any type of inductive or deductive reasoning. "Given that Tom reads OpEdnews.com, this spells a conversion for Tom away from reason and objectivity." Rather, it results solely in conjecture by an author who has a biased agenda and possibly maligns the character of a company, having presumed the company guilty of an act that has yet to even be committed. 

Posting an opinion like this, to me, sounds like evil.  Okay, maybe not evil but certainly irresponsible.

by Tom Murphy (3 articles, 4 quicklinks, 13 diaries, 1806 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:00:37 AM
 

Everything Bush does...

...is the scariest stuff from which futuristic horror movies are made.

by Sandy Sand (175 articles, 0 quicklinks, 223 diaries, 1503 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:03:09 AM
 

You're dreaming ...

... if you think that the citizens are going to rise in protest over Blackwater. This "citizens" for a large part don't know what's going on and if they did would wallow in their denial as they spend more time playing video games, that ironically mirror groups like BW.

I live in New Orleans. I've seen how BW operates. They would shoot anything that moved that wasn't in uniform and if the police happened upon the scene BW would simply say they heard gun fire and that would be the end of story. New Orleans was the pretext for what indeed is coming to your neighborhood soon.

Blackwater is our government's Gestapo. After we attack Iran, and/or another "false flag" attack the 800 "detention camps" Halliburton has built across this "home of the free" is when the groups like BW will spread their tactics of rounding-up any that dare to question the powers that be. And the citizens you think will rise in protest will cower in fear and denial as they watch those that fight against the dying of the light be gunned down, convicted in Kangaroo Courts or simply vanish.

After all this citizenry has done nothing about the destruction of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, torture, illegal surveillance, Habeas Corpus, "free speech zones" or a host of other crimes that have already turned this country into a police state.

I fear the worst. There are simply not enough people that care, are informed, or would do anything about it if they were.

by Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 20 diaries, 1781 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 1:15:08 PM
 

Article 10

Tom Murphey seems awfully defensive about Blackwater. Ok, perhaps Blackwater is not as bad as some would make it appear. The only questions are broader: Should state governments be privatizing their policing responsibilities? Are there questions of oversight and control involved?

One question is about Blackwater's relationships with both its clients and its employees. There is an article in the October '07 Harper's magazine, pg 74 by Daphne Eviatar, detailing some of Blackwater's employment practices. Would you want your local police treated as were Blackwater's other employees? Migrant fruit pickers get a better deal.

I know there were several security companies working in the Abu Gharib detention facility when the tortures for which Ms. England went to jail occurred. Apparently, employees of one of those companies were giving the orders to US Army enlisted personnel as to how to treat the prisoners. Those private individuals were not identified in the media, nor were they held accountable for the crimes committed.

Perhaps it is good to have private companies training police for small localities. It would seem, however, that county wide or even state run police training facilities would prove to be more accountable, less expensive and more devoted to ideals of justice, simply because they are non-partisan and not for profit.

by GitarChris (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 124 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 1:36:59 PM
 

Police Power??????????????????

The other day a standoff situation happened in Greeneville, TN. The most disturbing part of the whole situation was not that they surrounded the house and waited until the guy surrendered. The most disturbing thing was the way they responded. I saw scoped rifles and military gear all over the place. Reminds me of Philadelphia where the cops bombed a town hose, killing everyone in it and burning down the whole block of town homes. Reminds me of Waco where the cops attacked with tanks and set the buildings on fire and shot everyone  who tried to escape. Reminds me of a TV interview with the local commander of the SWAT team in a town in VA. When asked how often did they break down doors and go in when serving a warrant the commander said "Every time." Even on warrants for outstanding parking tickets? Something is very wrong here. 

by Robert N Smith (11 articles, 0 quicklinks, 8 diaries, 120 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 1:43:47 PM
 

The New World Order's New World Army....

I see how you get it Wayne, Tom M. concerns himself more with confrontation than viewpoints.

Blackwater will be our jailers when the contract here exceeds monetarily the contract of the war, and it's right wing around the corner.

JR

by Joe Rathbun (8 articles, 4 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 142 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 3:36:47 PM
 

They are already here.

When ever there is a disaster in the U.S. this militant group descends down on the area with guns drawn. Backwater went into New Orleans prior to being asked. Transporting enough guns and ammunition across several states to start a war.

by Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 795 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 3:39:30 PM
 

Blame Clinton

Blame President Clinton for his 1994 Crime Bill.  His solution to crime was to _reduce_ the ordinary citizen's ability to take care of his own business -- while putting 100,000 additional (Blackwater trained?) cops on the street to compensate.

Basically, a society has three choices:

(1) Let private citizens kill robbers, rapists, burglars, rioting looters and arsonists,

(2) Train paramilitary police to kill robbers, rapists, burglars, rioting looters and arsonists, or

(3) Leave people to pay private gang lords for protection, who will govern the neighborhoods.

by Frank Silbermann (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 14 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 3:45:37 PM
 

Two out of Three

In third world Los Angeles #2 and #3 have been here for a long time.

Watch the riot-for-no-damn-good-reason after the first Rodney King trial?

The only business that didn't get hit in the riot area were the ones owned by Korean businessmen who had armed gunmen standing of the roofs with shotguns and rifles pointed at the marauding crowds.

Gang protection extortion in L.A. is big business, and business as usual.

by Sandy Sand (175 articles, 0 quicklinks, 223 diaries, 1503 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 6:44:03 PM
 

Totally AMAZING!

First off Blackwater is being investigated by people who have considered them GUILTY until proven innocent.

Here in the United States, I believe people are Innocent until PROVEN GUILTY, so far, Blackwater has been accused, though NO EVIDENCE OF WRONGDOING has been brought forth...

Defense of Blackwater?  How bout DEFENSE of the PROCESS that made this country great?  How bout looking at a company objectively, for a change, and lose the mccarthyistic style of finding guilt where there may not be any!!!

Some of you truly wish to find evil where it is not, YET you will ignore evil where it sits in plain sight!  Your notions are completely absurd if you think that it is terrible having blackwater training police...

Why would I want Blackwater training police?  Probably because many of the employees USED to be Military Police for a very long period of time, and those MP's know more about policework, and detectivework than many of their civilian counterparts.

Blackwater is a company made up of former US Military people who wanted to be paid for their risks, but still, for some reason I can't understand, want to live the military lifestyle.  

Howbout we all observe the Constitution, and give blackwater its DUE PROCESS before we all start going crazy... does that make any sense to ANYONE HERE?  OR is everyone that far gone that the Constitution is completely MEANINGLESS?

Ciao, CZ 

by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 693 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 8:49:07 PM
 

Did You Miss the Memo?

This comment was posted above: "Here in the United States, I believe people are Innocent until PROVEN GUILTY,"

So... Did You Miss the Memo?

Bushitler declared that "9/11 CHANGED EVERYTHING" so now what was once true in the FORMER USA no longer applies.

Now the president makes laws by signing secret Signing Statements...

Now truth is defined as what the White House SAYS, regardless of the facts...

Now travelers are denied the right to fly on commercial flights because XXXXXXXXXXXXXX (that information is secret for reasons of national security)

Now our brave heavily armored police taser unarmed children for "acting strange"...

Now we live in a binary world where you can only be "with us or with the terrorists"... NO shades of gray are permitted.

Now you live in a nation that does not respect or observe the law... it is above the law.

The list goes on ad nauseum...

"EVERYTHING changed on 9/11" And this no longer the USA.

Here in the Former United States, people are GUILTY and police will, and DO, execute anyone the feel like just for the thrill of it... "Because We Can! Get used to it!"

Recently (this past week) a very brave Seattle police officer wearing body armor, carrying mace, pepper spray, a taser and a club... shot an unarmed 13 year old child because the child did not comply quickly enough with officer's instructions...

That "innocent until proven guilty" stuff was DOA when Bushitler and his Neo Con Cabal declared "9/11 Changed Everything"...

Yeah... the USA is OVER!

by mrk * (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 299 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 9:46:45 PM
 

Re: Coming to a Community Near You: Blackwater

by Munich (0 articles, 74 quicklinks, 13 diaries, 919 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 9:55:28 PM
 

SLOPPY JOURNALISM

Unfortunately I think  Tom Murphy is right this article has holes in its logic though which one could drive a mob of Red Kangaroos (they can be up to 7 foot tall) through!

·          Were the incidents as a direct result of Blackwater’s training  and the incident

·          Was it the personnel involved and their mindset? One that developed for their immunity? Their arrogance.

·          The lack of control culture that exists in the Armed Forces. Military usually creates a sense of loyalty to the Country, the force, unit and squad. Overlayed on this someone who had a rush of blood would have a prolonged holiday at resort Leavenworth. In addition the trooper is usually there to do his/her duty. Then there’s the chain of command. Not perfect but all in all given the comparative numbers and engagements it has to be better. The mercenary is usually there for one of two reasons either the Money or to play out some fantasy…. What type of nut kills for the love of it? Any Blackwater guard in Iraq must know that they may either be killed or kill.

 ·          Was Blackwater’s selection criterion adequate? Apparently not.

·          All this raises the question as to if the US should use ‘contractors’ in a war? I am biased I believe not.

·          Logic would dictate that with some exceptions local police controlled by an elected official you would get an embodiment of local prejudices which would flow into the hiring practices. The author doesn’t prove or show how Blackwater training is responsible for local tragedies that are more to local factors.

·          As an Ausie I think it bizarre that you don’t just have one State police force whose personal are all trained at the same State police academy.

Commercial training like all commercial transactions the least inputs for maximum cost = profits. Law enforcement then has more control over anti law enforcement training and who gets it.

To me policing, armies, health, education are rightfully the province of the government because of the cost to the public on lack of control (security) and skimping to make greater profit. Not to mention unwanted unproductive or backward influences. Remember capitalism (money) has no morality. In a commercial operation there is always the conflict between profit and what is right. The armed forces don’t have this conflict.   

by Andris (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 531 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 9:56:34 PM
 

Thank you!

You are truly the first person on this thread to utilize gray matter as you wrote your post.  You did not just come out and say "Oh they are a bunch of murderous thugs and should be shot!"  (Like some of the other posters here...) I dare say that I agree with pretty much everything you have written! 

 I too, can't understand what would ever drive someone to WANT to be part of this sort of organization, knowing what they would be doing, and I am not sure how disciplined any mercenary corps could be, but I am positive that it can only be less so compared to the Military…  Like you said, in the military, if one misbehaves too much, he/she is sent to Ft Leavenworth..  If someone misbehaves in Blackwater, they will probably get fired and then be sent home….  This could work if the people hired had the highest morals, but anyone with high morals would not be looking for work in a war zone where he/she would be shooting people dead.

Should the US use mercenaries?  Well, I am of two minds on that…  The choice is sending a kid who does not want to go, or hire a thug who wants to be there…  History dictates that we have always hired the thug…  and history has taught us that every time we hire the thug, it seems to end badly..  However, at least the kid who should not/does not want to be there, is in college somewhere like VA Tech…   Hmmmmm  :-D

Ciao, CZ

by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 693 comments) on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 7:43:14 AM
 

They are Black Ops --what do you expect?????

America's own unlawful combatants?  What the hell are they doing? They are
black ops..out of the control of the commanding officer in the theater
declared as in the contol or sovereign Iraq. Blackwater was obviously not
protecting an important American when they opened fire and killed Iraqi
civilians. The fallout is great. and no matter what the sweet talk of
their authority and loyalty, the Company wisked all away in a first class
retreat (undisclosed) as is the SOP in black op death.
  Th real answer is that no one leaves the theater without a full military
clearance. The time has come when immunity is not an excuse to abuse
responsible security with outrageous massacre techniques--all to often
becoming the case. It is not so an ill defined matter when including the
fleeing the scene of the killings by overwhelming power projection on
(unarmed) civilians, the fact comes more to light that the "surge army"
included the "special operations by the Federal contractors and
subcontractors as a measure of carrying on counter intelligences.
   And unfortunately, as the ticker completes more and more billions of
war instigated economy and costs, the old smoke and mirrors kaboom
economy
that deferred and denies liability for acts, and provides no
reconstruction and stability of the people-- in this case Iraq --but of
the world and including the United states is a failure with regard to the
overriding principles of character.
    We are not special ops set out to do that which we abhor ...killing of
innocent civilians. We are the nation of candy bars, hersey's all ovr
the world, and american ingenuity. Of course we promise democracy. But
a candy bar is far better than the poisons of death which security
operations and special priviledges have brought. There is no freedom
in the deaths. no liberation.Nor an explanation. Just that sour taste
of death that needlessly be brought.

by Eliot Gould (13 articles, 0 quicklinks, 21 diaries, 140 comments) on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:45:02 PM
 

blackwater the final key

A few right wing nuts wrote in to praise Blackwater saying we have nothing to fear.For those of us who have read about Blackwater on the web we should fear.They indiscriminately go around shooting civilians and i am not just talking about their latest slaughter,the Iraqis fear them.They are a bunch of paid mercenarys who enjoy killing and have no concern for human life.Is this the kind of people you want protecting you or training your police forces.Also one must ask if this is the new brown shirts who Hitler used to protect himself from the populace.With Bushes over reliance on mercenarys and his greater faith in them then our own army do you want these hired killers protecting you like they do the Iraqis who they randomly shoot at.Bush has already brought in Blackwater to protect New Orleans do you want trainede killers with no morals protecting you.

by liberalsrock (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 128 comments) on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 8:22:51 AM
 

Blackwater

Bush's private army!!!  And you REALLY believe he's going to skulk quietly  back to Crawford after he's done destroying our country???  Just wait!  We're going to have Blackwater mercenaries herding anyone who dares raise a protest, into the detention pens being built all over the U.S.A.  (Or rather, the United States of Mexico.)  And won't the loyal little Bushlickers be surprised when they find themselves penned up along with the rest of us!!!  

by lucydavis (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 88 comments) on Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 12:47:11 PM