Chris Shays Needs To Spend More Time Defending Blackwater

by: tparty

Sat Nov 03, 2007 at 10:49:16 AM EDT

Blackwater USA™: Your One Stop Shopping Source For All Your War Profiteering and Paramilitary Needs... now with Espionage!:

The Prince Group, the holding company that owns Blackwater Worldwide, has been building an operation that will sniff out intelligence about natural disasters, business-friendly governments, overseas regulations and global political developments for clients in industry and government.

The operation, Total Intelligence Solutions, has assembled a roster of former spooks -- high-ranking figures from agencies such as the CIA and defense intelligence -- that mirrors the slate of former military officials who run Blackwater.

This is getting ridiculous. What will we learn next, that Blackwater might have illegally smuggled weapons into Iraq that ended up in the hands of insurgents? (Oh, wait.)

Well, regardless, perception is reality, and Blackwater's PR shop - including Chris Shays - has got to start doing a better job. Just look at these recent headlines and comments:

"Blackwater: Another Black Mark on U.S. Image"

"Blackwater 'impeded' probe into contractor deaths"

"Report Depicts Recklessness at Blackwater"

"Blackwater and other security contractors are undermining the military's efforts to win over Iraqis..."

"State Department Official Resigns in Wake of Blackwater Criticism"

"Evidence of Tax Evasion by Blackwater"

- House Oversight Commitee report, 10/22/07

"You could call [Blackwater] Halliburton with guns, except Halliburton has some guns too."

"We shouldn't have mercenaries out on the streets doing the kinds of things that Blackwater's been doing. "

"Blackwater is available to anyone who can write the checks. If there is a need to 'restore public order' in the next Presidential election - a power that the President now can define as he sees fit - Blackwater can be deployed. If the President declares an emergency, Blackwater can be deployed. And history shows us how very quickly citizen dissent and democratic processes close down when physically intimidating men - who are armed and not answerable to the people - are abroad in the land."

With a torrent of bad press like that, dinky little Congressional plaudits like these just won't cut it:

"Thank you for doing a perfect job"

"I know we absolutely need protective security contractors."

Well, lemme ask you this. If everyone is criticizing [Blackwater], don't you think it makes sense for one of the people in the committee to thank them?

"It is amazing to me the number of men in Blackwater that have lost their lives and we never hear it on the other side of the aisle"

So c'mon, Chris. Let's hear a more full throated defense of this partisan paramilitary force run amok.

They're doing such a "perfect job" on the ground, after all - it's the least you could do.