You know what really got me reading this book – I was listening to a news program on radio when someone read a news clip on “Blackwater” – I think it was the NPR radio in Washington DC. I really liked the name – I wondered why someone would name their company BLACKWATER. I thought nothing of it at that time – A few months passed and I heard some folks on radio talk show mentioning the fact that “Blackwater” is founded primarily by the ex-CIA and ex-SEALs and how they won big contracts in the “War on Terror” in Iraq. I thought to myself – Hmmm – Now that makes sense now – That’s why they named the company BLACKWATER since they operate at night and are great at waterborne operations. And since ex-CIA and ex-SEALs are involved, it would make sense to give them the contract of operating in most dangerous part of the world.
A few weeks ago I came across the book at Barnes and Noble; I gave into my Type-A impulse and purchased it just to make sure I was connecting the dots correctly in my head. BOY WAS I WRONG! Actually, I have not been more wrong and misinformed about anything in my life than this … This book disclosed so many things with so much details – I don’t know where to begin – All I can say is – if you are interested in knowing about mercenary business and the impetus that gave this business the biggest break, this is the book for you. For the starters it gives you the background on Eric Prince – Founder of Blackwater and his religious and political affiliation going back a couple of generations in his family. With this background, the book drifts into details of the killing, burning, and then hanging of the burnt body on the bridge (of US contractors) in Fallujah, Iraq – The books tells you that all of those CONTRACTORS were Blackwater mercenaries. On and off, this book goes into grave details of each of those contractors and their family after the slaying. From that point on, the book drags everyone into the mix – Cheney, Rumsfeld, Pentagon, GAO, Ex-CIA folks, Halliburton, Bechtel, some European Companies, and no to mention the right wing fundamentalist religious zealots and the neo conservative agendas.
I would NOT say that this book is a must read for everyone. But for those who look for conspiracy in everything that the government does – it’s a great source of information on the subject that raises a lot of political MORAL issues. My advice to you is to TRUST (the information in this book) BUT VERIFY – just like an old Russian Saying goes (and used repeatedly from Reagan on). I must warn you that the book also does get dry sometimes. Going over and over the same information again and again.
Information provided by this book that I really found shocking were –
1. US Oil interest in Caspean Sea and how the politics of oil is unfolding in that region. Not to mention how Blackwater is involved in this one (among 19 countries that they operate in).
2. Hurricane Katerina gave a big break to Blackwater in the domestic operations business. Apparently, Blackwater forces were in New Orleans before the FEMA (Wait a sec.; we know that – everyone including my grandmother reached was there before the FEMA).
3. Blackwater is offering their services to the US government to intervene on behalf of the US Government and governments all around the world (Darfur – for example). WOW – who needs coalition of willing; who needs buy in from the public – if we have money, and wish to raise imperialist wars, or perform humanitarian aid; Blackwater can do the job for us.
4. The Blackwater and other contractor folks killed in Iraq do not count among the US causalities.
5. All of Blackwater contracts from the US government were “no bid” – that means no competition.
6. At the end of Donald Rumsfeld’s term; the ratio of US Soldiers to Blackwater Soldiers in Iraq was 1:1.
7. Military folks are leaving their duties to join Blackwater to earn higher wages than what they were receiving during their service.
8. Blackwater has a database of more than 20,000 folks that they claim that they can deploy on a moments notice. Their personal arsenal includes several tanks, fighter jets, missiles, and automatic weapons.
9. The deployed mercenaries in Iraq are not just Americans – they are from Chile, South Africa and other nations that have questionable democratic and human rights record.
