Testimony From Ex-Blackwater Staff Implicates Owner Erik Prince In Murder, Gun Smuggling Activities
(h/t Andy K)
Erik Prince's company Blackwater (now known as XE) has been embroiled in controversy for years. Company employees have posted videos online of their own ruthless behavior and abuses against Iraqi citizens, and can be heard laughing off camera. We're now finding out that this brutality most likely came from the top, down from Prince himself -- former employees are finding their consciences and telling horrifying stories about their former boss:
A former Blackwater employee and an ex-US Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia. The two men claim that the company's owner, Erik Prince, may have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were cooperating with federal authorities investigating the company. The former employee also alleges that Prince "views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe," and that Prince's companies "encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life."
In their testimony, both men also allege that Blackwater was smuggling weapons into Iraq. One of the men alleges that Prince turned a profit by transporting "illegal" or "unlawful" weapons into the country on Prince's private planes. They also charge that Prince and other Blackwater executives destroyed incriminating videos, emails and other documents and have intentionally deceived the US State Department and other federal agencies. The identities of the two individuals were sealed out of concerns for their safety.
These allegations, and a series of other charges, are contained in sworn affidavits, given under penalty of perjury, filed late at night on August 3 in the Eastern District of Virginia as part of a seventy-page motion by lawyers for Iraqi civilians suing Blackwater for alleged war crimes and other misconduct. Read on...
May God not have mercy on his soul.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
No. No mercy.
Maybe AT&T can fill State in on those lost emails.
Why isn't this on the front page of the NYTimes?
W
Because it challenges the Times' worldview that there are no bad guys except Clintons, Democrats and "socialists."
"God" is why he's doing this. The insanity of religion is the problem, not the solution.
http://www.jafafahots.com
He is a good white old boy, and fundie Christian to boot. They never do anything wrong.
We all know it is all those secular extremist godless faculty in them college campuses the ones using fetuses for human sacrifice and stuff. Well, that is according to Bill O' but since he is a god fearing conservative, he would never tell a lie, so that is that.
BTW, if this douche gets sent to prison... since he was already a fundie, does he get to "find Jesus" again?
He was raised Dutch Reformed, and converted to Roman Catholicism when he married his first wife. Mom founded the Family Research Council with Gary Bauer. Erik Prince has worked for that entity as well as the Acton Institute, a right-wing, an ostensibly Roman Catholic thin-tank/educational organization on whose board serves Erik's sister, Betsy Prince DeVos. The Acton Institute has found amazing ways to justify free market economics using religious philosophy.
Betsy is married to Dick DeVos, heir to the Alticore/Amway fortune. Betsy has served on the Michigan Board of Education, where her primary goal was to de-fund the state's public schools and obtain vouchers for the families who send their kids to private schools. She has also served as the Chairperson of the Michigan GOP. Dick and Betsy donated hundreds of thousands, if not more, to the Prop 8 movement in California last year.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
That would explain his distain for life...
A very, very evil cult....
http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr.htm
Who could have known?
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
Heheha! Ya, right.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Every time any government allows the creation of private mercenary army/intellegence organizations, it always turns into a Frankenstein. Here's a prediction, that when it comes to happen they'll also say, "Who could have foreseen it?": If the government doesn't shut down XE and all it's subsidiaries, before it's over, our military will be in combat operations against them.
don't let these horrific crimes be covered up or plea-bargained away! No more "we want to look forward" happy-crappy.
Prince will thrash around like a psychotic alligator trying while to get out of this situation. He'll try to drag Republican former -officials (dare we hope?) down with him. Blackmail, bribery and threats will run red in the streets of D.C.
I hope he tries- and fails. I hope he is convicted or murder and a plethora of other vicious crimes.
Then, I suppose, he'll have a convenient "heart attack". We'll see.
This last season of "24" with Jon Voight as the villain got pretty close to the mark, didn't it?
They murdered Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and the retarded, because they saw them inferior and eradication was their solution. The same thing with Blackwater. They see Iraqis inferior people with a religion they also consider inferior. They should be held to account for all the lives taken.
Don't ever to expect to see Americans held accountble for war crimes- because you see, in ther eyes of right wing Americans, we're better than everyone else..
I think the Nazi thing fits. The only thing missing is the swastika.
And the naked aggression - the naked evil. Now they wear a righteous mask and a happy face, quiet and conniving.
that little round button they all wear might as well be their swastika.
Another valid comparison is their shared Borg mentality. never good.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
That Spartan symbol of fascism is heavily used by US ground forces.
His employees used bullets and torture against muslims.
Other corporate CEOs withold medical treatment or
withold medicine or sell lethal products or force climate change
or lobby for more oppressive laws to keep their prisons full
etc etc. He'll get away with it. It's just bidness.
Another "hero" like that a-hole Oliver North for the Repuke nation.
If these allegations prove true, then this story would be at least 1,000 times more explosive and destructive than the original Watergate story, yet my guess is that the national press will spin in into just another "anti-war" sour-grapes tale.
But nobody much is interesting in the fact that Murdoch employees spied and hacked electronic accounts of 1000s of people in the UK and elsewhere.
only with a lot more money and access to better weaponry.....
I read Jeremy Scahill's book and it gave me nightmares.
Seeing as how blackwater handles security for most of government, its not clear we have elected officials with the guts to take them on... they're epic creeps. And the mother of Erik donated heavily to yes on 8.
There have been a couple documented instances of Blackwater thugs pointing their weapons at US troops.
If I were in the field and a Blacwater goon aimed his weapon at me or my men, i'd put him down on the spot.
I wonder if there have been instances of US troops being shot by Blackwater thugs?
This hole is so deep and vile, Blackwater will likely kill people to cover their tracks
being "professionals" they would not leave witnesses.
Claims that US troops were murdered by Blackwater, to silence them from testifying.
One very suspicious death.
I've heard rumors that some of these BW mercs are ex military from from other countries, and don't give a fuck about American troops.
Lot's of Chilenians, Croatians, Germans.
I hadn't heard Krauts were in that shit too...great.
his company is still being used in Iraq, and chances are will be used in Afghanistan. Obviously more than one person and party in Washington loves this guy. How sick is that?
this is what is most disturbing...considering all that has happened in the past & been revealed about Blackwater.
I think many of us are very worried that a 'slap on the wrist' will be the only outcome of this.
Blackwater & Halliburton...companies given way too much power by the U.S. government...and despite facts revealed showing negligence to a criminal degree...they shall go unpunished & rewarded with even more contracts & money, money, money.
Nasty little prick, Erick Prince, seems to be cut of the same cloth as David Miscavige of scientology fame.
because we want to look forward and not back
because we don't prosecute crimes that took place in the past
because it might hurt the Democrats' chances in the next election
because we need to focus on health care
because we don't want another partisan witch hunt
because it would divide America
And the big wheel keeps on spinning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-2Of9aznxg
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Isn't Blackwater the company that installed the electrified showers in Iraq? They've already killed American military and gotten away with it. Hope those witnesses live long enough to testify but I fear they have just signed their own death warrant.
another FINE member of the corporate community.
Bobbie,
That was KBR. BW is strictly spray and slay for money.
"Someday somebody related to some of these sufferers, these victims, these collaterally damaged souls, may try to kill you. And I have to tell you, I think you’ll have it coming." - Christopher Cooper
XE if I'm not mistook.
KBR. Almost the shit.
The incredible number of Bush regime crimes all coming to light almost at one time. One needs a playbook to keep track.
all my fellow liberals are ready. The Cons have their own private army and lots of money. What do we have?
Great porn stashes?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
They've got our backs!
I feel so much better now.
And a just cause.
not
me-oww!
Ugh, great. You've had Trau Morgus from The Caves Of Androzani in charge of security in Iraq.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW2nHng0LL8
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
It is long overdue. May it be the first of many such prosecutions.
Using the word 'evil' to describe Prince and his employees seems inadequate. Shooting and killing Iraqis just for the fun of it, using illegal ammunition designed to explode after entering a person's body, is especially depraved.
Lock him up and throw away the key!
Living as a convict would be a fate worse than death for this
twisted, self righteous turd.
...and remember, it's just a few bad apples, never mind those daily reports of taser deaths...Worship Your Local Police, coming soon, to a routine traffic stop near you!! [deleted by site monitor]
Erik Prince needs to suffer in a maximum security prison for the rest of his life.
The death penalty should not be an option for such scum. No easy way outs!
prison, mobsters and gang leaders do it all the time.
This bastard needs to be put down. and his companies assets need to be seized IMMEDIATELY by the govt.
Beyond evil. The "christian" "right" likes to demonize innocent people, they are the demons.
Is it the 21st century yet?
No here's demon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAixXMbyOBc
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Don't get your reference/ joke??
Is it the 21st century yet?
'
I'm not quite sure about this, but wasn't Paul Bremer responsible for bringing Blackwater to Iraq, Paul Bremer who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his royal screwup in that same country?
Put Bremer on trial along with Blackwater!
(YouTube): Countdown-The Nation's Jeremy Scahill on Blackwater chief Eric Prince's deep troubles
Prince could be facing murder charges in Virginia and North Carolina.
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
This little SOB is Betsy Devos' brother.
She is married to religious fascist nutball Amway heir DICK (yep, another GOP Dick) Devos. The asshole ran for governor in 2006 and spent $45,000,000 of his own money to brainwash the dupes into voting for his George Bush platform.
Betsy was suppose to run for governor originally, but they had tape of her pounding her fists in hysterics on the platform of the Detroit Economic Club, and shouting "THE PEOPLE IN MICHIGAN MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY!" This was when the little nazi bitch was chairman of the Michigan GOP. Needless to say, they dumped her. But these billionaire pyramid scam bastards are tight as tight can get with the Bush family crime syndicate, so I wonder if anything will ever come of these blatant war crimes.
Our story does have a happy ending however.
Because despite the fact that Dick was on t.v. for 11 months night and day spewing GOP bullshit talking points and other Orwellean horse hockey, he didn't find many takers up here in the great white north.
Fortunately, the people in Michigan could see right through his line of religious right crap and he was crushed. They actually made a mistake on one channel and called the election before 8:00 p.m. That's how badly he was trounced.
I laughed my ass off that night.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
He won the sperm lottery, as my mom has said many times. With all the money his family has, they couldn't get him into either Calvin or Hope College(s), two pretty decent, if right-wing, liberal arts schools here in West Michigan, but had to settle for Spring Arbor College (now University), a school that packs all the punch of a middling junior college.
Betsy, however, is pretty fuckin' smart. Not very wise, as demonstrated by her DEC speech, but she and her brother are two people that you've gotta keep an eye on at all times.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
Another Christian "pro-life" domestic terrorist. I'm shocked.
Blackwater, Erik Prince, the Christian right, the Bush White House and the rise of the Republican revolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQiZvtuLl-k&NR=1
This is some useful information.
Is it the 21st century yet?
Is this medieval feudal Europe with its "gun for hire" mercenaries??
"Secular humanism -- a fearless, realistic world view replete with doubt and scepticism that attempts to attain an unachievable state of equilibrium between and among the human qualities of reason, intuition, imagination, memory, ethics and common sense.
This is crime of the century territory. It is outrageous. The damage to our country will be immense if this is true.
"Pro-America" conservatives have done so much near irreparable damage to this country and it's image over the past 8 years what's another turd on the pile at this point? Countdown before Obama says we should be looking forward not backward over this.
"This is crime of the century territory"
Note to the prosecution: For God's sake don't let him try on the glove!
He'll have to re-invent himself now.
The Murderer Formally Known as Prince perhaps?
The Prince of this world now stands condemned.
No, no, no. The bible must be used against the non-believers only!
I guess Prince fells asleep in Sunday school when the went over the "Thou shalt not kill" commandment
Wholly optional...just ask the C Street fundies.
More like one from column A and one from column B...when it's convenient.
Like that family values bible thumping Christian hypocrite Mark Sanford. Clinton must resign or be impeached for lying about his extra-martial relation while holding public office! Me though, no so much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Z1tevub9I&NR...
(Real Time - Bill Maher interviews Jeff Sharlet on his book "The Family"(7-31-09))
As an example of the xtian fundies running rampage in Iraq, talks about the US Bradley fighting vehicle that trundled down an Iraqi street with the slogan painted on it "Jesus killed Muhammad" in Arabic.
It opened fire on anybody who protested at it, took out an entire street.
This was in the context of the crazies establishing megachurches on US bases in Iraq with US gov money and built by US troops.
Jeff Sharlet has been on almost ever talk show on TV and web, but HBO was very keen and quick to remove that Bill Maher clip from Youtube with the mention of the US troops killing Iraqi civilians for fun.
Just horrifying. It leaves me speechless.
Make that mercenary man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RMEDBhXh-w
under his suit jacket and shirt, Erik Prince wears a bullet proof vest.
Somebody is either paranoid or has a guilty conscience.
And as always the biggest monsters of our time always wear nice suits, wherever in court, or on TV smiling and lying to us.
the head shot.
As for whether he's paranoid, or has a guilty conscience...I'd say a good bit of both.
He's guilty as hell. He's also a disgrace to the Navy and the SEALs....they value integrity above all other things or skills. He's devoid of it.
Was Cheney's Executive Assassination Ring actually Blackwater??
There was/is Gen. Boykins SF group, they are the ones that wander the world killing at will. Not to say they don't outsource sometimes.
I would be pretty terrified if I were this guy right now.
These are extraordinarily brave individuals coming forward this way - or they've made a deal to save their souls.
In any case, if Kucinich can bring these devils down (and I mean the whole den of thieves), he gets my vote anytime, anywhere.
I say kudos to the brave Iraqi civilians and their lawyers for bringing the suit and to the ex-EX guys for stepping up and doing the right thing.
Too bad we don't have people like that in our government!!! I'd love to see Darth and Dubya in the Docket!
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
Oh lordy me, Blackwater supposedly involved in illegal activities? How will I ever explain this to my grandchildren?
WTF????
Bushco created it's own private army to carry out his mission that was "ordained by God" and the orders were given directly to the clown bush. (Maybe illegal or legal drugs and/or alcohol may have induced those voices into his head. Who knows?)
Anybody with one eye and half a brain knows what these fuckers are. They are murderers and anarchists on a "crusade". The only thing they did was substitute the swastica for the footprint of some animal.
Prosecute, convict and then execute every fucking one of them and don't give a shit if their name is bush, cheney or rove or dickface.
that a big part of the neocon's plans for blackwater consisted deployment against the American people. Their own thug army designed to consolidate the gains they made in turning the US into an oppresive totalitarian dictatorship.
Motherfucker!
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090817/scahill
Snip - Blackwater is a law unto itself, both internationally and domestically. The question is why they operated with impunity. In addition to Blackwater, we should be questioning their patrons in the previous administration who funded and employed this organization. Blackwater wouldn't exist without federal patronage; these allegations should be thoroughly investigated," --Kucinich said.
The names will change to protect the guilty... Operation Rescue (formerly Operation Rescue West or California Operation Rescue)
Xe, a private military contractor and security consulting firm that formerly went by Blackwater USA and Blackwater Worldwide.
Thanks... Logan √ LLC :-/
Study the symptoms not the virus...
If USA was still a democracy I would believe he might get severely punished, but since it has come to ressemble a fascist military regime, I don't believe Eric Prince will be punished for his crimes, at most a petty conviction for some low-crime tax evasion.
When the majority of people who vote (I'm referring to the whites) are so uniformed / retarded and thus easely manipulated with astroturf and spin-talk by hypocrite multimillionaire pundits on TV, you hardly can call that a healthy democracy.
knows way to much. Hell, head on down to your local CIA office and get his dossier. Cobwebs, lots and lots of cobwebs. He won't see a day in prison. You betcha. All evidence will go poof.
If he knows too much, what makes you think the powers that be won't turn him into chum?
He'll be Jack Ruby'd before he can say nary a word.
I bet we'll all be reading headlines soon about his body parts turning up in dumpsters across the US.
Either that, or he'll fake his own death and flee the country.
it just means his days are numbered. IT just means that he's too dangerous to be allowed to live. First time he attempts to blackmail or extort, he'll die...by "accidenting" or "heart attacking" or "stroking". He isn't even close to being the biggest shark in the pond that he swims in. Not even.
Blackwater = Wehrmacht. A Private killing mercenary army for corporate gain at the expense of the "inferior" . That's exactly what the Wehrmacht was.
Of course, such fine points are lost in the debate today. God help us.
The term "Wehrmacht" means "armed forces"...it was used to encompass all of Nazi Germany's forces, Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air Force) and Schutzstaffel (SS). The SS is what you are thinking of, a private armed force (though not necessarily a true mercenary force, as they were not under contract to the regime for services rendered, nor could they abrogate said contract and look for other employers) under Reichsfuhrer Himmler. I don't know about the "corporate gain" aspect, though...the SS were more in the "racial purification" line of work.
"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" - Red Green
Freedom Ain't Free - Pay Your Share
Whatever they get their hands on, belong to them.
US's Blackwater = Iran's Basij
Who needs'em?
Study the symptoms not the virus...
This is crazy!! Here's Jeremy Scahill (wrote the book Blackwater) on Keith Olbermann discussing Prince. Scahill's right, this was a neo-crusader force.
as soon as I read about this prince asshole...I knew he was a dominionist fuck!
What gave it away, all the guns or the bible he wore on his sleeve? The combination of the 2 perhaps?
We saw what happened when a "good Christian" president who wore the bible on his sleeve got access to the world's largest military arsenal. Hundreds of thousands of innocents died...and are still dying.
gave it away, lol
We can't ever let another right wing fundie in the WH again.
They're un-American. Totally.
To guarantee there would never be another fundie in the White House we'd have the let the south secede. Any chance you think they'll want to do that again? Nah, they're getting way too much in federal welfare tax dollars to walk away from all those big guvment handouts!
http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/26...
was a bad thing...now I'm startin to think, let them.
They can be as hypocritical and fascist as they wanna be.
Even if they actually did...which I don't think they have the juevos...they'd be crawlin back a few years later after they realized that they actually need to be part of the Union.
He's one of those dem dar pro-life killin type Chreestians. Yep er, he's a gooood Chreeestian may-an!
You betcha!
Well, at least the Alaskan wolves were safe from this rabid "pro-life" Christian with a gun.
Where's his lapel flag pin? Though a little black mustache would be more appropriate.
Jeb Bushes wife is the sister of the wife of Blackwaters COO. The stink and corruption of the Bush family is entrenched everywhere.
God in heaven, I hope this fucker and his entire retinue are burned to the ground by this.
...hand his ass over to the Iraqis for trial & when he is found guilty, he can swing from the same gallows that was used to get rid of Saddam Hussein. GENOCIDAL SCUM!!!
He's fighting for all those freedoms that his kind hold dear:
Freedom from responsibility for one's actions;
Freedom from prosecution;
Freedom from (any kind but his) religion;
Freedom to support life (as long as it's unborn);
Freedom of hypocricy;
Freedom to curtail others' freedom...
Anyone else have more to add?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Rome_(1527)
Mercenaries are a dangerous bunch, always have been. Using them as a tool of foreign policy was bound to lead to disaster.
On another note, perhaps the movie Michael Clayton wasn't fictional after all!
Bet you one George W. Bush Dollar that Mr. Prince is a Christian.
His behavior certainly makes him look like one.
Erik Prince is a liar, a mass-murderer and a fraud. He comes from a family of liars, looters and murderers. He's friends with James Dobson. What's that tell you?
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