Blackwater’s New Contract with the US Government

The human rights abusing terrorist organization Xe, (formerally known as Blackwater) has found a new contract with the US government despite the banning of its use. Blackwater was renamed Xe after a series of legal cases against the company for the murder of civilians in the US and in Iraq. Originally US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated adamantly during her campaign that she would not allow Blackwater to receive military contracts.

“When I am president I will ask the Joint Chiefs for their help in reducing reliance on armed private military contractors with the goal of ultimately implementing a ban on such contractors.”

Now it is evident that she was lying given that the company is now receiving a portion of 10$ billion in a new contact. A company Worldwide Protective Services is receiving the money. Worldwide Protective Services is an amalgamation of eight companies. One of Blackwater’s fronts companies; International Development Solutions is on the list. This way in the list of companies, neither Blackwater, nor Xe Services appear in the group of eight.

Currently it is not known what IDS will be doing for the contract, nor is it known how much of the 10$ billion it will be receiving.

When this move to give one of the biggest human rights abusing corporations in the world more US taxpayer dollars, she read out a prepared statement acknowledging IDS ties to Blackwater.

“The contract was competed in accordance with the Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR)… The FAR allows any company that is not been debarred or suspended to submit a proposal in response to an acquisition process based on full and open competition.”

This is clearly an indication that she has not kept her word regarding the use of military contractors. In her campaign she made it clear that she did not want to use contractors and criticized Barak Obama for refusing to rule out their continued use.

Military contractors have a long and troubled record.

Two former Blackwater employees are currently on trial in the US on charges of murdering Afghan civilians and keeping human remains as trophies. The charges stem from a 2009 incident in Kabul.

In 2008, five Blackwater guards were charged in the deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians, who were shot in Baghdad’s al-Nisoor Square in 2007. Those charges were ultimately dismissed.

Another employee of Triple Canopy – another contractor included in the new Worldwide Protective Services contract – was charged with killing at least one Iraqi after he fired into a civilian vehicle for “sport.”

In August, Blackwater agreed to pay $42m in fines for weapons export violations.

Hilary Clinton’s statement against contractors
http://www.thenation.com/article/blackwater-seeps-campaign

Blackwater front companies

Blackwater/Xe Front Companies Chart