Blackwater: Private Military on US Soil (Are Pricks)
There is a huge variety of police and military presence on the ground. That's to be expected. But the large number of private security forces is disturbing, specifically those operating through Blackwater. Even leaving aside the legal and political questions of what it means to have fully-armed, American-funded mercenaries operating as security against American citizens, it should also be noted, that of all the security forces on the ground, the Blackwater 'troops' were by far the biggest dicks.
We got yelled at some by police and official-types who wanted us out of areas where they were operating. Herding media isn't really their job, but they weren't rude about it (just brusque). The Blackwater employees, on the other hand, were phenomenally unpleasant.
Jake has a lot more to add soon, I'm sure, but there's a serious question as to the authority of these mercenaries. And why they are such cocks.
dang, this is so messed up... since when does sacrificing things and doing something good make you an enemy? between this and those medical supplies... these people are acting out adolescent fantasies of being GI Joe.
Anyway, keep your head up. you've got supporters, you've got good wishes, and apparently you have some cool people there to work with. props.
Joel and Jacob: It will be cool if you publish photos of the Blackwater guys in your blogs.
And btw, I know it should be hard to see fully-armed mercenaries in your own country menacing your own population. But for we, the people living in the rest of the world, it's also very hard to see those mercenaries invading our countries and doing illegal things that your own soldiers can't do.
Keep your great work!!! I enjoy reading your blog very much, more that reading CNN or any other news media.
Luigino from Venezuela
Hello, I found you from BoingBoing... if you could spare three seconds, please visit me at http://www.epinions.com/user-sfarmer76...
I'm trying to see if you show up on my gVisit.com map... I'm looking for street level directions.
Any idea how bad the flooding was in Kenner, LA? I've have an old college friend at Newport Place in Kenner. Can't find any info.
regards,
76
1) There was a disaster going on, guys.
2) Blackwater are often ex-Navy Seals and other SpecOps folks, and used to kicking butts and not stopping to take names.
3) They might not know how to get along with you any more than you knew how to get along with them.
4) Fully armed people were better off than those who were not armed.
5) Refer back to Number 1. I suspect you have not been in a disaster or in combat before.
Just hypothesizing about why you say the things you do.
Something I've Been Trying To Find As Fact Or Fiction,
During The Evacuation Of N.O., The Prison System Had No Transportation To Relocate Inmates.
???????
Then All Gates opened, There was no transportation for inmates, local government couldn't just let 'em be trapped within, !?!?!?!?
Was It open season on the already washed to rubble city?
I've only heard this in late night reports, short-spoken evidence. FACT OR FICTION!??!
Make It Obvious What The Truth Is, Then ........
78: I'm sorry, I know nothing about Kenner.
SallFree: You're right on almost every point, except that I was trying to contrast (perhaps ineffectively) the behavior difference between the Blackwater guys and all the other military forces.
That said, don't read more into this than I'm saying. I don'tn know that every Blackwater employee is a horrible dong, but compared to the rest of the friendly, helpful soldiers, the three or four Blackwater guys we found were unnecessarily rude.
And keep in mind that two of these guys we talked to outside of Johnny White's, the last remaining bar on Bourbon St.
Look, no matter your intentions, you cannot just wander around in a closed (by hizzonor) city. And I had to laugh when I read one of your party had read the cleanup team's hieroglyph 9705 cf and breathlessly (gleefully?) aked if that meant the number of bodies found. Settle down! I would not run with the nurse vs. the Red Cross story too quickly, either. Anecdotal evidence without some investigation is pretty suspect.