Blackwater, Cofer Black, and Mitt Romney

Did you know that Blackwater's chief spook, Cofer Black, advises Mitt Romney on terrorism?

Jeremy Scahill has the details in his latest reported piece on Blackwater, plus the latest on Blackwater's expanding navy and air force.

Comments

[Cass]

Navy and air force? Maybe its time to consider sending an ambassador down to North Carolina to open diplomatic relations.

[Aaron R. Linderman]

This story about Romney and Blackwater not the big news it appears to be. Almost anyone advising a presidential campaign does so in the hope of landing an office out of the deal: a monetary policy advisor hopes to end up as Secretary of the Treasury, a national security policy advisor as Secretary of Defense or National Security Advisor. And, let's be honest, most of these folks will profit from holding such offices, some of them making hefty profits. So in the case of Romney and Blackwater the connection may be a little more obvious, but this isn't fundamentally different than anything any other campaign is doing.

Furthermore, it's worth noting that with regards to the 16 September shooting at Nisoor Square in Baghdad, federal prosecutors have dropped their investigation of all but three of the guards involved, clearing the rest of the detail of any wrong doing. This flies in the face of the Iraqi Interior Ministry's report, which claimed widespread and indiscriminate shooting without provocation. And it suggested that any wrong doing that happened at Nisoor Square was a rare exception to the rule. Federal authorities do not believe that the company itself acted improperly.

[Cass]

"Furthermore, it's worth noting that with regards to the 16 September shooting at Nisoor Square in Baghdad, federal prosecutors have dropped their investigation of all but three of the guards involved, clearing the rest of the detail of any wrong doing. This flies in the face of the Iraqi Interior Ministry's report, which claimed widespread and indiscriminate shooting without provocation. And it suggested that any wrong doing that happened at Nisoor Square was a rare exception to the rule. Federal authorities do not believe that the company itself acted improperly."

Well done, Aaron, and thanks for bringing a little levity to my otherwise dreary workday. You know, I'm a great fan of the faux-naif approach to political satire myself!

[mudkitty]

It's going to be McCain. McCain will get the nod. All else is window dressing.

Anybody see Rudy & Russie?

[Lindsay Beyerstein]

Aaron, what do you mean it's not news that Cofer Black is advising Mitt Romney on torture. It isn't a secret but it sure as hell is news.

As you say, Blackwater's number 2 man is probably angling for a position in the Romney administration:

Almost anyone advising a presidential campaign does so in the hope of landing an office out of the deal: a monetary policy advisor hopes to end up as Secretary of the Treasury, a national security policy advisor as Secretary of Defense or National Security Advisor.

Since you brought up Nisoor Square, I assume you're not disputing that Blackwater contractors shot up a public gathering and killed a lot of people. "Only" three are still facing criminal charges. Blackwater doesn't deserve another cent of federal money. They're renowned for being undisciplined, volatile, and single-mindedly focussed on accomplishing their narrow paid missions at the expense of the US military's counterinsurgency mission. You don't win hearts and minds running Iraqi drivers off the road. I've seen Blackwater personnel in the field in New Orleans, after the civil authorities had already restored order. My observations jibe with those of US military and Iraqis. They're loose cannons. A self-proclaimed private security contractor chewed me out for letting my colleague take a picture of Blackwater guy through the car window as he stood guard outside a fancy hotel on a block filled with civilians, soldiers, police, and assorted traffic.

Dude lunged at our window and tried to grab the camera. The (soi-disant) contractor wrote to me saying, in effect, "What did you think he was going to do, you're lucky to be alive." I made it clear that this happened two blocks from the main media staging area in New Orleans!

As a taxpayer, these kinds of experiences lead me to suspect that Blackwater isn't adding a lot of value in Iraq right now. I think we should fire them.

[mudkitty]

Agreed.

[Gag Halfrunt]

Furthermore, it's worth noting that with regards to the 16 September shooting at Nisoor Square in Baghdad, federal prosecutors have dropped their investigation of all but three of the guards involved, clearing the rest of the detail of any wrong doing. This flies in the face of the Iraqi Interior Ministry's report, which claimed widespread and indiscriminate shooting without provocation. And it suggested that any wrong doing that happened at Nisoor Square was a rare exception to the rule. Federal authorities do not believe that the company itself acted improperly.

As the saying goes, well, they would say that, wouldn't they?

[greensmile]

but this isn't fundamentally different than anything any other campaign is doing.

Really? I think some of the other campaigns are holding their noses, in a manner of speaking.

Seriously, what other campaign has taken on as an adviser a senior member of a mercenary force with a record of bloody excesses? I want to know. You equivocate blatantly Mr. Linderman. A job seeker or a hopeful consultancy providing unsolicited white papers in quarters where it expects a welcome may be typical of the current administration but that is NOT the nature of the relationship that is being exposed here.

[mudkitty]

BTW - from now on, it isn't "Rudy" it his real name, Rudolph.