House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chair Henry Waxman finally got to the heart of the Blackwater contract-killing scandal when he reviewed emails detailing how the U.S. State Department worked with the private security firm to hide bloody trail of its mercenaries.

Noting that after an intoxicated Blackwater thug shot and killed an Iraqi guard last December, the State Department counseled the corporation on how much to pay the family of the Iraqi to keep silent and then arranged for the Blackwater employee to exit Iraq without facing any consequences for his actions, Waxman produced records of internet communications detailing the cover up.

"It's hard to read these e-mails and not come to the conclusion that the State Department is acting as Blackwater's enabler," Waxman told a hearing that saw Blackwater founder Erik Prince claim with a straight face that his company "acted appropriately at all times" during an incident last month that left 11 Iraqis dead and inspired an effort to force the country to withdraw its mercenaries from Baghdad.

Prince's brazen claim that his teams of paid killers "acted appropriately" begged the question: Who is defining the word "appropriately"?

Waxman pointed to the answer. Blackwater, which has collected more than $1 billion in U.S. government contracts since 2001 to do security work once assigned to Marines, may be indefensible operation. But the firm has not operated in a void.

Blackwater is an extension of the U.S. government.

Blackwater operates at the behest of the U.S. departments of defense and state.

And when the State Department helps the company pay off the families of its victims and helps to extract killers from circumstances in which they might be arrested and prosecuted, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her cronies become for more appropriate subjects of scrutiny than Erik Prince.

Every indication is that Prince is a very bad man.

But evil done by Prince and his employees has been committed on the government dime, and with the advice and consent of the government.

How interwoven are the operations in Iraq of the Department of State and Blackwater? The initial State Department report of last month's killing spree involving Blackwater employees was written by a Blackwater contractor working in the U.S. Embassy's Tactical Operations Center in Baghdad. The report was distributed under the letterhead of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

The lines of distinction between the State Department and Blackwater no longer exist.

Yes, of course, it is appropriate to hold Erik Prince to account.

But it is even more appropriate to ask: What did Secretary of State know and when did she know it?

Waxman opened Tuesday's hearing by declaring, "I know many of you believe that Blackwater has been unaccountable to anyone in our government. I want you to know that Blackwater will be accountable today."

That's a great start. But this investigation will not be done until Condoleezza Rice and her top aides have been placed under oath and required to testify about the high crimes and misdemeanors that enabled Blackwater and its employees to kill without consequences.

Comments (35)

1. yay! finally focusing on dear condi, who i think at least partly as a result of her ethnicity and gender has escaped the white hot spotlight of moral accountability...

   she said in july 01 that saddam was no threat.

   one of the neocons most adept, sociopathic liars still in place.

   iniquity like virtue is indeed an equal opportunity human condition...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 10/02/2007 @ 1:34pm

2. proofoflie [tinyurl.com]

   oh dear condi...blood on your hands, self serving liar...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 10/02/2007 @ 1:44pm

3. one of the neocons most adept, sociopathic liars still in place.

   Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 10/02/2007 @ 1:34pm

   actually, she got a promotion.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 10/02/2007 @ 1:49pm

4. This passage is from the Article, Making A Killing, posted here on at the nation:

   "The company's domestic political clout has been key to its success. It is owned by Erik Prince, a reclusive right-wing evangelical Christian who has served as a major bankroller of the campaigns of George W. Bush and his allies. Among the company's senior executives are former CIA official J. Cofer Black, who once oversaw the extraordinary-rendition program and led the post-9/11 hunt for Osama bin Laden (and who currently serves as GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's top counterterrorism adviser), and Joseph Schmitz, the Pentagon Inspector General under Donald Rumsfeld."

   So, are we really to believe that an Eagle Scout contributor to the Bush Administration, Prince, will be held accountable for any wrong doing by his company and or people under his employ? I find this highly doubtful.

   So far, everyone W and his crooked administration have protected have walked away from every investigation without a scratch, aside from Libby and we all know what W did for Libby. Washington D.C. stinks like a whorehouse a low tide and all that will come of this will be a lot of rhetoric just like every other time.

   Posted by Wolfgang1 at 10/02/2007 @ 1:55pm

5. well, well another 92 million contract for mr. prince. (sept 28/2007) [ipsnews.net]

   that's your money folks.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 10/02/2007 @ 1:57pm

6. that's your money folks.

   Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 10/02/2007 @ 1:57pm

   Frosty, Thanks for the link. And people say W doesn't take care of his friends. It looks like he takes very good care of his friends, just not the nation he's supposed to be serving.

   Kind of a conflict of interest again, but, that's small pesky talk that W and his admninistration would have to lower themselves to discuss via the U.S. congress. Go ahead Congress, supboena someone and see what happens.

   Posted by Wolfgang1 at 10/02/2007 @ 2:03pm

7. Go ahead Congress, supboena someone and see what happens.

   Posted by WOLFGANG1 10/02/2007 @ 2:03pm

   nada.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 10/02/2007 @ 2:07pm

8. Seriously.....We're using mercenaries?!?!??

   I don't buy into the "America is New Rome", but that's straight out of Gibbons' "Rise & Fall", guys.

   Posted by Mask at 10/02/2007 @ 2:39pm

9. Posted by MASK 10/02/2007 @ 2:39pm | ignore this person

   look a little closer...the similarities, good and bad, are striking...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 10/02/2007 @ 2:45pm

10. You, Mr. Nichols, are one of, if not THE hardest working journalist writing today. Thank you, sir!

    Posted by lewwelge at 10/02/2007 @ 2:49pm

11. The E-mail incriminates State Department personnel in a cover up. It would be no surprise if every senior member of the Bush Administration spent some time in jail.

    Posted by P. J. Casey at 10/02/2007 @ 2:55pm

12. The E-mail incriminates State Department personnel in a cover up. It would be no surprise if every senior member of the Bush Administration spent some time in jail.

    Posted by P. J. Casey at 10/02/2007 @ 2:56pm

13. It would be no surprise if every senior member of the Bush Administration spent some time in jail.

    Posted by P. J. CASEY 10/02/2007 @ 2:55pm

    actually, that would be a HUGE surprise.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/02/2007 @ 3:09pm

14. Why do you dems think that the US Gov't shouldn't pay $200,000 / person for services that the army could do fot $35,000 / person.

    Are you people saying you're not for corporations sucking on the teat of the US taxpayer?

    I need some hillbilly heroin!

    Posted by rushlimb at 10/02/2007 @ 3:54pm

15. privatisation is essentially adding a middle man to the transaction. that always makes it more expensive. this, like everything about the war, stinks to high heaven.

    Posted by johannesrolf at 10/02/2007 @ 3:56pm

16. Why do you dems think that the US Gov't shouldn't pay $200,000 / person for services that the army could do fot $35,000 / person.

    Are you people saying you're not for corporations sucking on the teat of the US taxpayer?

    I need some hillbilly heroin!

    Posted by rushlimb at 10/02/2007 @ 4:00pm

17. "... as they sat and watched their nation circle the drain."

    Posted by Tht1Gy! at 10/02/2007 @ 4:01pm

18. Sorry, diplomatic immunity, uh, executive priviledge, er, national security, oh, scheduling conflict, yeah, that's it. Sorry Mr. Waxman, I cannot attend your hearing, I have a scheduling conflict...until 2020. Signed Condi. HA! Joke's on you Waxman. What makes you think that you can get ANYONE in this criminal administration to come to Capitol Hill? You CAN'T!!! The DOJ is their personal law firm and Blackwater is their personal security firm. You can't get NEAR them. Try again in 2009 when they're all in Paraguey and cannot be extradited. Repubs 12,899,765, Dems 0.

    Posted by Noodle at 10/02/2007 @ 4:55pm

19. Go ahead Congress, supboena someone and see what happens.

    Posted by WOLFGANG1 10/02/2007 @ 2:03pm

    nada.

    Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 10/02/2007 @ 2:07pm

    Sorry again. Subpoena.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 10/02/2007 @ 5:11pm

20. sub poena, sub=under poena=penalty

    Posted by johannesrolf at 10/02/2007 @ 5:15pm

21. I'll second that though I'm sure we'll be hearing from Happy about how Nichols' book sales are down.... yadda yadda yadda.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 10/02/2007 @ 5:15pm

22. sub poena, sub=under poena=penalty

    Posted by JOHANNESROLF 10/02/2007 @ 5:15pm

    Thanks JR. But the question still stands. If Congress calls anyone in the administration before them, either they will take the 5th and walk away, or, W will tell them that they are protected under executive privelege since basically Bush thinks he owns the entire government....with the exception of Cheney of course.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 10/02/2007 @ 5:18pm

23. "....the State Department is acting as Blackwater's enabler," Waxman told....

    NICHOLS: Blackwater is an extension of the U.S. government.

    Blackwater operates at the behest of the U.S. departments of defense and state.

    How interwoven are the operations in Iraq of the Department of State and Blackwater?

    The lines of distinction between the State Department and Blackwater no longer exist.

    Quickly picking out five sentences mentioning both Blackwater and the Gov't/State Dept......NOT A SINGLE one mentions the fact that Blackwater's main role in Iraq is to provide SECURITY to diplomats, mostly our own and some Iraqis.

    Assassinations are, unfortunately, a rather routine event in Iraq....even as improvements are being made in US-patrolled areas. With our `heavy' footprint, mistakes will happen....accidents or willful killings....some system need to be in place that would be the equivalent to U.S. soldiers facing court marshal for atrocities......address this need...shouldn't be a political circus!

    Posted by Happy at 10/02/2007 @ 5:25pm

24. Posted by HAPPY

    If Iraq is truly a sovereign nation, then a status of forces agreement would be in order. As for Blackwater, any and all should be subject to Iraqi law.

    Posted by mtspence05 at 10/02/2007 @ 5:41pm

25. Did anyone actually hear the congressional BW testimony hearings?

    It's sad how chickenshit kiss ass the senate repubs were concerning BW protection without accountability. They had no shame saying that it's ok to kill innocents as long as they themselves don't get hurt, that's the important thing above all else, please mister mercenary protect me protect me-- what cowards-- Then equating an ad asking about Betray us(?) with killing innocents. Then one repub started on a diatribe about dems attacking BW per being mad whenever a company makes a profit! Why in the world would anyone not question making profit off of war?!?!? Aparrently a question amorally not to be considered for repubs. Sad souless bags of waste.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 10/02/2007 @ 5:53pm

26. 3 more months left in 2007 and it looks like deaths are going to surpass 2006 and 2005 and 2004 and 2003:

    U.S. Casualties By Calendar Year

    Year _US Deaths _US Wounded

    2003 ___486 ______2,408

    2004 ___849 ______8,003

    2005 ___846 ______5,948

    2006 ___822 ______6,398

    2007 ___805 ______4,996

    Total __3808 _____ 27753

    And yet many reports show the DoD is still fudging the casualty numbers down. Veterans Admin has already stated that the numbers are double what DoD states... How can we accept anything we're told especially as we're lied to over and over again about how it's improving. Just "stay the 'failed' course". Not.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 10/02/2007 @ 6:12pm

27. by WOLFGANG1 10/02/2007 @ 5:18pm | ignore this person

    the creeps may not testify, but they slink away. see Rummy and Rovey.

    watch the polls. the repubs are. they have also realized that Bush doesn't care about their future. Cheney and he will go down in history as having destroyed the repub party.

    Posted by johannesrolf at 10/02/2007 @ 6:52pm

28. BTW, check out Darrell Issa's (R-CA) question to Prince during the hearing....

    First, he claims that going after Blackwater is "the same as attacking General Petraus"...

    Then, trying to make a point that "it's all a partisan witchhunt"...he ACCIDENTILY points out that Blackwater IS a predominantly Republican company by asking question after question about Prince's family and their relationship with the GOP...

    and when he finishs, he says "I just want this attack on Blackwater for being Republican to be stopped!"...

    and Waxman says "YOU are the only one pointing it out, Congressman!"

    And you can just see the other Repubs on the Committee thinking "Jesus Christ, Darrell...shut the f**k up about Prince and his family being Republicans! You're not helping!"

    Posted by Mask at 10/02/2007 @ 10:52pm

29. Posted by MASK 10/02/2007 @ 10:52pm

    search you tube for "cackling hillary"...too many to post here...lol...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 10/02/2007 @ 11:55pm

30. The time has come for the Democrats to stop their cowering and set in motion something they have avoided: impeachment...not just Bush, not just Cheney, but Condi too...the whole lot of them need to be removed and indicted...enough is enough. Why is Condi's department giving hush money to families who were victims of Blackwater atrocities if this is not something horrendous? Especially galling is State's claim they not give families TOO MUCH money, because then Iraqis will kill themselves for dollars. These people are sick, twisted freaks and I am sick of those who justify them. Our tax dollars are being used to fund contractors who operate outside the law. End it, now!

    Posted by MCE337 at 10/03/2007 @ 03:16am

31. And you can just see the other Repubs on the Committee thinking "Jesus Christ, Darrell...shut the f**k up about Prince and his family being Republicans! You're not helping!"

    Issa is such a tool...a dumb tool...

    Posted by MCE337 at 10/03/2007 @ 03:17am

32. Assassinations are, unfortunately, a rather routine event in Iraq....even as improvements are being made in US-patrolled areas. With our `heavy' footprint, mistakes will happen....accidents or willful killings....some system need to be in place that would be the equivalent to U.S. soldiers facing court marshal for atrocities......address this need...shouldn't be a political circus!

    Posted by HAPPY 10/02/2007 @ 5:25pm

    Yes, but Happy, why should a private firm be doing a job the U.S. military normally does? It would be like R&R for the soldiers normally doing patrols in hot bed areas. The military trained personnel follow guidelines where as Blackwater has not accountablitiliy as we have just seen. It's your tax money these assholes are throwing down the drain Happy. Being a conservative, I thought you would abhor wasting money and Blackwater is a waste of money.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 10/03/2007 @ 07:06am

33. watch the polls. the repubs are. they have also realized that Bush doesn't care about their future. Cheney and he will go down in history as having destroyed the repub party.

    Posted by JOHANNESROLF 10/02/2007 @ 6:52pm

    I hope you are right.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 10/03/2007 @ 07:08am

34. Of course we have been using mercanaries. In more and more capacity's since the late 70's when we started the war on drugs. And if you don't think that the CIA has used them in some capacity since it's inception then you should start rereading our history

    Posted by Entrapment at 10/03/2007 @ 2:39pm

35. Clinton reduced the military to a point where it has not enough troops to do its job. Congress does not fund enough troops. The President does not request enough troops. They outsource the job. They are all to blame for Blackwater. Both parties. Rice, Pelosi, Bush, Reid, Gates, both Clintons. They all enable the atrocities.

    One can question whther iraq should have been invaded. It should not have been. But if an invasion was made an adequate military should have been put in place. It was not and it was not by consensus.

    Posted by tadzio at 10/04/2007 @ 06:15am