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Blackwater advertising for personnel to respond to Gustav
By Muriel Kane
Intelligence blogger R.J. Hillhouse reported last week that Blackwater Worldwide has been advertising for “qualified security personnel for possible deployment into areas affected by Hurricane Gustav.”Blackwater was seeking law enforcement officers with arrest powers, in addition to armed security officers. Among other qualifications, the officers were required to have “Armed status (must indicate Armed and/or Semi Auto. Revolver only not accepted)” and “Departmental credentials (not just a badge).”
When Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, official relief efforts were slow to arrive, making the speedy appearance of Blackwater mercenaries appear controversial but perhaps inevitable. According to a report at the time:
“Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for its work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been “deputized” by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal force. … Blackwater mercenaries are some of the most feared professional killers in the world and they are accustomed to operating without worry of legal consequences. Their presence on the streets of New Orleans should be a cause for serious concern for the remaining residents of the city.”
This time, however, well before Gustav reached New Orleans, the Louisiana National Guard had mobilized 7000 of its members. Elements of the US, Canadian, and British armed forces have also moved into position or are on standby to offer assistance if needed, making it seem far less likely that there will be any need for Blackwater’s services.
2 Responses to “Blackwater advertising for personnel to respond to Gustav”
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September 1st, 2008 at 7:10 pm
So who is paying Blackwater for the contract this time? Homeland Security had plenty of time. The Pentagon had plenty of time. The White House and the State Department had plenty of time. Why couldn’t they assemble enough National Guard or regular troops to take care of what Blackwater is apparently getting paid 10 times as much to do? If the US military is this close to the bottom of the barrel, then they have been derelict in their duties. Using Blackwater is their chicken shit way of avoiding the political impact of a draft. Blackwater and their kind are bad for America. They should be disbanded.
September 2nd, 2008 at 2:57 am
I was told by a Blackhawk security company mercenary who is guarding a New Orleans hotel that teams of Blackhawk Security and Blackwater USA are in New Orleans. According to the source, who wished to remain anonymous, I spoke with yesterday evening, both companies have been hired by the City of New Orleans, i.e. Mayor C. Ray Nagin. They have arrest powers and are authorized to shoot in their own defense, as is any New Orleans City Police officer. According to the source, Blackhawk has a training facility near New Orleans in LaPlace, Louisiana.
Earlier a Blackhawk team captain told me he has been hear since Katrina. Blackhawk is at this time more noticeably visible on the downtown and in the French Quarter of New Orleans than Blackwater. Blackhawk mercenaries can be seen outside guarding many of the hotels.
Most are unwilling to say anything more to a civilian than to ask why she is here and that she better be mindful of the curfew. Even though they may have arrest powers, one Blackhawk guard told me last night warned me that if police saw me they might arrest me because of the curfew that had gone into effect at 9:00 p.m. His colleague corrected him, saying it was started at 10:00. Other accounts said it was a dawn to dusk curfew.
The western parishes of Louisiana were the hardest hit by Gustav. Electric power has been lost to many in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, as well as throughout the area.
New Orleans appears to have received very little damage, although the Industrial Canal, which runs through the Ninth Ward was overtopping earlier today.
Thanks to all for the good wishes. People in the western part of the state were still recovering from Hurricane Rita.