On AlterNet: mercenaries

Stories, blog posts, and videos tagged as "mercenaries"

Secret Erik Prince/Blackwater Tape Exposed

Jeremy Scahill, The Nation. May 4, 2010.

The reclusive Blackwater founder tries to ban journalists and recorders from his speeches in front of friendly audiences. This time he failed.

Robert Gates Confirms What U.S. Government Has Denied for Months: Blackwater Is in Pakistan

Jeremy Scahill, The Nation. January 22, 2010.

No sooner did Defense Secretary Gates admit during a visit to Islamabad that Blackwater is in the country, than the Pentagon rushed to "clarify" his remarks.

US Corporations, Private Mercenaries and the IMF Rush in to Profit from Haiti's Crisis

Benjamin Dangl, Toward Freedom. January 19, 2010.

In the midst of a colossal human disaster, Washington is promoting unpopular economic policies and extending military and economic control over the Haitian people.

U.S. Security Company Offers to Perform "High Threat Terminations" and to Confront "Worker Unrest" in Haiti

Jeremy Scahill, Rebel Reports. January 19, 2010.

We saw this type of Iraq-style disaster profiteering in New Orleans and you can expect to see a lot more of this in Haiti over the coming days, weeks and months.

Has Disaster Profiteering Already Begun in Haiti?

Jeremy Scahill, Rebel Reports. January 18, 2010.

The Orwellian-named International Peace Operations Association didn't waste much time in offering the "services" of its member companies to swoop down on Haiti.

Xe Services (Blackwater) Killers' Story Doesn't Add Up

Joshua Holland, AlterNet. January 14, 2010.

On it's face, it's kind of ridiculous.

Judge Gives Blackwater Huge New Year's Gift, Dismisses All Charges In Iraq Massacre

Jeremy Scahill, Rebel Reports. December 31, 2009.

Judge Ricardo Urbina dismissed all charges against the five Blackwater operatives accused of gunning down 14 innocent Iraqis in Baghdad's Nisour Square in 2007.

[Video] Is the Hypocritical War Against ACORN Unconstitutional?

Jeremy Scahill, Rebel Reports. September 28, 2009.

How could any sane person put even the wildest allegations against ACORN up against the systematic misconduct and criminality of massive corporations?

Laura Flanders Interviews Jeremy Scahill Over Blackwater Scandal

Laura Flanders, GRITtv. August 10, 2009.

Should we be calling this "Blackwatergate"?

UN Investigation on Military Contractors Begins Today

Suzanne Ito, Blog of Rights. July 20, 2009.

The Working Group on the use of mercenaries will focus on questions of transparency, accountability, and human rights.

U.S. Cities Increasing Use of Armed Mercenaries to Replace Police

Jeremy Scahill, Rebel Reports. April 24, 2009.

Some estimate that private security inside the US actually outnumber police 5-to-1.

U.S. Mercenaries to UN: Stop Using the Word 'Mercenary' in Your Investigation into Mercenaries

Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet. April 15, 2009.

The U.S. mercenary trade association asks the UN to join its rebranding campaign.

Obama's Blackwater? Chicago Mercenary Firm Gets Millions for Private "Security" in Israel and Iraq

Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet. April 2, 2009.

Federal records obtained by AlterNet reveal a multi-million dollar contract for a private U.S. paramilitary force operating out of Jerusalem.

President Obama, Why Did You Pay Blackwater $70 Million in February?

Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet. March 17, 2009.

Obama may keep the company on the government payroll months after its Iraq contract expires. Not bad for a firm supposedly going down in flames.

Blackwater Changes Its Name, Shall Now Be Called the Knights Who Say 'Xe'

Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet. February 13, 2009.

Perhaps Erik Prince and his men have been watching Monty Python.

Obama Could Issue an Executive Order to End the Wars Tomorrow (Yes, It's That Simple)

Nora Eisenberg, AlterNet. January 29, 2009.

In a wide-ranging interview, veteran Paul Sullivan discusses Bush, Obama and the legacies of the Gulf War.

Mercenaries Playing Increasingly Prominent Role in Latin America

Gustavo Capdevila, IPS News. December 26, 2008.

Mercenaries hired by private military and security companies are playing an increasingly broad range of roles in Latin America.

Blackwater Plans New Mission: Fighting Pirates

Faiz Shakir, ThinkProgress. December 3, 2008.

The private security firm Blackwater is planning to offer a new service to make money: protection from the pirates off the coast of East Africa.

U.S. Government to U.S. Mercenaries: Say Goodbye to Immunity in Iraq

Middle East OnlineNovember 21, 2008.

Under the Status of Forces Agreement awaiting passage, private military contractors would be subject to Iraqi criminal and civil law.

Getting to the Bottom of the Deceptive, Secretive and Artificial Iraq-U.S. Negotiations

Phyllis Bennis, Foreign Policy in Focus. October 27, 2008.

Whatever the U.S.-Iraqi "agreement" ends up looking like, it is unlikely to have much of an effect on the occupation.

Obama vs. McCain: Iraq, Afghanistan and the Treatment of Veterans -- Voter Guide

AlterNetOctober 17, 2008.

See how the candidates compare on the occupation of Iraq, the use of mercenaries in war and other issues in the so-called War on Terror.

Would Obama Ban Blackwater and Other Mercenary Companies?

Jeremy Scahill, Democracy Now!. August 29, 2008.

Democracy Now! correspondent Jeremy Scahill reports from the DNC.

End the Occupation? Let's Not and Say We Did

Anthony Arnove, Huffington Post. July 30, 2008.

President Bush, Nuri al-Maliki, Barack Obama and John McCain seem to have reached a common consensus on Iraq.

The Vast and Dangerous Transfer of American Spying to Mercenary Companies

Chalmers Johnson, TomDispatch.com. July 28, 2008.

Johnson considers just how incompetent and unscrupulous a thoroughly privatized intelligence 'community' has turned out to be.

Media Goof Again: Blackwater Isn't Going Anywhere

Jeremy Scahill, Comment Is Free. July 23, 2008.

Despite reports that the company is leaving the mercenary business, Blackwater's future is secure.