Blackwater In Hot Water
Posted on 24 August 2009 by Stenberg-Tendys W.L. in Uncategorized
The U.S. State Department still awards the private security company known as Blackwater, more than $400 million in contracts. Blackwater conducts some of the United States most sensitive operations and protects some of its most vital assets.
This week, government officials and current former Blackwater employees, revealed the company is involved in the United States most important counter-terrorism program: the use of remotely piloted drones (UAVs) to assassinate Al Qaeda leaders.
Blackwater continues to supply aviation services to diplomats in Iraq, under a two-year $217 million contract. This contract expires on Sept 3rd. Spokesman for the State Department, Ian C. Kelly, said “The work would be given to another security and logistics company, DynCorp International.”
The 2011 contract to supply personnel and security to American diplomats in Afghanistan, is worth $210 million. Blackwater also earns $6 million on a three-year contract, training foreign security guards in antiterrorism tactics, in a remote camp in North Carolina.
It is widely known that the overstretched military and spy service, outsource some of their most important jobs, including the collection of intelligence in foreign countries, working with foreign agents and covert programs.
Secretary of State, Hilary Rodham Clinton has pledged to reduce the U.S.’s dependency on private security contractors. “I certainly am of the mind that we should, insofar as possible, reduce our dependence. Whether we can go all the way to banning them, under current circumstances, seems unlikely.”
Government officials have estimated that about 25 percent of the intelligence workforce consists of contractors and up to 70 percent of the entire intelligence budget goes to outside contractors.
A senior department official revealed it would be costly for the government to terminate its contracts with Blackwater, without cause. One of the contracts does not expire until 2011.
Following a shooting where 17 civilians were killed in Baghdad, the U.S. State Department requires Blackwater contractors to undergo ‘Afghan cultural awareness’ training.
