2004. Iraq. Blackwater Mercenaries.
"Blackwater Security Company MD-530F helicopter aids in securing the site of a car bomb explosion in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 4, 2004, during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.(U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Michael E. Best) (Released) (Released to Public)" under Public Domain by the U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Michael E. Best
Blackwater, a private military contractor, was founded in 1997 by Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL, and Al Clark, a former Delta Force officer. The company's primary purpose was to provide specialized training to military and law enforcement personnel. After the September 11 attacks, Blackwater secured government contracts to provide security services in Afghanistan and later in Iraq. Over time, the company grew to become one of the largest private military contractors in the world, with operations in various countries.
Blackwater's relationship with the US government was not without controversy. Critics accused the company of providing subpar services and operating with impunity. In March 2004, The Guardian published an article about Blackwater's recruitment of guards for Iraq in Chile. The article raised questions about the company's hiring practices and the training it provided to its employees. In May 2004, The Guardian published another article asking who commanded the private soldiers working for Blackwater.
In March 2005, Foreign Affairs published an article titled "Outsourcing War" that discussed the use of private military contractors in Iraq. The article noted that private contractors outnumbered US military personnel in Iraq and argued that the outsourcing of military operations to contractors posed significant risks.
In September 2005, CBS News published an opinion piece titled "Blackwater Down," which criticized the company's use of force and its alleged involvement in the killing of civilians in Iraq. The piece accused Blackwater of operating with impunity and criticized the US government for failing to hold the company accountable.
In January 2007, the Los Angeles Times published an article titled "Bush's rent-an-army," which discussed the growing role of private military contractors in US military operations. The article noted that Blackwater had secured billions of dollars in government contracts and had become one of the most prominent private military contractors in the world.
In July 2007, the Los Angeles Times published an article titled "Contractors outnumber troops in Iraq," which discussed the role of private military contractors in Iraq. The article noted that private contractors were often paid more than US soldiers and were not subject to the same rules of engagement.
In September 2007, Reuters published a factsheet on Blackwater and the private security industry. The factsheet provided an overview of the company's history and operations and noted that Blackwater had been involved in several controversial incidents in Iraq.
"US State Department contract security, International (Green) Zone, Baghdad, Iraq. Contract security, Baghdad" by jamesdale10 under CC BY 2.0
Also in September 2007, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty published an article about a shoot-out in Baghdad involving Blackwater guards. The incident resulted in the deaths of several Iraqi civilians and drew attention to the role of private military contractors in Iraq.
One of the most controversial incidents involving Blackwater occurred on September 16, 2007, when a group of Blackwater contractors opened fire on Iraqi civilians in Nisoor Square, Baghdad, killing 17 people and injuring 20 others. The incident sparked widespread outrage and criticism, with some calling it a massacre. In the aftermath of the incident, Blackwater faced intense scrutiny and criticism from the media and government officials. The incident also highlighted the lack of oversight and accountability for private military contractors in Iraq.
In October 2007, Reuters published an article titled "Blackwater involved in 195 Iraq shootings," which discussed the company's use of force in Iraq. The article noted that Blackwater guards had been involved in a large number of shootings and had been accused of using excessive force.
That same month, the Brookings Institution published an article titled "The Dark Truth about Blackwater," which criticized the company's business practices and its alleged involvement in the killing of civilians in Iraq. The article argued that Blackwater had become a symbol of the worst excesses of privatization and had operated with impunity.
In February 2008, Deutsche Welle published an article about an arms scandal involving Blackwater. The article noted that the company had been accused of illegally exporting weapons to Iraq.
Also in February 2008, Wired published an article about former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's alleged request for Blackwater to provide security for her during her visit to Pakistan. The article noted that Blackwater had denied the request.
Despite the controversy surrounding the Nisoor Square incident, Blackwater continued to operate in Iraq until May 2009, when the Iraqi government revoked the company's license to operate in the country. However, Blackwater remained active in other parts of the world, including Afghanistan, where it was involved in numerous incidents that raised questions about the company's practices and accountability.
In 2009, Blackwater changed its name to Xe Services LLC in an effort to rebrand and distance itself from the controversy surrounding its past activities. However, the company continued to face scrutiny and criticism, with some accusing it of engaging in illegal and unethical practices, including the use of excessive force, the mistreatment of detainees, and the violation of human rights.
In recent years, Blackwater has largely faded from the public spotlight, but the controversy surrounding the company continues to raise questions about the role of private military contractors in modern warfare and the need for greater oversight and accountability. Additionally, some have raised concerns about the company's connections to Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin, particularly in light of the company's reported involvement in training Russian security forces.
In 2017, it was reported that Blackwater founder Erik Prince, a close associate of President Donald Trump, had met with Russian officials in the Seychelles in an effort to establish a backchannel between the Trump administration and the Russian government. Prince has denied any wrongdoing, but the incident has raised questions about the extent of Blackwater's connections to Russia and its role in shaping U.S. foreign policy. Overall, the history of Blackwater highlights the complex and often controversial role of private military contractors in modern warfare and the need for greater oversight and accountability in this industry.
More on Blackwater will be explored in Part 3: The 2010s and Part 4: 2020-2021
Written in part in collaboration with ChatGPT on March 24, 2023
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Next: 2004. Ukraine. Poisoning of Victor Yuschenko.
Putin Is A War Criminal
Russia Is A Terrorist State:
Part 1 (1990s)
Part 2 (2000s)
Part 3 (2011 - 2016)
Part 4 (2016 - 2019)
Part 5 (2020 - 2021)
Part 6: (2022+)
Sources for 2004. Iraq. Blackwater Mercenaries:
US contractor recruits guards for Iraq in Chile - The Guardian March 4, 2004
Who commands the private soldiers? - The Guardian May 16, 2004
Outsourcing War - Foreign Affairs March 1, 2005
Blackwater Down | Opinion - CBS News September 22, 2005
Bush’s rent-an-army - Los Angeles Times January 25, 2007
Contractors outnumber troops in Iraq - Los Angeles Times July 4, 2007
A very private war - The Guardian July 31, 2007
FACTBOX: Facts on Blackwater and the private security industry - Reuters September 18, 2007
Iraq: Shoot-Out Draws Attention To Security Contractors - RFERL September 18, 2007
Dems Blame Blackwater For Fallujah Carnage - CBS News September 27, 2007
Blackwater involved in 195 Iraq shootings - Reuters October 1, 2007
The Dark Truth about Blackwater - BROOKINGS October 2, 2007
The dark truth about Blackwater - salon October 2, 2007
Profile: Blackwater's Erik Prince - Newsweek October 13, 2007
Blackwater in Baghdad: "It was a horror movie" - Human Rights Watch December 14, 2007
Arms Scandal - DW February 19, 2008
Bhutto Wanted Blackwater - WIRED February 26, 2008
Iraqi leader wants answers for Blackwater 'massacre' - CNN April 7, 2008
Activists turn to Blackwater for Darfur help - Financial Times June 18, 2008
Blackwater Plans Exit From Guard Work - The New York Times July 22, 2008
Blackwater five: mercenaries or decorated vets? - NBC News December 6, 2008
Blackwater: private US security firm mired in Iraq controversy - The Guardian January 29, 2009
Blackwater Mercs Likely to Stay in Iraq, Despite Gov't Ban - WIRED January 29, 2009
Scandal-Ridden Blackwater CEO Steps Down - ABC News January 30, 2009
Military Contractor Blackwater Changes Its Name | Opinion - NPR February 16, 2009
Blackwater Changes Its Name to Xe - The New York Times February 13, 2009
Blackwater Takes Our Advice, Adopts Inscrutable, Opaque Name - WIRED February 13, 2009
Blackwater’s New Frontier: Their Own Private Africa - Mother Jones February 27, 2009
Blackwater founder resigns as chief executive - Reuters March 2, 2009
Military Contractor Skullduggery Afoot In Iraq - Huffington Post March 2, 2009
Source: Firm to take over Blackwater/Xe's Iraq contract - CNN April 1, 2009
State (Still) Hearts Blackwater - WIRED April 9, 2009
Blackwater (Now Xe) Still Working In Iraq - CBS News April 21, 2009
Blackwater security pulls out of Baghdad - France 24 May 7, 2009
Blackwater ends operations in Iraq - Al Jazeera May 7, 2009
Blackwater, behind the brass - POLITICO July 20, 2009
Congresswoman: U.S. ties with Xe, formerly Blackwater, must end - CNN August 7, 2009
The Rise and Fall of the Mercenary Formerly Known as Blackwater - Newsweek August 20, 2009
Making Sense Of The Blackwater Connection | Opinion - CBS News August 21, 2009
The Nation: Blackwater: CIA Assassins? | Opinion - NPR August 24, 2009
Blackwater's 'Merchants of Death' - ABC News August 24, 2009
German Mercenaries - DW October 24, 2009
Blackwater chief: I was thrown ‘under the bus’ - NBC News December 2, 2009
Mercenaries? CIA Says Expanded Role for Contractors Legitimate - ABC News December 10, 2009
How Close Are Blackwater and the CIA? - The Atlantic December 11, 2009
Blackwater: Private Army In The News Again - NPR December 16, 2009
Blackwater and its soldiers of misfortune - The Guardian January 1, 2010
Germany knows nothing of alleged CIA murder plot - Reuters January 4, 2010
Blackwater, The CIA And Khost | Opinion - CBS News January 7, 2010
U.N. embraces private military contractors - Foreign Policy January 17, 2010
Same Blackwater, Different Names - ABC News January 22, 2010
Iraq orders ex-Blackwater contractors out - CNN February 10, 2010
If it Looks Like Blackwater and Acts Like Blackwater… - Mother Jones February 24, 2010
Feds: Blackwater Saves Taxpayers Money - ABC News March 11, 2010
The Nation: Blackwater For Sale | Opinion - NPR June 9, 2010
CIA & Blackwater: Who's Playing Who? - WIRED July 7, 2010
Then and Now: Iraq’s ‘Blackwater Bridge’ - PBS NewsHour August 20, 2010
Blackwater’s Black Ops - The Nation September 15, 2010
Exclusive: Blackwater Wins Piece of $10 Billion Mercenary Deal - WIRED October 1, 2010
Leaks reveal Blackwater excesses - Al Jazeera October 23, 2010
‘Excessive force’ from Blackwater - Al Jazeera October 25, 2010
Blackwater in Iraq - DW October 26, 2010
Blackwater Founder in Deal to Sell Company - The New York Times December 16, 2010
Before Shooting in Iraq, a Warning on Blackwater - The New York Times June 29, 2014
The real Blackwater scandal is that the State Department kept hiring them - Vox June 30, 2014
Blackwater and the Iraq War Time Warp - The Atlantic April 14, 2015