Iraq For Sale, War For Profit
Posted by Dave (The Void) on September 17, 2007
Reconstructing Iraq, apparently, is a job for Bechtel, Halliburton and other firms grown rich from burning the Third World’s money. Private data extraction specialists were behind some of the worst atrocities of Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, and the mercenaries of Blackwater are literally making a killing. The number of contractors like these in Iraq has been growing since the outset of hostilities, and has now overtaken that of regular troops.
Iraq For Sale
This Robert Greenwald film (76 mins) views the problem very much through a “Support The Troops” lens, but is nevertheless a shocking and highly informative exposé.
Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Private Army
Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill talks about everyone’s favourite mercenaries in this interview (41 mins) for Democracy Now.
Dave On Fire said
It’s uncanny that I should post this today; after one massacre too many, Blackwater have just been banned from Iraq. Of course, Blackwater are only one of many mercenary firms out there, and it remains to be seen whether and for how long the ban will be enforced, but it still seems significant – especially as this move comes from the Iraqi Interior Ministry, and not from the U.S. government or military.
Black Water, Dark Skies « Complex System Of Pipes said
[...] of the most notorious beneficiaries of the most privatised war in history have been the Blackwater corporation. They call themselves private security providers, many others [...]