Blackwater under fire in U.S. Congress
Lawyer Blogs
[##_1L|1333078476.jpg|width="140" height="135" alt=""|_##]U.S. security contractor Blackwater, under investigation over deadly incidents in Iraq, defended its role there on Tuesday, but lawmakers took aim at the company's actions in a Sept. 16 shooting in which 11 Iraqis were killed. Blackwater founder and former Navy SEAL Erik Prince said in in testimony prepared for the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that his staff acted "appropriately" on that day in a very complex war zone.
"There has been a rush to judgment based on inaccurate information, and many public reports have wrongly pronounced Blackwater's guilt for the deaths of varying numbers of civilians," Prince said in the testimony.
"Congress should not accept these allegations as truth until it has the facts," added Prince.
Iraq's government has been strongly critical of Blackwater and has called the shooting incident a crime.
Committee chairman Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, said there were serious questions about Blackwater's performance and that the Sept. 16 shooting was just the latest in a number of "troubling" incidents.
"Is Blackwater, a private military contractor, helping or hurting our efforts in Iraq," Waxman asked in his opening statement.
"Blackwater will be accountable," he added.
Blackwater, which has received U.S. government contracts worth more than a billion dollars since 2001, is under intense scrutiny over its security work in Iraq, where Prince said the North Carolina firm had about 1,000 personnel.
The hearing comes amid growing questions over the role of private contractors in Iraq and whether the U.S. government relies too heavily on outsiders to perform jobs traditionally done by the military.
Related listings
-
US Supreme Court begins new term
Lawyer Blogs 10/01/2007[##_1L|1237711842.jpg|width="180" height="122" alt=""|_##]The US Supreme Court begins a new term Monday, which usually remains in session from October through June, has already accepted to review a complaint lodged on behalf of detainees held at the ...
-
Michigan Lawmakers Try to Avoid Shutdown
Lawyer Blogs 09/30/2007[##_1L|1183841170.jpg|width="120" height="93" alt=""|_##]Lawmakers trying to avoid a partial government shutdown were taking a short break early Sunday from brokering deals on tax increases and other measures aimed at plugging a budget deficit. The L...
-
FDIC Shuts Down NetBank Due to Defaults
Lawyer Blogs 09/28/2007[##_1L|1235484269.jpg|width="101" height="102" alt=""|_##]NetBank Inc., an online bank with $2.5 billion in assets, was shut down by the government on Friday because of an excessive level of mortgage defaults. It was the largest savings and loan fail...
New Rochelle, New York Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP, in New Rochelle, New York, immediately. We can answer all your questions and work with you to determine if you have the grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at our firm are determined to resolve even the most difficult of cases. We will work closely with you to determine the best course of action to get your claim or case resolved in the most efficient way possible. We will fight for your right to compensation! No one should have to suffer a financial burden from the result of another person’s carelessness. The attorneys at Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP will aggressively fight to ensure that justice is served on your behalf.