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In These Times blogs live from the Republican National Convention September 1 - 4.

Blackwater Nation

Contracting soldiers of fortune is only one example of our recent philosophy of government

By Brian Cook

Those seeking to pinpoint the date that propelled the private military firm Blackwater into its prominent (and disastrous) position in the U.S. military apparatus might look toward Sept. 11, 2001. Al Clark, one of the company’s co-founders, once remarked, “Osama bin Laden turned Blackwater into what it is today.” And two weeks after 9/11, Erik Prince, the company’s other co-founder… return to article

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    I like Blackwater. I think we should bring them home so they can wage “Liberal” season.

    United States Posted by waypasthadenough on Oct 15, 2007 at 8:31 PM

    The reason is obvious: the empire couldn’t face the possibility of strong anti-war groups taking to the streets or claiming for their children’s welfare, as in VietNam’s days when they were on the draft.
    So, what better option than contracting trained killers to do the dirty job so that nice, educated boys from “nice, educated families” needn’t stain their hands in “savages”’ blood? No wonder there are so many useful idiots bragging about USA’s power and justifying what has no moral justification as long as they continue living safely, without having to fear for their sons’lives. At the same time, although wars are costly they will in the end be paid by oil and other natural resources from the lands they have invaded. Fortunately, there are still many American citizens who feel ashamed and many ongs and groups who are trying to have their voices heard, now called “liberals” or “progressives” as if those adjectives meant something nasty.

    Waypastadenough’s cynical comment is but one example of the cruelty, contempt for others and arrogance that emanates from the rapacious sub-species.

    Costa Rica Posted by Maria on Oct 17, 2007 at 2:48 PM

    “Rapacious,” now that’s a new one. I bet you had to thumb through your thesaurus half a day to come up with that one. Well, it’s more imaginative than, ‘racist,’ ‘extremist,’ ‘mean spirited,’ etc. that we used to get automatically tagged with just for questioning “LIberal” garbage posing as reality.

    But I think you missed this time:

    Main Entry:
    ra·pa·cious Listen to the pronunciation of rapacious
    Pronunciation:
    \rə-ˈpā-shəs\
    Function:
    adjective
    Etymology:
    Latin rapac-, rapax, from rapere to seize — more at rapid
    Date:
    1651

    1 : excessively grasping or covetous 2 : living on prey 3 : ravenous <a rapacious appetite>

    There’s nothing more covetous than a “Liberal” freak. The creatures either vote to steal from their neighbors to soothe their false coffee house consciences or to get a check from a govt. program. And there is no end to their appetite for control and regulation over their neighbors’ lives nor any end to their grasping for the hard earned incomes of others, rich or poor.

    United States Posted by waypasthadenough on Oct 17, 2007 at 5:44 PM

    Oh, and how could I forget to mention - they’re not ‘anti-war’ groups. They’re Marxist front groups. More examples of the Amerikan Communist Insurgency renaming itself to hide its evil.

    And as an older friend of mine said, “In Vietnam they should have shot the reporters first.”

    I’ll add to his regret by hoping I’ll live to see what they should have done decades ago, target the leaders of the American Communist Insurgency, whether they be in newsrooms, on college campuses, or in TV and radio stations spewing forth their propaganda to an unsuspecting and innocent public.

    And it’s the “Liberal” freaks who should be bragging. Their ideology has done as much as more than the corporations and the bankers to help build the empire, clogged as it is by bureaucracy and the tentacles of the ‘rapacious’ police state we exist under.

    Ask and “Liberal” freak if it wants to rid us of the IRS, the BATFE, or any other dept. of the federal empire. The answer would of course be “NO, we need to collect our taxes so we can regulate every aspect of every Amerikan’s life.”

    The only thing the “Liberal” freaks really want is to be in control of all of it. Then every thing would be A-OK.

    And they’ll tell any lie or twist any truth to achieve their goal of total control of all of us.

    That’s why we need “Liberal” season so badly.

    United States Posted by waypasthadenough on Oct 17, 2007 at 6:02 PM

    Waypasthadenough, I am afraid you are barking at the wrong tree. I used the word “rapacious” because it is the equivalent to the Spanish word “rapaz” which is a pretty common word in my native language. I have no connection whatsoever to any group: liberal, marxist, lefty, right-wing, nationalist,republican, neocon or any other of the names most people writing in this site usually apply as a way of insulting whoever thinks different.
    I am simply a human being, born in Latin America who can’t help noticing the growing violence exercised by USA in the way of wars or economical pressure over other countries and the consequences of such actions we are all suffering.
    My idea of a world where the new generations will have to live doesn’t include hunting people or shooting reporters, I am sorry.
    As to the paragraph where you express:
    “They’ll tell any lie or twist any truth to achieve their goal of total control of all of us” is exactlly what I see your government has been doing for a long time. ¿Do you mean to tell me they are Marxists? Well, that sure is a new one.

    Costa Rica Posted by Maria on Oct 18, 2007 at 10:55 PM

    At first I thought that waypasthadenough was doing a tongue in cheek,until I read his other posts.You are trully a fool dude.Since when is it ok for a so called democracy to hire mercenaries to do military things.These mercenaries are not under control of the military code of justice and do whatever they want without any restraints.They are just greedy pigs. The other aspect of this issue is that these mercenaries are most often,now a days,people who have gotten out of the military ,such as special forces,rangers,seals,and other special ops people.In so doing they have hurt the regular military in that their skills are not available to the regular soldier.WE need trained people to train others and to lead,but no these people got greedy and are in effect thumbing their noses at their bretheren still in the regular military.

    United States Posted by eddiemyboy1 on Oct 22, 2007 at 5:47 AM

    my dear maria:

    That’s ‘barking up the wrong tree.’ And when posting to an ‘english’ web site one needs to use ‘english’ definitions.

    I have no control over what corrupt third world police state you were born into or live in.

    You need to educate yourself on the forms of govt. available. I suggest you start here:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism

    then look at what modern “Liberals” really are:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism

    Then go to my website, scroll to the right, and click on my list “books to read before you vote.”

    http://www.willowtown.com/

    And what does being a ‘human being’ prove? Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Bill Clinton, and Hitlery, were/are all ‘human beings.’

    That all being presented I don’t defend everything the current empire of note does nor do I have much respect for many of its multinational corporations. But you don’t make things better by replacing one evil, ‘corporatism, capitalism, whatever’ by a greater evil, ‘socialism,’ in any of its forms.

    If one does not trust ‘human beings to run corporations and ‘fascist’ govts. without harming others how does one trust ‘human beings’ to run socialistic, and thus, authoritarian govts.?

    Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, et al, all started out, and ended, as socialists.

    Which if any of the Latin Amerikan communistic dictatorships do you reside in by the way? Yes, I know most of them have elections. Even chevez or who ever was ‘elected.’ Now he’s ended elections if I’m not mistaken.

    I find it amusing how the native peoples of those countries use a European, and failed, philosophy, so called, to seek their ‘freedom.’

    Feel free to ‘educate’ me. I have an ‘open mind,’ unlike most “Liberal” freaks who are scared to death to discuss certain topics.

    And to ‘eddiemyboy1’: There’s not much ‘tongue in cheek’ about me. When I say “Liberal” season I speak of events to come, not fantasy.

    The Blackwater people are employees and all employees face restraints of some form or another. I don’t claim they’re perfect or anything else, not being affiliated with their org. I do agree with their owner’s refusal to allow his personnel to be tried in an Iraqi court.

    What I will point out is if they were owned an ran by Demoncrat supporters who donate millions to Demoncrat candidates little would be written or said about them in the mainstream sewage(media). And this marxist rag would find other groups to pick on.

    United States Posted by waypasthadenough on Oct 22, 2007 at 6:30 AM

    Oh, and how could I forget: This isn’t a democracy:

    ‘The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government...’ - Article IV, Section 4, U.S. Constitution

    The word ‘democracy’ is not in the U.S. Constitution. It is however, in the Communist Manifesto: “Establishing democracy is the first step in the revolution.” - Karl Marx

    http://www.willowtown.com/promo/quotes.htm

    United States Posted by waypasthadenough on Oct 22, 2007 at 6:46 AM
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