thedrifter
09-17-07, 02:24 PM
Blackwater reportedly banned from Iraq
By John T. Bennett - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Sep 17, 2007 14:30:38 EDT
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to place a call to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday to discuss reports that his government has banned Blackwater USA after an alleged gunfight that reportedly left eight civilians dead.
CNN reported on its Web site Monday that Blackwater employees were involved in a gunfight in Nusoor Square, a Sunni area. As a result of the gun battle and carnage, the Iraqi Interior Ministry decided to ban the American security firm from the country, the cable news outlet reported.
At midday Monday, the State Department had yet to obtain official confirmation of the incident and the reported ouster of Blackwater.
A Blackwater spokeswoman has yet to respond to a reporter’s telephone message.
The Moyock, N.C.-based firm has contracts with the U.S. government to conduct security and other functions inside Iraq. American officials have leaned heavily on Blackwater and similar outfits to conduct such tasks there, largely because the U.S. military and other agencies lack the manpower to conduct many security tasks in addition to the myriad other missions they already are carrying out.
The State Department is investigating the incident.
Ellie
By John T. Bennett - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Sep 17, 2007 14:30:38 EDT
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to place a call to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday to discuss reports that his government has banned Blackwater USA after an alleged gunfight that reportedly left eight civilians dead.
CNN reported on its Web site Monday that Blackwater employees were involved in a gunfight in Nusoor Square, a Sunni area. As a result of the gun battle and carnage, the Iraqi Interior Ministry decided to ban the American security firm from the country, the cable news outlet reported.
At midday Monday, the State Department had yet to obtain official confirmation of the incident and the reported ouster of Blackwater.
A Blackwater spokeswoman has yet to respond to a reporter’s telephone message.
The Moyock, N.C.-based firm has contracts with the U.S. government to conduct security and other functions inside Iraq. American officials have leaned heavily on Blackwater and similar outfits to conduct such tasks there, largely because the U.S. military and other agencies lack the manpower to conduct many security tasks in addition to the myriad other missions they already are carrying out.
The State Department is investigating the incident.
Ellie