Blackwater (company)

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Blackwater USA
Company typePrivate military company
IndustryGovernment contracting
Founded1997
FounderErik Prince
Headquarters
Moyock, North Carolina
,
USA
Key people
Gary Jackson
Bill Mathews
Chris Taylor
DivisionsBlackwater Training Center
Blackwater Security Consulting
Blackwater Canine
Blackwater Armor & Targets
Blackwater Logistics
Blackwater Airships
Raven Development
Blackwater North(Illinois)
SubsidiariesBlackwater vehicles
Websiteblackwaterusa.com

Blackwater USA is a private military company and security firm. Founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark, it is based in North Carolina. The company markets itself as being "The most comprehensive professional military, law enforcement, security, peacekeeping, and stability operations company in the world".

Corporate structure

Blackwater USA consists of nine companies:

Blackwater Training Center

Blackwater Training Center offers tactics and weapons training to military, government, and law enforcement agencies. See facilities below. Blackwater Training Center also offers several open-enrollment courses periodically throughout the year, from hand to hand combat (executive course) to precision rifle marksmanship.

Blackwater Target Systems

This division provides and maintains target range steel targets and a "shoothouse" system.[1]

Blackwater Security Consulting (Moyock, North Carolina)

File:Blackwater Littlebird.jpg
Blackwater MD 530F in Iraq

Blackwater Security Consulting (BSC) was formed in 2002. BSC is one of 180 private security firms employed during the Iraq War to guard officials and installations, train Iraq's new Army and Police, and provide other support for Coalition Forces.[2]

Blackwater Security Consulting is very well equipped and known to use:

Blackwater K-9

Training canines to work in patrol capacities as war dogs, explosives and drug detection, and various other roles for military and law enforcement duties.

Blackwater Airships, LLC

Blackwater Airships LLC was established in January 2006 to build a remotely piloted airship vehicle (RPAV).

Blackwater Armored Vehicle

Blackwater recently introduced its own armored personnel carrier, the Grizzly APC.[7]

Blackwater Maritime

Blackwater Maritime Security Services offers tactical training for maritime force protection units.

Raven Development Group

In 1997, the Raven Development Group was established to design and build Blackwater USA's training facility in North Carolina.

Aviation Worldwide Services (Presidential Airways and STI Aviation)

Aircraft maintenance and tactical transportation. Presidential Airways claims to hold a Secret Facility Clearance from the U.S. Department of Defense.[8]

Greystone Limited

A private security service, Greystone is registered in Barbados, and employs third country nationals for offshore security work.

Personnel

Blackwater's president, Gary Jackson, and other business unit leaders are former Navy SEALs. Blackwater was founded and is owned by Erik Prince, who is also a former Navy SEAL.[9]

Prince and Jackson are also major contributors to the Republican party. In addition, Prince was an intern in George H.W. Bush's White House and campaigned for Pat Buchanan in 1992.[10]

Cofer Black, the company's current vice chairman, was the Bush adminstration's top counterterrorism official when 9/11 occurred. In 2002, he famously stated: "There was before 9/11 and after 9/11. After 9/11, the gloves come off." But Black is not alone, Blackwater has become home to a significant number of former senior CIA and Pentagon officials. Robert Richer became the firm's Vice President of Intelligence immediately after he resigned his position as Associate Deputy Director of Operations in fall 2005. He is formerly the head of the CIA's Near East Division.[11]

In October 2006, Kenneth Starr, independent counsel in the impeachment case of Bill Clinton in 1999, represented Blackwater in front of the US Supreme Court in a case related to the March 2004 killing of four Blackwater employees in Fallujah, Iraq.[12] In response to that event, Blackwater also hired the Republican lobbying and PR firm, the Alexander Strategy Group.[13]

Facilities

The facility, located in North Carolina, is composed of several ranges, indoor, outdoor, urban reproductions and has over 7,000 acres (28 km²) of land spanning Camden and Currituck counties.

It is one of the largest firearms training facilities in the world. Company literature claims that the company runs "the largest privately owned firearms training facility in the nation."

In November 2006 Blackwater USA announced it recently acquired an 80-acre (30 ha) facility 150 miles (240 km) west of Chicago, in Mount Carroll, Illinois to be called Blackwater North. That facility is now operational.

Blackwater is also trying[14] to open a facility in California for military training,[15] in Potrero, San Diego County.[16][17]

History

Blackwater USA was formed in 1997 to provide training support to military and law enforcement organizations. In 2002 Blackwater Security Consulting (BSC) was formed. It was one of several private security firms employed following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. BSC is one of over 60 private security firms employed during the Iraq War to guard officials and installations, train Iraq's new army and police, and provide other support for occupation forces.[18] Blackwater was also hired during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina by the Department of Homeland Security, as well as by private clients, including communications, petrochemical and insurance companies.[19] In each case, Blackwater received a non-bid contract. Overall, the company has received over 500 million dollars in government contracts.[20]

Iraq Involvement

"In 2003, Blackwater landed its first truly high-profile contract: guarding Ambassador L. Paul Bremer in Iraq, at the cost of $21 million in 11 months. Since June 2004, Blackwater has been paid more than $320 million out of a $1 billion, five-year State Department budget for the Worldwide Personal Protective Service, which protects U.S. officials and some foreign officials in conflict zones."[21] In 2006, Blackwater won the remunerative contract to protect the U.S. embassy in Iraq, which is the largest American embassy in the world. It is estimated by the Pentagon and company representatives that there are 20,000 to 30,000 armed security contractors working in Iraq, and some estimates are as much as 100,000, though no official figures exist.[22][23]

For work in Iraq, Blackwater has drawn contractors from their international pool of professionals, a database containing "21,000 former Special Forces troops, soldiers, and retired law enforcement agents," overall.[24] For instance, Gary Jackson, the firm's president, has confirmed that Bosnians, Filipinos, and Chileans (many trained under Augusto Pinochet), "have been hired for tasks ranging from airport security to protecting Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority."[25]

On March 31, 2004, Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah ambushed a convoy containing four American private military contractors from Blackwater USA who were conducting delivery for food caterers ESS.[26] The four armed contractors, Scott Helvenston, Jerko Zovko, Wesley Batalona and Michael Teague, were ambushed and killed with grenades and small arms fire. The bodies were then hung over a bridge crossing the Euphrates.[27]

Photos of the event were released to news agencies worldwide; a great deal of indignation and moral outrage in the United States followed. This directly preceded the announcement of an upcoming full scale assault on Fallujah. Family members of those killed later sued the company for wrongful death. Blackwater has countersued the empty estates representing the deceased for $10 million on the grounds that the lawsuit is in violation of contractual agreements signed by the men prior to deployment.

In April 2004, a few days after the Fallujah bridge hanging tragedy, a small but highly trained team of Blackwater employees, along with soldiers of the Spanish Army, held off over four hundred insurgents outside the Coalition Provisional Authority Headquarters in Al Najaf, Iraq, waiting hours for U.S. troops to arrive. At one point during the exchange, an even smaller, all volunteer group of Blackwater contractors flew on a rescue mission to the Coalition Provisional Authority Headquarters to bring an injured U.S. Marine back to safety outside of the city.[28] [29][30]

In April 2005 six Blackwater independent contractors were killed in Iraq when their Mi-8 helicopter was shot down. Also killed were three Bulgarian crewmembers and two Fijian gunners. Initial reports indicate the helicopter was shot down by rocket propelled grenades. The six Americans killed have been identified as:[31]

The three Bulgarians have been identified as:

  • Lyubomir Kostov [32]
  • Georgi Naidenov [33]
  • Stoyan Anchev [33]

On January 23, 2007, five Blackwater contractors were killed in Iraq when their Hughes H-6 helicopter was shot down. The incident happened in Baghdad, Haifa Street. The crash site was secured by a Personal Security Detail Platoon, callsign "Jester" from 1/26 Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Three Iraqi insurgent groups claimed responsibility for shooting down the helicopter, however, this has not been confirmed by the US.[34] A US defense official has confirmed that four of the five killed were shot execution style in the back of the head, but did not know whether the four were still alive when they were shot.[35] Robert Young Pelton broke the full details of the crash on his site. Pelton also met and flew with the Little Bird pilots.[36]

On August 12, 2007, an MSNBC report noted the largely unaccountable and unsupervised nature of security contractor activities, and the high number of casual or indiscriminate civilian killings attributed to them. According to the State Department, on December 24, 2006, a civilian U.S. contractor, allegedly a Blackwater employee, shot and killed an Iraqi security officer.[37] In late May 2007, Blackwater contractors, "opened fire on the streets of Baghdad twice in two days... and one of the incidents provoked a standoff between the security contractors and Iraqi forces, U.S. and Iraqi officials said."[38] And on May 30th 2007, Blackwater employees shot an Iraqi civilian deemed to have been "driving too close" to a convoy of Blackwater armored vehicles.[39][40] Other private security contractors, such as Aegis Defence Services have also been accused of similar actions.[41] However, "Doug Brooks, the president of the International Peace Operations Association, a trade group representing Blackwater and other military contractors, said that in his view, military law would not apply to Blackwater contractors working for the State Department."[42]

Litigation

Blackwater is currently being sued by the families of the four contractors killed in Fallujah in March, 2004. The families allege that they are not suing for financial damages, but rather for the details of their sons' and husbands' deaths. They claim that Blackwater has refused to supply these details, and that in its "zeal to exploit this unexpected market for private security men, showed a callous disregard for the safety of its employees."[43] Four family members testified in front of the House Government Reform Committee on February 7, 2007. They asked that Blackwater be held accountable for future negligence of employees' lives, and that Federal legislation be drawn up to govern contracts between the Department of Defense and the defense contractor.[44] Blackwater has counter-sued the lawyer representing the empty estates of the deceased for $10 million on the grounds that the lawsuit was contractually prohibited from ever being filed.[45]

On April 19, 2006, The Nation magazine published an article titled, "Blood Is Thicker Than Blackwater," concerning the lawsuit against Blackwater brought by some of the families of the four deceased employees.[46] The article discussed the removal of the word "armoured" from already-signed contracts, and other allegations of wrongdoing.

According to an army report, in November 2004, a Blackwater plane, "in violation of numerous government regulations and contract requirements," crashed into a mountainside, killing all six aboard.[47] The families of the three soldiers killed -- Lt. Col. Michael McMahon, Chief Warrant Officer Travis Grogan and Spec. Harley Miller -- filed a wrongful death suit against Blackwater, alleging negligence. However, Presidential Airways, a division of Blackwater, questioned the hastiness of the Army's report, stating that it "contains numerous errors, misstatements, and unfounded assumptions."[48]

Post-Katrina Involvement

Blackwater USA was employed to assist the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts on the Gulf Coast. According to a company press release, it provided airlift, security, and logistics and transportation services, as well as humanitarian support. Unofficial reports claim that the company also acted as law enforcement in the disaster stricken areas, such as securing neighborhoods and confronting criminals.[49]

Blackwater moved about 200 personnel into the area hit by Hurricane Katrina, most of whom (164 employees) were working under a contract with the Department of Homeland Security to protect government facilities, but the company held contracts with private clients, as well.[50] Overall, Blackwater had a "visible, and financially lucrative, presence in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as the use of the company contractors cost U.S. taxpayers $240,000 a day."[51]

There has been much dispute surrounding governmental contracts, which amounted to $5.3 billion, in post-Katrina New Orleans, especially no-bid contracts such as the one Blackwater was awarded. Blackwater's heavily-armored presence in the city was also the subject of much confusion and criticism.[52][53]

Other employments

Blackwater USA has also been contracted by various foreign governments. In 2005 it worked to train the Naval Sea Commando regiment of Azerbaijan, enhancing their interdiction capabilities on the Caspian Sea.[54]

Controversy and criticism

In March 2006, Cofer Black, vice chairman of Blackwater USA, allegedly suggested at an international conference in Amman, Jordan, that the company is ready to move towards providing security professionals up to brigade size for humanitarian efforts and low intensity conflicts. Mr. Black denies the allegation. Critics have suggested this may be going too far in putting political decisions in the hands of privately owned corporations.[55] The company denies this was ever said.[56]

Critics claim that Blackwater's private military company self-description is a euphemism for mercenary activities.[8]

Author Chris Hedges wrote about the establishment of mercenary armies as a threat to democracy in his June 3, 2007 article for the Philadelphia Inquirer, What if our mercenaries turn on us? [57] Particularly of note in the article is the question being raised of the wisdom of allowing private enterprises to become involved in combat operations, and its potential advantages and disadvantages.

References

  1. ^ http://www.blackwaterusa.com/targetsystems/
  2. ^ Role of security companies likely to become more visible
  3. ^ http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-penny-drops-coin-aircraft-for-blackwater-03703/
  4. ^ http://www.forceprotection.net/news/news_article.html?id=21
  5. ^ http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-penny-drops-coin-aircraft-for-blackwater-03703/
  6. ^ http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20070827.aspx
  7. ^ Blackwater Product Page
  8. ^ a b http://baltimorechronicle.com/2007/032607Cherbonnier.html
  9. ^ http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=107985&ran=89575
  10. ^ http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Blackwater_USA
  11. ^ Ken Silverstein, "Revolving Door to Blackwater Causes Alarm at CIA," Harper's Magazine, September 12, 2006.
  12. ^ Jeremy Scahill and Garrett Ordower, "From Whitewater to Blackwater" The Nation, October 26, 2006.
  13. ^ Blood Is Thicker Than Blackwater-thenation.com
  14. ^ http://www.10news.com/news/13308753/detail.html
  15. ^ http://www.thespywhobilledme.com/the_spy_who_billed_me/2007/04/blackwater_usa_.html
  16. ^ http://www.sdreader.com/php/cityshow.php?id=1566
  17. ^ http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/op-ed/vandeerlin/20070419-9999-lz1e19vandeer.html
  18. ^ Role of security companies likely to become more visible
  19. ^ Private Security Company Creates Stir in New Orleans-The Virginian-Pilot
  20. ^ [1]
  21. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1599682,00.html "Victims of an Outsourced War"-time.com
  22. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/26/AR2007052601394.html U.S. Security Contractors Open Fire in Baghdad-washingtonpost.com]
  23. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1599682,00.html
  24. ^ http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38379
  25. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/chile/story/0,,1162441,00.html
  26. ^ The High Risk Contracting Business
  27. ^ 'Residents hang slain Americans' bodies from bridge'—CNN.com
  28. ^ 'Private Guards Repel Attack on U.S. Headquarters
  29. ^ 'Contractors in combat: Firefight from a rooftop in Iraq
  30. ^ http://najafproject.iespana.es/pages/testimonios.html
  31. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/04/23/iraq.main/index.html
  32. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154280,00.html
  33. ^ a b http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/04/21/africa/web.0421iraq.php
  34. ^ U.S. crew of downed helicopter shot at close range—CNN.com
  35. ^ 4 Americans in Iraq Crash Shot in Head—WTOP.com
  36. ^ Pelton, Robert Young: "Licensed to Kill, Hired Guns in the War on Terror," Crown, August 29, 2006
  37. ^ http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=117400&ran=74075 "Iraq killing tracked to contractor could test laws"
  38. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/26/AR2007052601394.html
  39. ^ [2]
  40. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/26/AR2007052601394.html
  41. ^ [3]
  42. ^ http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=117400&ran=74075
  43. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1599682,00.html
  44. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1599682–1,00.html
  45. ^ http://www.onpointnews.com/docs/blackwater3.pdf
  46. ^ http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060508/scahill
  47. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/04/AR2005100401425_pf.html
  48. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/04/AR2005100401425_pf.html
  49. ^ Overkill: Feared Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans
  50. ^ http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=92177&ran=4586
  51. ^ http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38379
  52. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/14/AR2005111401441.html
  53. ^ http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=92177&ran=4586
  54. ^ http://www.blackwaterusa.com/training/inter_default.asp
  55. ^ Blackwater USA says it can supply forces for conflicts
  56. ^ Inside America's Private Army (continued)
  57. ^ [4]

External links

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