War contractors will lose immunity in Iraq

They're f*cked.

GOOD! These tiny-dicked rouge cowboy jocks could use a little wake up call, and maybe a JAIL CELL.

Go back to being real mercenaries where no knows where ya are.

My guess they will flee like the cowards they are. Hopefully the long arm of the law will reach out to wherever they go.

This article still makes me ask the question. Why did civilian employees of the U.S. government have immunity to begin with? Could it be that to deploy this many people to a foreign, country our commander in chief didn't have enough numbers to carry out his mission? If he had initiated a draft the gig would have been up. When we withdraw the horrors and atrocities will begin. We may never have an accounting of the true and total cost in human miserey that this political blunder has caused. Insanity doesn't completely cover it, does it?
The next time someone brings up the subject of out sourcing, this should be the first example of where it gets you.

I ain't trying to take away from their jobs but sheesh.

Damn. The free ride's over, boys...

That's a good thing!

Why does only one side in this conflict have rules?

Bummer, seems like those corrupt balckwater criminals have ruined it for everyone!

http://www.privacy.es.tc

"Why does only one side have rules ?"
That's pretty much what the Iraqis are saying, the way I read it. The US keeps bullshitting how they are in Iraq to keep 'law and order' : Iraq just said "Go For It".

I think we're missing a couple of valid points in this. I don't say that because I think these folks should be given a blank check or a free ride.

Everyone is up in arms about the few incidents that have made the news. That's understandable. Understand as well, that mistakes happen. Our own troops have made them. Mercenaries are traditionally less restrained than conventional troops. So this is going to happen. If we send hired guns they're going to be less responsive to control than our troops.

Now. Why are we sending hired guns? We send them because our military, AT OUR INSISTENCE, no longer has every specialty required to sustain prolonged combat operations. So we hire folks to do this for us. We didn't send the Mickey Mouse Club. We contracted with companies, like Blackwater, that can do the job.

Blackwater consists mainly of our x-service men. Some ARE cowboys. These need to be identified and removed. But you don't throw the baby our with the dishwater. If Blackwater, as a whole, is screwing up; then fire them and hire another contractor.

The Iraqis are insisting on this. They're tired of war, and I don't blame them. The people have a right to their complaint and it's a true one. But it's the politicans that are bringing this. We all know there are so many opposing factions in that country they can't decide even the simpliest things.

When this happens every incident will become a tool for one group to beat the other over the head with. While our laws are similar, the punishments aren't. Our people could be framed just to make a showcase.

And what of the mercenaries themselves? Working in Iraq for the big bucks because it's dangerous is one thing. Doing so on your own hook is another. The effect of this will go one of two way. They'll either become less effective trying to protect themselves. Or more intent on covering up whatever comes down. It's not good either way.

What's so wrong with our own laws? We've taken our own service people and put them in prision when the situation warranted. This isn't enough? Do they want to stone them?

While I doubt we can stop this I don't see that we should take any pleasure in it. This is the shaft for the contractors. The only reasonable alternative is to enlarge & rebuild the military to include the services we're now hiring out. Being in a war zone isn't fun, but you don't fight to lose.

Does this mean there might actually be"justice for all"?

This is a great step.

Can this ruling be retroactive?
At least go back to September 16, 2007?

It's about time they follow the same rules of war as everyone else should.

I HATE blackwater and the other murderers for hire that the United States and other countries overpay to commit crimes. Without justice there can be no peace.

Put all the Blackwater criminals in jail and start at the top. Their crimes are too numerous to count - from the slaughter of innocent civilians to gross war profiteering.

The actions of these men are criminal. More so than any other entity involved in Iraq, they have inspired hate against the US through their indiscriminate killings and reckless, trigger-happy approach. They should be tried for crimes against humanity.

I still haven't seen the convincing argument for U.S. forces to be wasted in the suppression of local government in Iraq. They have been deployed under a series of covering lies, propaganda and 'manufactured intel.'
Meantime I hear lots of wailing about US losses - odd when sending soldiers into Harm's Way - and little about the realities of local perspective.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iraq/iraqdeaths.html
And what are the neighbours going to think about Iraq's 'relationship' with the U.S. ? Remember Iraqi jokes about their government tend towards 'American Puppet theatre'.
http://www.afsc.org/Iraq/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/71012
That's a translated text of the Iraq Military Agreement - translated by an Iraqi.

It's about time! It should be made retro-active to the day Blackwater Arrived in Iraq! How many innocent people have died as a result of Blackwaters actions?They have even shot at U.S.troops if the news stories I've read are accurate! Lock em up and lets see a little justice handed out to the mercenaries! Ask yourself this question: Why can't VIP'S be protected By our troops? Why have these Scum in Iraq in the first place? The answer is that we have allowed Bush and Cheney to start and maintain this illegal war in the first place while they got even richer at the same time! while these mercenaries should be brought to justice lets start at the top and bring the whole Bush administration to justice in the process!

That is a Good Thing, but a good five years too late - they never should have had immunity in the first place. They don't have any rules of engagement, either.