Friday, October 26, 2007

Oh, Blackwater!

Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice has had to face some tough questions (and a Code Pink protestor) on the Hill this week.I have a hunch there are even tougher questions that could be asked in light of some emails that ABC News has obtained about her department's cover-up of a Blackwater incident from two years ago. An article in today's Los Angeles Times describes the content of some of those emails.

Even as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended her department's oversight of private security contractors, new evidence surfaced Thursday that the U.S. sought to conceal details of Blackwater shootings of Iraqi civilians more than two years ago.

In one instance, internal e-mails show that State Department officials tried to deflect a 2005 Los Angeles Times inquiry into an alleged killing of an Iraqi civilian by Blackwater guards. ...

One department official taking part in a chain of e-mails noted that the "findings of the investigation are to remain off-limits to the reporter." Another recommended that there be no mention of the existence of a criminal investigation since such a reference would "raise questions and issues."


Of course knowledge of such an investigation would "would raise questions and issues," all of which could have and should have been addressed two years ago. Instead, the State Department chose to cover up the issue, a hallmark of this administration. As a result, the Blackwater thugs continued out of control and innocent Iraqi civilians continued to be gunned down.

Heckuva job, Condi.

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, God forbid any reporter should report on facts which might raise questions and issues! Much better to keep the people in the dark, so that we're more likely to swallow whatever bullshit the Administration sees fit to give us.

Has there ever been a less democratic, more dictatorial, more crony-ridden administration in the history of the United States? Really, I can't think of one.

6:53 AM  
Blogger shrimplate said...

Neither can I.

1:00 PM  

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