In September 2007, five private US contractors for Blackwater have been informed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations to surrender within 24 hours.
The men have been charged with firing on 17 innocent Iraqi civilians in Nisoor Square, in Iraq. These men are Evan Liberty, Donald Ball, Dustin Heard, Nick Slatten and Paul Slough.
Video footage courtesy of Al Jazeera
Blackwater at the time had complete immunity from prosecution from the US and Iraqi authorities and could do as they pleased.
When Barack Obama takes office on January 20, 2009, the world will be looking at him in order to clean up all the past indiscretions that the former Bush administration has committed. Reinstating fairness, restoring the US reputation globally, and listening and not telling countries what to do. The US and foreign contractors in Iraq should be subjected to Iraq law or should not be allowed to work in the country. The Iraq government should have complete sovereignty in their own country and can determine who and who should not work in their land. Obama needs to recognise that by allowing private contractors and private militias in foreign countries against the will of a sovereign country that the US is undermining the so called democracy that they are trying to introduce.
Blackwater and other private US backed militias around the world must leave Iraq if they are not willing to be subjected to the rule of law of a democratically elected sovereign government. Plain and simple.
- Beju -
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