This article really helps explain the whole controvery over Blackwater. The Blackwater company, led by Prince, is a "mercenary" service - basically a company which employs retired Navy Seals and militray men and women and then rents them for use to countries - currently, American employs over 1000 Blackwater personel in Iraq.
There was recently a congressional hearing about Blackwater, becuase they are said to be trigger-happy, having just killed 17 unarmed Iraqis. The diplomots they protect say that Blackwater's men push anyone who's in their way, run other cars off the road, and shoot carelessly. Also, there are accusations that Prince runs the business off of Christian ideals, and has his own religious crusade army.
However, Prince defended his business, bringing up some really interesting points. It's been American tradition for Americans to train themselves for militray service - for instance, under the a famous statue of Washington, there is an inscription which ways says "He gave military training and discipline to the citizen soldiers who achieved the independence of the United States." Prince feels his company does just that. Also, they have been amazing successful - none of the diplomats they have protected have ever been hurt.
So what to do? Stop using Blackwater to help our reputation and help the Iraq people? As a protected diplomat put it, after he has a conference, they make one step forward, but when driving back and Blackwater's men forces others off the road, they take two steps back. Or do should we keep employing Blackwater? You can't argue they don't do an amazing job - they havn't lost a single person they've been protecting. That is a better percentage than the percent of diplomats who whould survive if the new Iraq soldiers would be protectign them - in fact, it would be much, much higher.
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While it's great that they protect everyone that they are ordered to, it doesn't seem too unreasonable to put stricter guidelines in place for when it is or isn't okay to act aggressively. It seems like some retraining would decrease their over aggressiveness and keep their perfect success rate at the same time.
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