Blackwater Gases U.S. Troops
By the way, U.S. troops have tight controls for the use of riot control agents in war zones. They are banned by an international convention on chemical weapons, endorsed by the United States. CS can only be used under the strictest conditions, with the approval of top military commanders. But, as we all know, Blackwater doesn’t go by military law or rules.
According to Blackwater, they were authorized to carry the banned gas by the State Department. Yes Condi Rice authorized her boys of death to violate international law by not addressing the issue. Permission by omission.
According to Captain Clark: It just seemed incredibly stupid; and according to Army Staff Sgt. Kenny Mattingly: “There was no reason for dropping the CS gas. We didn’t hear any gunfire or anything. There was no incident under way.”
WASHINGTON — The helicopter was hovering over a Baghdad checkpoint into the Green Zone, one typically crowded with cars, Iraqi civilians and United States military personnel.
- Suddenly, on that May day in 2005, the copter dropped CS gas, a riot-control substance the American military in Iraq can use only under the strictest conditions and with the approval of top military commanders. An armored vehicle on the ground also released the gas, temporarily blinding drivers, passers-by and at least 10 American soldiers operating the checkpoint.
- Both the helicopter and the vehicle involved in the incident at the Assassins’ Gate checkpoint were not from the United States military, but were part of a convoy operated by Blackwater Worldwide. Officers and noncommissioned officers from the Third Infantry Division who were involved in the episode said there were no signs of violence at the checkpoint. Instead, they said, the Blackwater convoy appeared to be stuck in traffic and may have been trying to use the riot-control agent as a way to clear a path.
- The previously undisclosed incident has raised significant new questions about the role of private security contractors in Iraq, and whether they operate under the same rules of engagement and international treaty obligations that the American military observes.
Anne Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for Blackwater, said the CS gas had been released by mistake.
- “Blackwater teams in the air and on the ground were preparing a secure route near a checkpoint to provide passage for a motorcade,” Ms. Tyrrell said in an e-mail message. “It seems a CS gas canister was mistaken for a smoke canister and released near an intersection and checkpoint.”
- About 20 to 25 American soldiers were at the checkpoint at the time of the incident, and at least 10 were exposed to the CS gas after “rotor wash” from the hovering helicopter pushed it toward them, according to officers who were there. A number of Iraqi civilians, both on foot and in cars waiting to go through the checkpoint, were also exposed. The gas can cause burning and watering eyes, skin irritation and coughing and difficulty breathing. Nausea and vomiting can also result.
- Blackwater says it was permitted to carry CS gas under its contract at the time with the State Department. According to a State Department official, the contract did not specifically authorize Blackwater personnel to carry or use CS, but it did not prohibit it.
Captain Clark and Army Staff Sgt. Kenny Mattingly:
- After reporting the incident to his superiors, Captain Clark wrote, a convoy that the helicopter was protecting showed up. Because the gas caused a “complete traffic jam in front of our checkpoint,” the captain wrote, “armored cars in the convoy made a U-turn — and threw another CS grenade.”
- “It just seemed incredibly stupid,” he wrote. “The only thing we could figure out was for some reason, one of them figured that CS would somehow clear traffic. Why someone would think a substance that makes your eyes water, nose burn and face hurt would make a driver do anything other than stop is beyond me.”
- Army Staff Sgt. Kenny Mattingly also was puzzled. “We saw the Little Bird (Blackwater helicopter) come and hover right in front of the gate, and I saw one of the guys dropping a canister,” Sergeant Mattingly said in an interview. “There was no reason for dropping the CS gas. We didn’t hear any gunfire or anything. There was no incident under way.”
January 10th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Billions going to Mercenies. who we now know are on drugs, not trained in military protocal, equal the number of troops. And currently have no legal responsibility – Our own military is getting the shaft. less money , worse insurance policies and care…and these mental cases in gov and through the MSM say the “surge ” is working.. What i have seen is soldiers wandering the neigborhoods basically paying off desparate people to lay down their arms or whatever. This IS not diplomacy – this is an expensive band aid..those band aids are probalby a thousand bucks a piece too. And the gas..jeebus, watery eyes…but lets not forget the white phosperous and the depleted Uranium….we are gonna have a LOT of very sick people , if this occupation is ever ended..and we are gonna have a VA that denies all their conditions…THIS has simply got to END. let the chips fall where they may – show the globe NEW faces in washington.. and the hope of de escalation….show the people that We here , the people are good, and indeed it s been our government that are the Imperialists..etc.
January 10th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Wouldn’t it be nice if some foreign government arrested Erik Prince and his top lieutenants and put them on trial for war crimes? Oh yeah, and then televise it for the world to see. It would be better than any reality show on television – at least in my mind. (humming “What a Day for a Daydream” as he looks for the submit comment button)
January 10th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Robert:
I would love to see Prince and his entire organization go up on charges not only in the U.S. but in the world courts.
BTW: You would have to throw Britney and Paris in the mix to get the MSM to cover it.
January 10th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
ProudP:
The MSM continues the lie of the surge working because they are too lazy to do their job. BushCo has ignored every single international treaty we have endorsed and signed so his thugs can kill the world. The countless atrocities against the Iraqi people will probable not be known for years to come. Not to mention the shame and blame being put on American troops.
January 10th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
They talk of the surge working, but it’s easy to keep people safe when you stay behind big walls and hunker down. However, when you actually go out into the field on some kind of an operation, things will happen. There have been 9 US casualties in the past two days – including six in a single booby-trap incident. This surge is like putting a band-aid on a gaping wound. It will not and cannot work. All the surge has done is manage to keep the occupation off the front page and out of the spotlight. That’ll change soon. I think the insurgency will ratchet things up a lot before the summer heat hits.
January 10th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Robert:
I guess we all forget that the troops take an oath to our country while BushCo and Blackwater take an oath to their bank accounts and power.
The MSM being caught up in the primaries which they do so poorly have scat time to cover the deaths of troop. So for them the surge is working.
January 11th, 2008 at 7:13 am
What a bunch of rediculous twaddle. I would bet dollars to donuts that the blackwater guys were playing a joke on some regular military guys they knew, then of course the MSM and leftist bloggers get ahold of the story with little context and it’s a field day of military hating and socialist sniveling. You people make me sick. Grow up.
January 11th, 2008 at 8:16 am
JSD:
I highly doubt Blackwater was playing a joke on their military buddies for a few reason;
1) if you read military news and international news you would easily know that the U.S. troops do not like nor do they associate with Blackwater. Iraqi’s have retaliated on our troops many times because of Blackwater; and
2) I highly doubt that two in our military, who where at the scene when the gas was deployed, would put in their reports :
According to Captain Clark: It just seemed incredibly stupid; and according to Army Staff Sgt. Kenny Mattingly: “
Also let me add; the story has nothing to do with hating the troops as your comment states. This incident was a violation on the U.S. troop.
It would be nice if you read the entire story did some research and then came back with a thoughtful response regarding the constant Blackwater violation on out troops and the Iraqi people.
September 27th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Is the Federal Bureau of Investigation worried that corrupt U.S. officials (promoting a New World Order) have crossed the nation’s border security crossings and are exposing Americans to serious risk? Are they stepping up efforts to root those officials out, or are they now the silent minority in control?
With suspicions of corrupt U.S. officials allowing the further infiltration of illegal New World Order immigrants to enter the country in exchange for underworld security and privilege, the FBI should be concerned that terrorists, materials, or confidential information could be used in a “false flag” terrorist attack to slip through in a disguised form to initiate a “Code Red” lockdown, imprisoning all U.S. citizens.
If you’re a corrupt security official of the New World Order, and you’re allowing illegal immigration (Antichrist) to come into the country, you’re not going to know who you’re letting in.
Corrupt security officials willing to betray the United States for the price of admission to a New World Order represent a potentially grave national security threat.
Whether it’s a truckload of illegal immigrants or whether it’s components of a weapon of mass destruction, who will know what those are. We have no assurance that our borders are safe, that our borders are secure when the very source of our security organizations have been compromised.
The first line of defense for the security of a free American lies in scrutiny and examination of the protection forces and that it does not become the means of our very destruction.
Our federal officials must take the problem seriously and be charged with mission-related corruption to aggressively expand efforts to root out treasonous employees.
Internal affairs must work together to address possible cases of corruption. Critical to the mission and the collaboration among federal agencies is professional integrity where among its members no incident of corruption is tolerated. Mission Impossible – or is when our survival in a free world depends upon it.