|
|
Blackwater 
|
|
Tue Nov 13, 2007 at 12:22:12 PM EST
|
(! - promoted by Eric B.)
(Cross-posted from Daily Kos at the request of Liberal Lucy.)
I've been asking myself a question for quite awhile, "What drives Pete Hoekstra's desire for eternal war?
Is it possible that the infinite statements from Pete Hoekstra (Lying Dutchman MI-02) like this:
"Our nation faces a serious and ongoing threat from radical, militant jihadists. I fear that some believe that by pushing a date certain for withdrawal
"As the radical Islamists themselves have made clear, it will not, and we need to from Iraq we will somehow make the radical jihadist threat just go away.remain engaged to counter this threat."
might have something to do with this little fact:
Before the run-up to the Iraq War the lying Dutchman hadn't received campaign contributions from the Defense industry. However, starting in 2003 that all changed.
In fact, Hoekstra's list of campaign contributors changed a LOT...
|
|
There's More...
:: (19
Comments, 1811 words in story)
|
|
Mon Oct 29, 2007 at 13:00:00 PM EDT
|
|
One of Michigan's own sons has been pulling together a series that not only will you not want to miss, you could also argue that as a voting population, we cannot afford to miss. DHinMI, a political insider who now lives and works in Washington D.C., has written a thoroughly researched and well written series called 'Bush Authoritarianism: Blackwater + Amway = GOP' over on DailyKos. There's a reason so much attention has been paid the DeVos/Amway and Prince/Blackwater conglomerate both here in Michigan and nationally. Partisanship aside, it's a fascinating study in the power of seemingly limitless wealth and what happens when that wealth conjoins with a strict religious-based agenda, the power of a military for hire, and direct access to one of the most powerful government officials in the entire world. Some might say it's the making of conspiracy theorists, others might remind you there's a reason conspiracy theories exist. Regardless of where you are in your beliefs, I highly suggest you check out the series listed chronically below. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
|
|
Discuss
:: (2
Comments)
|
|
Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 20:42:40 PM EDT
|
Congressman Pete Hoekstra is unusually silent on the issue that has been investigated the past few weeks. Namely Blackwater and it's run and gun security operations in Iraq and the lack of oversight or even rule of law. A memorandum to the Committee on Government Oversight and Reform on October 1st lists the following incidents as grounds for an investigation
* Blackwater has been involved in 195 "escalation of force" incidents since 2005, an average of 1.4 shooting incidents per week. From January 2005 to April 2007, Blackwater employees used their weapons 168 times, compared to 102 times for rival DynCorp and 36 for rival Triple Canopy during that same time frame.
According to the majority staff, Blackwater operatives fired the first shot in 80 percent of those cases, though its contract with the State Department only permits the use of "defensive" force.
* A single Blackwater security contractor costs the government $1,222 every day to guard U.S. civilian personnel, or $445,000 per year. That's six times the cost of getting a U.S. Army soldier to perform the same function. As P.W. Singer observed last week, private security companies increasingly exist to free up tasks for U.S. troops, ensuring a sort of dependence on contracting occurs for a military coping with the strain of deployments for two wars.
* The State Department's attitude to Blackwater shootings is most often a directive to compensate the victim's family, "rather than to insist upon accountability or to investigate Blackwater personnel for potential criminal liability."
* Blackwater's initial contract to protect U.S. diplomats in Iraq, in 2003, was a no-bid contract. So was its 2004 successor. On that one, Blackwater stood to earn a maximum of $338 million, but actually received $488 million from State between June 2004 and June 2006. In total, Blackwater has earned upwards of $1 billion in government contracts since 2001.
Given these are only the documented misdeeds of Blackwater USA and more are sure to follow. Today the House passed HR 2740, MEJA expansion and Enforcement Act, a bill that would make contractors in combat zones subject to prosecution in US courts. The bill passed overwhelmingly, damn near could have had a voice vote 389-30. Hoekstra voted NO. One of only 30 members of Congress to vote against the bill. Oh but there's more.
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 82 words in story)
|
|
Wed Oct 03, 2007 at 07:02:08 AM EDT
|
|
Happy Hump Day, everyone! Enjoy your morning cup-o-links...
Budget
- Capitol Journal: And so it begins... Recalls! Derek shares his thoughts about the whole recall situation. Over on Michigan Messenger, Todd Heywood takes a look at Leon Drolet's ties to YAF.
- BFM: Granholm defends Medicaid. The state still needs to figure out how to handle those $435 million in cuts, and the Gov says cuts to Medicaid are off limits. Also, be sure to check out this post, where Wizardkitten ponders Andy Dillon's future in politics.
- DFP: Service tax repeal is plotted. Screw quality of life... just don't hike our taxes!
- WLNS: Reaction to State Budget Deal. More crocodile tears from Rep. Rick Jones and Paul Opsommer.
- LSJ: Lansing mayor says lawmakers 'got the job done'. Here's Virg: "A significant amount of our city income tax revenue comes from state employees. Our downtown business community would have been seriously impacted. And the long-term consequences for our city budget would have been severe to say the least. And though (state legislators) have been roundly and justifiably criticized, .... in the end, they got the job done."
Michigan's Economy
- Michigan.org: MEDC Supports BMT Aerospace Expansion in Fraser. "The bonds, issued by the Michigan Strategic Fund chaired by Epolito, will be used to finance acquisition of a 56,638-square-foot existing manufacturing plant, acquisition and installation of machinery and equipment and renovation of the facility at 18559 Malyn Road. The project will be owned and operated by the company for the manufacture of gears and gearbox assemblies, primarily for the aerospace industry."
- Michigan Messenger: Mayor Kilpatrick announces Detroit's economic clout. "While Detroit?s downtown corridor has seen remarkable investment and revitalization, the challenge for Mayor Kilpatrick is to somehow replicate downtown?s redevelopment in Detroit neighborhoods. The Detroit DrillDown report will help Mayor Kilpatrick make the case to businesses that investing in Detroit?s neighborhoods makes economic sense."
- Ann Arbor News: High-tech auto research center dedicated in Ann Arbor. "We believe this will be the most significant economic driver in the next several decades," said Scott McCormick, president of the Connected Vehicle Trade Association. He said the center's goals are the make "smarter cars, smarter roads and create Michigan jobs."
- WNEM: New GM-UAW Contract Could Mean More Work In Mid-Mich. "The new Flint engine plant would be able to build roughly 1,200 four- and six-cylinder engines daily, a figure that could save and even create some moderate job growth to the tune of 600 to 800 jobs."
- Michigan Future: Xanadu Plan proposes new casino. Hey, I'm all for revitalizing Detroit, but are more casinos the answer? "The plan is to bring new wealth to the city of Detroit. It involves a new casino on top of an expanded Cobo Hall and revitalizing the area around Detroit City Airport."
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 108 words in story)
|
|
Tue Oct 02, 2007 at 12:02:58 PM EDT
|
|
Here's a roundup of Michigan Messenger coverage over the last day for your lunchtime perusal. Ed Brayton has a timely overview today of Blackwater USA (see following link); timely, in that the House Oversight Committee is conducting a hearing now that began at 10:00 am EDT, entitled "Hearing on Private Security Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan"; witnesses scheduled to testify include Erik Prince, Chairman of the Prince Group, LLC and Blackwater USA. Live feed of the hearing is at C-SPAN3; Michigan native Marcy Wheeler, author of Anatomy of Deceit, is liveblogging the hearing at Firedoglake.com.
Blackwater and the Michigan Conservative Establishment -- Ed Brayton
Continued after the jump -
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 132 words in story)
|
|
Sun Jul 22, 2007 at 21:19:25 PM EDT
|
|
If you haven't seen this video, I would encourage it, especially if you like science fiction about totalitarian societies. But mind you, this isn't science fiction.
http://www.liveleak....
I'd heard some of Blackwater before seeing this video, but the video really made it hit home.
The following is what I wrote to Stabenow, Levin, and Walberg (with a couple of tiny cosmetic/grammatical edits):
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 198 words in story)
|
|
Sun Apr 29, 2007 at 10:33:49 AM EDT
|
|
Since the U.S.'s invasion into Iraq and Afghanistan, many Michiganders, like many Americans, lives have changed. So many lives lost in a fight that is viewed by most of the country and world as unjust. So many families shattered, so many bright futures tragically cut short.
For one Michigan man, the War of Bush/Cheney/Haliburton Oil was his golden ticket to massive wealth and an extraordinary level of influence and menacing power. Meet Erik Prince, born and raised in Holland, Michigan, and one of the country's most dangerous men.
The Man, the Mercenary
Ted Roelof of the Grand Rapids Press has an extensive look into the reclusive Prince and a life built on ultra-conservative tenets and money.Prince, son of Holland industrialist Edgar Prince and an ex-Navy SEAL, tapped his inherited wealth in 1996 to found a little-noticed North Carolina security firm that would become Blackwater USA. Family connections helped. As brother to former Michigan GOP chairwoman Betsy DeVos and brother-in-law to her husband, 2006 GOP gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos, Prince had access to Capitol Hill power brokers. But his business plan did not crystallize until the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. With the U.S. decision to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, a changing military looked to the private sector to complete a variety of missions. Blackwater was in prime position to capitalize.
|
|
There's More...
:: (8
Comments, 1731 words in story)
|
|
Mon Apr 23, 2007 at 06:10:19 AM EDT
|
- Conservative Media: New school group hopes to trump anti-gay hate group. It's nice to hear some positive news come out of Livingston County for a change.
- Conservative Media: Howell soldier finally gets deserved recognition. The Guru has the details about Sgt. Sean Knudsen of Howell finally getting the Purple Heart he earned in Iraq.
- MyDD: Comparing Ideology and Partisanship Across State Legislatures. Hat tip to Nirmal for finding this post: "According to a recent study, [Michigan's] Republicans are pretty conservative by congressional standards."
- C&L: Blackwater: Our Secret Mercenary Army. Jeremy Scahill appeared on TDS last week to discuss his new book Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army. For those who don't remember, Dick DeVos' family ties to Blackwater were highlighted on MichiganLiberal several times last year.
- DNews: Stupak uses new clout to look into key issues. Yet another reason why it's good to have a majority in Congress: after eight terms in the House, Rep. Bart Stupack finally has a chairmanship.
- DNews: MIChild helping more adults. A public health insurance program that actually works. What a wacky concept. The DFP has a nice editorial on this topic this morning: Get more uninsured people covered.
- DNews: Editorial: Ease oil dependence by marketing diesels. I would refer them to this diary by Eric.
|
|
Discuss
:: (4
Comments)
|
|
|
|
|
|
