By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
32 minutes ago


WASHINGTON - Congress is moving to update a law that has kept Blackwater USA and other private security contractors in Iraq immune to criminal prosecution. The White House contends the change could cause new problems.

The House was expected to pass legislation on Thursday by Rep. David Price, D-N.C., that would extend the criminal jurisdiction of U.S. courts to any federal contractor working alongside military operations. Senate Democratic leaders said they planned to follow suit as soon as possible and send the measure to President Bush.
The legislation comes amid a string of allegations involving Blackwater employees hired by the State Department to protect diplomatic personnel in Iraq.
In one case, a drunk Blackwater employee left a Christmas Eve party in Baghdad and fatally shot the guard of one of Iraq's vice presidents. The contractor was fired, fined and returned home to the United States; no charges have been filed.

More recently, Blackwater guards were involved in a Sept. 16 shootout that left 11 Iraqis dead. The FBI is investigating.
It is unclear whether charges can be brought against any of the contractors. Federal officials cite murky laws governing the conduct of U.S. personnel abroad not hired directly by the military. The current law, the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, covers personnel supporting the mission of Defense Department operations overseas.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters traveling with him in South America that a Pentagon review team has recommended the military have more control over contractors and private security guards fall under the military code of justice in some cases.
He said new guidelines for military commanders in Iraq probably will increase the number of private security contractors who will face prosecution or discipline for violence.
Because Blackwater's primary mission is to protect State Department officials, defense lawyers probably would argue successfully that the current law does not apply.
At the same time, U.S. contractors are immune from prosecution by Iraqi courts.
White House officials say they support increasing accountability of contractors abroad but worry that the House bill is too vague and may go too far. An administration statement Wednesday said the bill would have "unintended and intolerable consequences for crucial and necessary national security activities and operations."
But the statement did not explain further or give examples on how the bill would affect national security. The White House referred questions to the Justice Department, which declined comment.
The White House also cited concerns with stretching FBI resources by mandating that the agency conduct investigations overseas. Also, officials said they feared the military could be overtaxed if required to support criminal investigations led by the Justice Department.
In a statement, Price said the White House's objections were unfounded and "should infuriate anyone who believes in the rule of law.
"The fact is the administration has an embarrassing track record for investigating and prosecuting misconduct by contractors working in our name," Price said.
Blackwater founder Erik Prince told a House panel Tuesday that he supports expanding the law.
"Beyond firing him for breaking the rules, withholding any funds we can, we can't flog him," Prince said of the intoxicated Blackwater guard. "We can't incarcerate him. We can't do anything beyond that."
Blackwater has provided security for the FBI in Iraq. But spokesman Richard Kolko said that to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, the team investigating the Sept. 16 shooting would use U.S. government personnel for any security needs.

And yet, another reason why we shouldn't be in Iraq. If the contractors need security, let them pay for it. I thought Iraqi Oil was supposed to pay for this ####.

amen....also theres 3 contractors for every soldier. whos paying for them??Iraq???saudi???Nope...

Please supply a credible link your number of 3 contractors to every soldier. 140,000 soldiers, 420,000 contractors?

20k to 30k for the Blackwater types is a little more realistic. Of course there could be 300000 truck drivers there too.

I just wonder how deep Blackwater goes in this administration. And if they operate in the USA in some way.

They have 'bases' across the country, we're covered...ready for anything...including the rapture...feel secure now...

KJ

Private security for dignitaries, and other officals is nothing new in combat zones.....Only difference is now the libs have a rally cry to undermine the mission there.....


j-mac

__________________
"IT HAS been seen that the dangers incident to a representative democracy are of two kinds: danger of a low grade of intelligence in the representative body, and in the popular opinion which controls it; and danger of class legislation on the part of the numerical majority, these being all composed of the same class."

John Stuart Mill

What mission.... Oh thats right, keep paying the incapable and incompetent Iraqis who can't meet simple benchmarks.

Nothing is "simple" in the land of sand.....


j-mac

__________________
"IT HAS been seen that the dangers incident to a representative democracy are of two kinds: danger of a low grade of intelligence in the representative body, and in the popular opinion which controls it; and danger of class legislation on the part of the numerical majority, these being all composed of the same class."

John Stuart Mill

Nothing is simple for ppl who can not agree, too many sects, too many tribes. The idea of a North and South Iraq sounds better everyday.

There is a big difference between the two...Private Contractors are for after the liberation and the main forces pull out and the CAT Teams go in to rebuild infrastructure (CAT Civilian Affairs Teams)

There is another CAT Team also (CAT Counter Assualt Team)Dyncorp was assigned security detail to Harmin Karzai in Afghanistan 2002-2004...They were replaced by security of his own people.The appearance of a Afghani leader propped up by America didnt sit well with a country in rebound.

The years of Military Sciences stack high on many of the operators in the theatre...some operators never stop learning their sciences....and when you have dignitaries on the move from one location to another....you need shooters who can do the work of a platoon.That is what Bagdad needs....lets put you in a convoy and zip you around town and see what happens....you will be happy to have experienced shooters to save your tailskin...otherwise common troops will take cover from suppression fire...BLKWTR,Triple Canopy,and DynCorp will work to out-flank and redirect fire to overcome the attack....the attack will be met with a more devastational effect upon the enemy....

When you have a city with the goverment trying to set a foothold....you need contractors to be a deterant and an effective means to support and protect the new makings of a goverment infrastructure...

Even with the FED there...when it comes time for "full-tilt"(automatic fire)even the feds are cherry for this...except for FBI HRT...HRT guys have the talent for this theatre.The FED will get a real eye opener.The FED will feel like a spoiled child compared to the operators.Choirboys....just wait when a B40 RPG rolls under a Suburban and rocks that FED rolls out dazed and disoriented....then the FED becomes a weak link and compromises the situation....if a FED seems like a threat to the operators,he/she will be set up and frag'd....

When you are dealing with a hostile enviroment....he who acts the quickest with the most firepower wins...mop up and move on...after all that is what 82nd and 101st did in the first 2 weeks after D Day....mop ups...no different...except these are rolling mop ups....much faster...