Without any words and blank shots

[Russie1912]

American company Blackwater was set up in 1996 and now is called ‘Xe Services’. For a long time it has lived in a shadow of the U. S. foreign policy. But during the last few years scandalous activity of this firm — that specialists regard to be small but capable private army — became well-known all over the world and its cases are tried in the numerous courts. Not long ago one of recent informational cause was given by Iraq officials, where Blackwater pretty much distinguished itself in due time. Government ordered 250 former and active company employees to leave the country in the course of week.
Why did Blackwater fall into such disfavour? Iraqi officials had to undertake these measures when the American judge didn’t press charges against company employees regarding assault at the peaceful Iraqis — including beatings and murders. The case is the much-talked-about shooting of 17 Baghdad residents. This incident provoked sharp rise of the anti-American sentiments in Iraq and forced the U. S. State Department to deny the company services.
WITHOUT ANY WORDS AND BLANK SHOTS. The way Bush and Cheney

[Russie1912]

This article goes well in line with Al Gore's "Assault on reason" which I translated into Russian several years ago.

[Midas]

I can't say I know of many details, but from the publicity I've seen, Blackwater was certainly notorious in a way that only an American military organisation can be!

[Tantal]

I take what I hear about Blackwater with a grain of salt. We're talking about the best of the best here. Former SEALs, Delta, Force Recon, Rangers, and civilian SWAT guys. I can see them being brutally efficient, but not unnecessarily violent.

[Midas]

I take what I hear about Blackwater with a grain of salt. We're talking about the best of the best here. Former SEALs, Delta, Force Recon, Rangers, and civilian SWAT guys. I can see them being brutally efficient, but not unnecessarily violent.

As with a lot of things, we get presented with a very different aspect of this over here Tantal. Not implying either your or our version is wrong, just differently presented and emphasised.

As an example, I was in the Caribbean during the first Gulf War, and switching between the different US and UK satellite news channels in the hotel you could easily be forgiven for thinking that the American and British commentators were talking about totally different engagements. With the US channels it was always "our troops did this, our troops did that, aren't they wonderful" with little mention of any set-backs or losses, and I never saw any mention of 'friendly fire' incidents, whereas on the British channels it was simply "the coalition forces did this, the coalition forces did that", warts and all. I suspect the different views of Blackwater are along the same lines.

[Don]

I can't say I know of many details, but from the publicity I've seen, Blackwater was certainly notorious in a way that only an American military organisation can be!

Your usual bias against most anything that has to do with the American military aside, I would like to point out that Blackwater/Xe is not the American Military, is not connected to the American military and is not answerable to the American military. They were hired by the state department. I would advise knowing at least some of the details.

[Midas]

... I would like to point out that Blackwater/Xe is not the American Military, is not connected to the American military and is not answerable to the American military. They were hired by the state department. I would advise knowing at least some of the details.

I'm quite aware of that; I don't recall saying that it was part of the American military, what I said was "... in a way that only an American military organisation can be" which is hardly the same thing. But you must surely know the common reputation that the US military and their independent contractors have in the rest of the world. As to whether that reputation is valid or not, that's a different matter.

[Don]

"... in a way that only an American military organisation can be"

Sorry Midas, but that statement looks to me, and I honestly think to anyone else who reads it, as if you are stating they are, or are affiliated with, an American military organization.