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Blackwater boss defends company Blackwater boss grilled over Iraq
(about 2 hours later)
The chairman of US private security contractor Blackwater has defended his firm and his staff before appearing in front of a congressional committee. The chairman of US private security contractor Blackwater has defended his firm and his staff during a grilling by a congressional committee.
Blackwater founder Erik Prince said his staff acted "appropriately" during a shoot-out on 16 September in which 11 Iraqi civilians were killed. Blackwater has come under scrutiny since a shoot-out last month in Baghdad in which 11 Iraqis were killed. The FBI has begun investigating that incident.
US Representatives have begun a hearing in which Mr Prince will be questioned over Blackwater's performance in Iraq. The firm's founder, Erik Prince, said his staff were brave and effective, and had acted "appropriately".
But 16 September will not feature, as it is subject to an FBI investigation. But one of the committee asked if the firm was "a shadow mercenary force".
A scathing report on Blackwater's conduct has already been issued by the staff of the chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Henry Waxman. "Blackwater appears to have fostered a culture of shoot first - and sometimes kill - and then ask the questions," said Democratic Congressman Elijah Cummings.
CONGRESS BLACKWATER REPORT Earned more than $1bn (£490m) from US government contracts since 2001Staff involved in 195 shootings in Iraq between 2005 and 12 September 2007Allegedly drunk employee killed Iraqi vice-president's guard in 2006, but was flown out of Iraq and faced no criminal charges28 staff in Iraq sacked for weapons-related incidents, 25 for alcohol and drug violations Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Blackwater memorandum
It released details from Blackwater's own accounts of several incidents involving Iraqi casualties, in which it said its employees had fired first on 163 out of 195 occasions.
In the majority of cases, the guards fired their weapons from moving vehicles without stopping to count the dead or assist the wounded, the report said.
Blackwater is the main firm employed by the state department to provide security for its staff and visiting officials and businessmen.Blackwater is the main firm employed by the state department to provide security for its staff and visiting officials and businessmen.
"There is no evidence in the documents that the committee has reviewed that the state department sought to restrain Blackwater's actions, raised concerns about the number of shooting episodes involving Blackwater or the company's high rate of shooting first, or detained Blackwater contractors for investigation," the report said. It has earned more than $1bn (£490m) from US government contracts since 2001. The state department paid the company more than $832m (£408m) for security work between 2004 and 2006.
'All lives precious' 'Short' on standards
But Mr Prince said on Tuesday that 30 Blackwater staff had been killed while working to defend US diplomats, but that no Americans had died while in its protection. The 16 September shooting incident is not featuring in the hearing by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, because it is under investigation by the FBI.
CONGRESS BLACKWATER REPORT Earned more than $1bn (£490m) from US government contracts since 2001Staff involved in 195 shootings in Iraq between 2005 and 12 September 2007Allegedly drunk employee killed Iraqi vice-president's guard in 2006, but was flown out of Iraq and faced no criminal charges28 staff in Iraq sacked for weapons-related incidents, 25 for alcohol and drug violations Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Blackwater memorandum
But congressmen raised a number of other incidents they said showed that Blackwater fell short of the standards of the US military.
The committee's chairman, Henry Waxman, referred to an incident in Afghanistan in 2004 when a Blackwater plane flown by inexperienced pilots crashed, killing US service personnel on board.
An investigation showed the pilots did not follow procedure, did not know where they were going and were treating their mission as "fun".
"Is Blackwater, a private military contractor, helping or hurting our efforts?" Mr Waxman asked, referring to Iraq.
Good value?
Several representatives referred to an incident in which a Blackwater guard shot dead a bodyguard of one of Iraq's vice-presidents while drunk. He was hurried out of Iraq and faced no criminal charges.
Mr Prince said Blackwater had taken firm action against the guard. He was fined and fired.
He also said that 30 Blackwater staff had been killed while working to defend US diplomats, but that none of its clients had died while in its protection.
BLACKWATER USA FACTS Founded in 1997 by a former US Navy SealHeadquarters in North CarolinaOne of at least 28 private security companies in IraqEmploys 744 US citizens, 231 third-country nationals, and 12 Iraqis to protect US state department in IraqProvided protection for former CPA head Paul BremerFour employees killed by mob in Falluja in March 2004 Profile: Blackwater USA Security firms in the dockBLACKWATER USA FACTS Founded in 1997 by a former US Navy SealHeadquarters in North CarolinaOne of at least 28 private security companies in IraqEmploys 744 US citizens, 231 third-country nationals, and 12 Iraqis to protect US state department in IraqProvided protection for former CPA head Paul BremerFour employees killed by mob in Falluja in March 2004 Profile: Blackwater USA Security firms in the dock
"There is no better evidence of the skill and dedication of these men," said Mr Prince, who is a former member of the US Navy Seals special forces."There is no better evidence of the skill and dedication of these men," said Mr Prince, who is a former member of the US Navy Seals special forces.
Referring to the 16 September incident in Baghdad, he said: "To the extent there was loss of innocent life, let me be clear that I consider that tragic." Mr Prince, 38, said his firm was happy to be subjected to greater oversight.
"Every life, whether American or Iraqi, is precious." "Blackwater believes that more can and should be done to increase accountability, oversight and transparency," he told the hearing.
But, he added, "based on everything we currently know, the Blackwater team acted appropriately while operating in a very complex war zone". Mr Waxman's staff produced a scathing report on Monday that released details of several incidents involving Iraqi casualties, in which Blackwater employees had fired first on 163 out of 195 occasions.
Blackwater has earned more than $1bn (£490m) from US government contracts since 2001. The state department paid the company more than $832m (£408m) for security work between 2004 and 2006. In the majority of cases, the guards fired their weapons from moving vehicles without stopping to count the dead or assist the wounded, the report said.
He questioned whether private contractors should be used instead of US soldiers.
"The question for this hearing is whether outsourcing to Blackwater is a good deal to the American taxpayer," he said.