Iraq Revokes All Contractor Immunity

Immunity deals 'routine' for contractors

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071031/...r_prosecutions

There's alot of talk about immunity in the news these days, and not just in Iraq. How do I get me one of those deals for my everyday life? (sarcasm)

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"It's up to the investigators and prosecutors to determine what kind of case they have ... and ultimately whether to bring prosecution," McCormack told reporters

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So, would that be the officials appointed by the Iraqi government? I can't see that going well for companies like Blackwater.

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Additionally, Democratic leaders in Congress demanded answers about the immunity deal as House Government Oversight Chairman Henry Waxman called it "an egregious misjudgment."

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Translation: We didn't think anyone would find out.

I wouldn't presume to know what actually goes on over there. It's a fucked up situation and people do fucked up things.

But, the private contractors are there for the $$$. They're there for the salary, the big, fat payday. They decide to put themselves into this fucked up situation and take all these risks for the financial gain, then they can damn well take them without their immunity.

What kind of message did that send when first world civilians were able to arm up and stomp around Iraq without fear of the legal repercussions in the country they're waving their dicks in?

Proving individual cases of checkpoint slaughter to be ... understandable, doesn't change the absurdity of any of this.

Does anyone disagree with the fact that private security firms never deserved the immunity they're losing now?

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Originally posted by Rilthyn

But, the private contractors are there for the $$$. They're there for the salary, the big, fat payday. They decide to put themselves into this fucked up situation and take all these risks for the financial gain, then they can damn well take them without their immunity.

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Yeah, god forbid someone work hard to try and get ahead in life.

The immunity issue is a serious one, but having disdain for people simply because they took a hard, dangerous job in hopes of making some forward financial progress in their lives is really not rational or reasonable.

I have no disdain for these people. If the price is right people will do anything, it's how we work.

My concern is the fact that they were above the law. Concerns you seem to share.

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Originally posted by Aristotle
having disdain for people simply because they took a hard, dangerous job in hopes of making some forward financial progress in their lives is really not rational or reasonable.

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There is a context here though which does make the disdain reasonable and rational. There is a long history of the contractors in Iraq being cavalier with Iraqi's lives and intentionally creating fear (for example, I remember posting a video a few years back of contractors randomly shooting at cars on an Iraqi freeway).

These people sign up knowing that the country they fight in cannot prosecute them. They know their company will back them and keep paying them regardless of their actions. They either consciously (in which case they're contemptible) or unconsciously (in which case they're contemptible) take advantage of that immunity in their hunt for personal gain.

Now some people might find their daring admirable and forgive them their youthful excesses, but compared to other youthful fighters, such as the International Brigades, these men are hollow murderers.

Who knows the full reason why Iraq has publicly baulked at the foreign contractors, but the recent unprovoked massacres would have put the government in the position where they had to say something to appear to have some control of the unwelcome guests in their country.

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Originally posted by Malacasta
There is a context here though which does make the disdain reasonable and rational.

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Nice try.

But in this thread, they were slammed for going there to make money.

And frankly, I think that is what is behind most of the world wide criticism of the contractors. Since so much of the world is being perverted into socialism (now that the USA took care of the USSR and they have the leisure to do so), the idea of someone working hard or taking risks to get ahead is loathed.

Yes, I am sure there have been incidents where foreign contractors did something reprehensible and got away with it. But unfortunately, that happens in the "civilized world" as well. It is a lamentable reality of human nature that some people will do terrible things for selfish reasons. That is not unique to Iraq.

The motive behind the hate seems to be mostly because the contractors went there to make money - and suddenly, making money is the most horrible, evil thing in the world. This thread is a perfect example of that. These contractors were specifically attacked because they went to Iraq for the higher profits for working in a dangerous area.

That is a criticism that should not even be raised. There is absolutely NOTHING WRONG with someone deciding to do harder, riskier work because they want to get ahead in life financially. The fact that this attack ever happens AT ALL demonstrates the loathsome, socialistic motive behind most of the contractor-hate.

Socialism and Communism represent a destruction of the individual as it is subordinated to the state. They represent the annihilation of freedom and liberty. We need to be more aware of the fact that socialist and communist organizations are constantly infiltrating political organizations (like the entire environmentalist movement) and world media so they can surreptitiously spread their propaganda.

This is just another example of that. Contractors in Iraq have to be despised because they are people willing to work hard, and take personal risks to make a financial gain for themselves and their families. But no, for these socialists/communists, success should come from the state, not from personal effort. So that kind of behavior cannot be tolerated!

The overwhelming majority of the contractors in Iraq are doing back breaking work to rebuild that country. But hey, I guess it is just a lot easier to label them murderers. And since they are committing the horrible crime of trying to make a buck, they are just as evil as murderers anyway, right? I mean how dare they try to better themselves through their own effort! The State is supposed to decide when they move ahead, right?

OMG, you better check under your bed.

Seriously dude, that was a really paranoid, rant about something I don't think you really understand.

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Originally posted by Malacasta
OMG, you better check under your bed.

Seriously dude, that was a really paranoid, rant about something I don't think you really understand.

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I think I understand it perfectly. But of course you try to blow it off as "paranoid" since it exposes the increasingly obvious motives of the modern socialist and communist movement.

The environmentalist movement has already been infiltrated by communists. One of the founders of Greenpeace left the organization because of it. What's the Keyser Soze quote from The Usual Suspects? The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing people he didn't exist?

Call it paranoid, but its pretty obvious what is happening around the world. Europe is sliding deeper and deeper into socialism, and bordering on communism. Notice that ANY sort of profit motive is continually slammed in world wide media (less in the USA, but its creeping in here too).

Why else are these contractors often vilified solely and specifically for the fact that they go to Iraq for the higher pay? What a stupid thing to attack someone for. Hard working, ambitious people do things to advance their lot in life. This is praiseworthy. It should not be attacked. Attack the crooked ones for the things they do wrong. Attack the sickos who go there for the opportunity to behave like tinpot warlords. But all too often these contractors are attacked specifically for the fact that they went to Iraq for the higher paying job opportunities. That's just despicable and irrational.

But for socialists and communists, it MUST be attacked, because people cannot think that success comes from the individual. They must be taught that success comes from The State or the core of socialist/communist philosophy crumbles into dust.

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The motive behind the hate seems to be mostly because the contractors went there to make money - and suddenly, making money is the most horrible, evil thing in the world. This thread is a perfect example of that. These contractors were specifically attacked because they went to Iraq for the higher profits for working in a dangerous area.

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As the originator of this thread, let me say this:
My issue was never that these contractors went there to make money. My issue was that they were given immunity from criminal prosecution.

These types of arrangements create systematic abuse. You have a Blackwater chief who states on record that he refuses to recognize or respect Iraqi law.
As I understand it, the two men killed, burned, and hung from bridges in Iraq a few years ago were not US or coalition soldiers, but private contracted militia men.
Clearly many of the the Iraqi people aren't so hot on the idea of US contracted private militias, let alone US coaltion troops.

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Originally posted by Malacasta
OMG, you better check under your bed.

Seriously dude, that was a really paranoid, rant about something I don't think you really understand.

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Aristotle's post didn't sound paranoid to me.

It's funny ... a lot of people are quite happy to support socialism in real life, but nobody would want it in a MUD. It'd be pretty lame if Ari just randomly gave everyone three free guild levels for no reason (even when freebies ARE given out, it can be argued that you get them for being involved - because only people who are online benefit). You have to work to advance, regardless of which sense of the word "advance" you mean.

So why are there complaints about a company going somewhere to make money? Complain when they do something illegal. Don't complain when they make a buck. *shrug*