just when i thought it couldn't get any worse (590 hits)
Category: Politics -> IraqRating: 0.46 on 21 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Pete Best (View user info) at 2007-10-03 20:33:54 EDT
Take a look at this article when you get the chance: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/10/03/iraq.contractors/index.html
Basically, a congressman has introduced a bill that would place US conttractors and security companies like Blackwater and KBR under United States jurisdiction for crimes committed overseas in a war zone. This is clearly necessary since right now, nobody really knows who they answer to... not the United States military, not to the Department of Justice, not to the Iraqi government. This bill would clearly outline what rules they need to follow and who they answer to. Great idea right?
Not according to the Bush administration. They said, quote: the measure would overburden the military, overstretch the FBI, intrude on prosecutorial decisions and extend federal jurisdiction overseas in ways that would be "impossible or unwise."
Also: "The White House said the bill would saddle the FBI with the responsibility of investigating deaths caused by private contractors overseas. It would place "inappropriate and unwarranted burdens" on the Defense Department, which the administration said would be required to arrest contractors and support a specially created FBI unit that would investigate killings in a theater of war."
Got that? We shouldn't prosecute crimes that occur because it would involve some extra work. Just let those mercenaries run wild. After all, the 'victims' are Iraqis, not real people!
Discuss.
User Reviews
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2007-10-04 22:43:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
lightening war speaks the truth
you are the one responsible if your guard dog jumps the fence and takes out the neighbor's chicken coup
(is that how chicken coup is spelled? It doesn't look right)
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-10-04 18:55:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Whoever hires them should ultimately be responsible for them.
If Uncle Sam is contracting them as security/soldiers, then the contractors should fall under the UCMJ. If a company is contracting them, then the company should be liable.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-10-04 18:54:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2007-10-04 17:29:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Tf an American commits a crime in France, the French courts can try him. Why shouldn't Iraq have the same right? Sure their courts and cops are overworked, but so are ours, and every other country's legal system. I'm tired of my country being the global babysitter and world police.
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Are you being intentionally dense for the sake of arguing?
I used to think you were cool, maaan.
Submitted by swamp_donkey (user info) at 2007-10-04 12:39:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
As part of the international private security force that polices the world for the good of all mankind, I approve of this post.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2007-10-04 07:51:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:39:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
In regard to civilian contractors committing war crimes, people are still going after former Nazi's in the 80's and 90's.
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I wasn't aware that blackwater was running death camps responsible for the deaths of millions of Iraq's.
In which case I am sure people will be after them for 40+ years.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2007-10-04 07:35:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
As for the post, now that they have a "stable" govt they should be tried under Iraq law.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2007-10-04 07:34:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:39:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
The PRETENSE is global babysitting.
The real reason is money.
The USA intervenes quite often to "Protect our Interests"
Items like Oil.
Our country is addicted to it in a bad way, and with emerging economies like India and China, competition (price wise) for the supply will raises prices on damn near everything even remotely connected to oil.
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Why didn't we keep the oil after Gulf War I?
Why didn't we just make friends with Saddam, a harsh dictator can be a pretty stable govt in the middle east, and we have buddied up with him in the past.
If it was just about oil, there owuld have been easier and cheaper ways to do it.
Submitted by HateMudkips (user info) at 2007-10-04 02:34:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
and what part of "capitalist" do you not understand?
"Capitalism generally refers to an economic system in which the means of production are mostly privately owned and operated for profit"
Submitted by ilikesteak (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:43:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
beer-turtle, what did you think we were babysitting?
We have soldiers watching the pipeline every day, waiting and babysitting.
Submitted by ilikesteak (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:40:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Damned if I care about politics, but I'm infatuated with thought, and fair arguments tend to provoke thought best. It makes you think about what point you're standing for, but it makes you justify your point to a degree of coherence and accuracy so others may see it as valuable information, rather than opinionated garbage.
I let you know I don't care about politics so you'd have an open and even field to play on. I only support fair argument, not blind and unruly opinion put forth without actual backing, with unfeeling and uncaring narrowmindedness preventing other thoughts than yours to get through.
Now, I'll give you the opporotinuty once more. Care to argue?
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:39:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
The PRETENSE is global babysitting.
The real reason is money.
The USA intervenes quite often to "Protect our Interests"
Items like Oil.
Our country is addicted to it in a bad way, and with emerging economies like India and China, competition (price wise) for the supply will raises prices on damn near everything even remotely connected to oil.
The instability in the oil supply due to the war is what is keeping our prices high, yet still lower than the rest of the world oil importers due to the bulk of which we import.
In regard to civilian contractors committing war crimes, people are still going after former Nazi's in the 80's and 90's.
Submitted by PizzaEagle (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:27:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I rated for the sake of rating? On my own post where my rating doesn't matter anyway? Start making sense, boy. Anyway, its clear to me that steak is not interested in actual conversation, seeing as how the first post he made was a personal attack and he admitted he didn't care about politics.
Submitted by DeMoNiC (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:20:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Stfu Pizza, Steaks argument is quite valid where as you just rated for the sake of rating. Seriously fuck off if you can't add anything constructive or in fact anything with a point at all.
Submitted by PizzaEagle (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:17:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Since you don't care how this political bullshit turns out, maybe you can take your inane 'arguments' elsewhere. Thanks.
Submitted by DeMoNiC (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:12:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I'm not sure where to take my stance now though one thing is for sure steak, I'm sick of your country TRYING to be the global baby sitter.
Then again it is a valid point that the Iraq mess is mostly Americas fault, though I agree with the majority of the decisions made there. I.E The dictatorship had to end, I thank America for that.
Submitted by ilikesteak (user info) at 2007-10-03 21:08:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Since I couldn't actually care either way on how any of this political bullshit works out, it means I can take either side of the argument at any time, and since I've got little better to do at this exact second, I'll argue a little.
Tf an American commits a crime in France, the French courts can try him. Why shouldn't Iraq have the same right? Sure their courts and cops are overworked, but so are ours, and every other country's legal system. I'm tired of my country being the global babysitter and world police.
Submitted by PizzaEagle (user info) at 2007-10-03 20:50:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Normally that would be the case, but its a bit different here. Yes, if an American commits a crime in France, the French courts can try him. But Iraq is a mess and it's basically our fault for that. The Iraqi courts and police have enough to handle. Theres no way they can go and arrest American contractors with guns. And besides, do you really want the Iraqi courts to try American citizens? Do you think they could get a fair trial there?
Submitted by DeMoNiC (user info) at 2007-10-03 20:44:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Why should the states interfere with killings in other countries? It should be left up to the specific country itself and its own government. Although I do not hail from America I think it is stupid for people to think that America should care for bloody everyone, they have their own damn country to try take care of.
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2007-10-03 20:38:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I can't imagine why the stupid Iraqis don't understand that we're only trying to help them.
fuck em if they can't take a joke
I liked the part where one of these guys got drunk at a party, shot and killed some dignitaries bodyguard, and got fired and shipped back to the US without facing any sort of charges. I don't so much want this guy running lose over here.
Submitted by ilikesteak (user info) at 2007-10-03 20:37:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
I thought you left.
It was a happy thought.
Thanks for ruining it.