Blackwater / Xe / IDS / Academi - R2

[Loopster]

Hasta el enemigo número 1 de Blackwater se rinde:

Blackwater's bright future
No matter who wins the White House, the security firm is shooting for lucrative work.

From California to Iraq, business has never been better for the controversial private security firm Blackwater Worldwide. Company President Gary Jackson recently boasted that Blackwater has "had two successive quarters of unprecedented growth." Owner Erik Prince recently spun his company as the "FedEx" of the U.S. national security apparatus, describing Blackwater as a "robust temp agency."

Such rhetoric may seem brazen, given Blackwater's deadly record in Iraq and troubled reputation at home, but here is the cold, hard fact: Blackwater knows its future is bright no matter who next takes up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The company's most infamous moment came last September, when Blackwater operatives were alleged to have gunned down 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad's Nisour Square. A U.S. military investigation labeled the shootings a "criminal event," and a federal grand jury in Washington is hearing evidence in the case.

The father of one of the dead, a 9-year-old boy shot in the head, testified before the grand jury in late May. He has rejected offers of monetary compensation from the U.S. government and Blackwater; he demands a public admission of guilt by the company. "This is important for me, morally, for my family and my tribe," said Mohammed Hafidh Abdul-Razzaq. Other survivors have been offering testimony to the United Nations, and some have filed a lawsuit in federal court in this country.

At the end of the day, perhaps criminal charges will be brought against a handful of Blackwater operatives as a token gesture. But this will not bring substantive change to the unaccountable private war industry. Indeed, the killing of Iraqi civilians and other scandals do not seem to hurt Blackwater's business at all. Quite the opposite.

In April, over the objections of the U.S.-installed Iraqi government, which has demanded Blackwater's expulsion, the Bush administration quietly renewed the company's lucrative Iraq contract for yet another year. To date, the company has pulled in over $1 billion from its Iraq and Afghanistan "security" contracts alone.

Blackwater is also winning at home. The company recently fought back widespread local opposition to its plans for a new warfare training center in San Diego. When residents and local officials tried to block it, Blackwater sued the city. A federal judge, appointed by President Bush's father, ordered San Diego to stand down. Now the company is entrenched, guns a blazin', in San Diego and is well positioned to cash in on the increasingly privatized border-patrol industry.

Blackwater's California expansion is just one of several ventures that reveal how Blackwater is growing. Among the others:

* Prince's private spy agency, Total Intelligence Solutions, is now open for business. Run by three veteran CIA operatives, the company offers "CIA-type services" to governments and Fortune 1000 companies.

* Blackwater was asked by the Pentagon to bid for a share of a whopping $15-billion contract to "fight terrorists with drug-trade ties" in countries such as Colombia, Bolivia, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Analysts say it could be the company's "biggest job" ever. (la de veces que hemos hablado de estos contratos y la implicación de Blackwater en la Iniciativa Mérida... ¿ahora se entera este mayor experto? )

* Blackwater is wrapping up work on its own armored vehicle, the Grizzly, as well as its Polar Airship 400, a surveillance blimp Blackwater wants to market for use in monitoring the U.S.-Mexico border.

But is Blackwater counting its chickens before they hatch? Some may see it as a foregone conclusion that if Barack Obama wins in November, Blackwater's days on the federal payroll would be numbered. Obama has labeled it "unaccountable" and a danger to U.S. troops in Iraq. (By comparison, John McCain's top strategist, Charlie Black, has worked for Blackwater.)

But it is far more complicated than that. Obama may want to draw down U.S. troops in Iraq, for instance, but "diplomatic security" is where Blackwater's bread is lathered with golden butter. Obama has pledged to increase diplomatic activity in Iraq and to keep in place the Green Zone and the monstrous U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Despite his criticism, Obama may have no choice but to use these private forces. His top advisors have painfully acknowledged Obama "cannot rule [it] out."

Consider the numbers: At present, Blackwater has about two-thirds as many operatives in Baghdad as the U.S. State Department has diplomatic security agents in the entire world, including Iraq. Although Obama has said he wants diplomatic security to be done by U.S. government employees, accountable under U.S. law, the State Department estimates that it could take years to recruit, vet and train a force to take over Blackwater's work.

In addition, Obama's rhetoric on Latin America strikes familiar "drug war" chords, which bodes well for Blackwater, and he plans to send 7,000 more troops to Afghanistan, where the company is already firmly entrenched.

Blackwater's work in Iraq began with one $27-million no-bid contract to guard the U.S. administrator for the country, L. Paul Bremer III, in 2003. In five years it has metastasized into a central component of the U.S. presence in Iraq and is spreading fast into the most sensitive areas of the national security apparatus.

There is no question that a McCain White House would be preferred by Blackwater and its allies. The question is: Would a Democratic victory really be bad for business?

Claro que Scahill habla de éxito continuado de Blackwater tras embolsarse varios millones de dólares a base de venta de libros, charlas y saraos varios... que el ir de "tio del pueblo" con la chaquetita fashion es algo que en España ya vivimos con la clase política de los 80 y 90, jejeje.

[yoyimbo]

un saludo

[Loopster]

Yoyimbo, me da que el de la foto va a ser Pyro con un rifle de MSTN


Artículo en Newsobserver.com:

Blackwater states its case
Jay Price and Joseph Neff, Staff Writers


RALEIGH - Blackwater Worldwide, the North Carolina company that is famous -- and in some quarters infamous -- for its security work in Iraq, has been misunderstood and misrepresented, says the company's owner, Erik Prince.

Prince, company President Gary Jackson and spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell came to Raleigh on Wednesday as part of a public relations campaign. The effort began last fall after Blackwater guards were accused of killing 17 civilians in Baghdad while guarding a State Department convoy. That incident, which elicited furious protests from the Iraqi government, is still under federal investigation.

The executives, who had requested the meeting with a group of News & Observer editorial board members, editors and reporters, defended their company's reputation Wednesday.

The company, which guards diplomats in Iraq and Afghanistan, burst into the national consciousness in 2004 after an Iraqi mob massacred four of its contractors and hung some of their corpses from a bridge in Fallujah.

In the years since, Prince said, Blackwater has been treated unfairly in the media and by politicians who paint it as a poorly regulated outfit raking in no-bid contracts thanks to cronies. Descriptions of their guards as arrogant cowboys are out of date, and if anything, the company is heavily regulated, they said.

Prince, whose family has long been associated with the Republican Party, said politics hasn't helped the company gain contracts.

"Ninety-five percent of our revenue comes from competitively bid contracts," he said.

Jackson gave a lengthy list of federal, state and local agencies that have investigated or audited the company, from the U.S. Defense, State and Justice departments to the city of San Diego and the N.C. Department of Transportation.

"The idea that we are unaccountable, unaudited, we beg to differ," Prince said.

Blackwater guards gained a reputation in Iraq for acting aggressively and without regard for civilians -- and even the U.S. military.

Prince declined to say whether he thinks the government didn't have enough control over private security details in Iraq early in the war, but he said such oversight has increased greatly in the past three years.

He and Jackson repeatedly referred to Blackwater's safety record at its U.S. facilities, where it trains several hundred troops and law enforcement officers every day -- without a serious injury. He also cited its record in flying more than 11,000 cargo and passenger missions for the military in Afghanistan and its never having lost a diplomat on the dangerous roads of Iraq.

Such successes and the company's good deeds, such as donating time on shooting ranges to a host of local law enforcement agencies, mostly go unreported, the executives said.

At home in Moyock

The company is based on a 7,000-acre compound in Moyock, in the state's northeastern corner, with elaborate shooting ranges and a driving track. Blackwater calls it the nation's largest privately owned weapons training facility.

It now has training sites in Illinois and San Diego, has branched out to offer a range of services from aviation to construction management, and has begun building armored vehicles and small blimps. It has become one of Eastern North Carolina's largest employers.

Security contracting will likely play a shrinking role in its income, the executives said. Security work is tapering off, and the company's future is mostly in one of its other lines of work -- training troops and law enforcement officers, the men said. It is set up to train 1,250 people a day.

Prince and the company have repeatedly come under attack from Democrats in Congress. The State Department, though, recently renewed its contract with Blackwater to guard diplomats in Iraq, despite the shooting last fall and Iraqi government protests.

Asked what he thought would happen to the company's federal contracts -- more than $1 billion in revenue to date -- if a Democrat is elected president, Prince replied that Blackwater was doing great work and that was the best way to keep getting contracts.

Critic on the Hill

Among the most frequent congressional critics of security contractors has been Rep. David Price, a Democrat from Chapel Hill. Price has introduced bills and amendments to tighten regulations on the industry. He recently added an amendment to bar contractors from interrogating prisoners for the military.

Blackwater doesn't interrogate prisoners, Prince said.

Price also has filed a bill designed to make sure that contractors working for the U.S. government in a war zone can be brought to justice for committing crimes. The bill would mandate that Justice Department investigators be positioned in war zones so they would be able to quickly gather evidence and start prosecutions.

Prince has said he supports this bill and said Wednesday that contractors should be held accountable for breaking the law and that a good system of doing so would be good for his industry.

No publicity hound

Until the Baghdad killings in the fall, which damaged the company's reputation and imperiled multimillion-dollar federal contracts, Prince had been publicity shy.

N&O reporters had sought an interview with Prince since March 31, 2004, when four of the company's security contractors were killed by insurgents and mutilated in the city of Fallujah, Iraq. Prince said Wednesday that the State Department contract has prohibited the company from speaking out, even when it disagreed with information in stories about it.

Prince opened the meeting Wednesday by saying that the Blackwater officials had come not only to answer questions but also to correct errors in the newspaper's reporting.

"I think we've had a lot of misunderstanding from this newspaper, and I'm happy to clarify what is truth versus lies, slander and downright libel," Prince said.

The newspaper routinely writes about the company. An N&O series in 2004 on the Fallujah incident highlighted problems with the oversight of contractors on the battlefield and led to a congressional investigation.

[yoyimbo]

joer macho... desde luego así no hay forma de sorprender a nadie ehhh.... y conste que ya tiene años la foto...
voy a ver lo último que has colgado que con el inglès me tengo que poner tranquilamente...

por cierto, la caña lo de la isla de la tortuga eh...

un saludo
espero que estès bien!!

[Loopster]

Es que me lo pones muy fácil, jejeje.



Isla Tortuga está muy bien, aunque me imagino que hay demasiadas "distracciones" en la zona




Unas ofertas de trabajo de Blackwater de la última semana (no salen en la web):

Director of International Law Enforcement Programs
Date Posted: 06/09/2008
Department: International
Office: Blackwater Lodge and Training
Location: Moyock, NC


Description


Primary Purpose:

To support Blackwater Worldwide’s identification, pursuit, capture and execution of law enforcement based programs worldwide. This includes support of business development and execution in specialized and niche markets through creation/maintenance of keys relationships and delivery of innovative solutions.

Required Education/Experience:

· Identifies major international law enforcement markets for pursuit
· Develops and maintains relationships with law enforcement SMEs in Federal, State and major metropolitan agencies
· Acts as Program Manager for major law enforcement programs
· Supports law enforcement related CNTPO and INL based contracts and task orders worldwide
· Monitors, collects, and evaluates data and prepares recommendations
· Assists others with budgeting, managing financial resources, and using accounting principles and practices as required to complete responses to bid & proposals and properly manage ongoing contracts
· Prioritizes, plans, schedules and coordinates work with individuals at all levels of the organization.
· Performs other duties as assigned or required.


Bachelor’s Degree required. 15+ years of law enforcement experience required; Chief executive of a large police department preferred; recent experience with major Federal law enforcement agency preferred. Prior military experience required; Army CID experience preferred. Recent Iraq or Afghanistan experience required. Must possess excellent understanding of international law enforcement capacity building training requirements, training cycle structure and training tools and methodologies. Candidate must be self starter with strong entrepreneurial skills and able to handle information of a highly confidential nature. Strong quantitative, analytical, problem solving, and conceptual skills are required.


Effective oral and written communication skills with all levels of the organization (including management, peers, team members and customer-base). Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage time and multiple priorities to completion. Problem solving skills with an analytical thought process. Ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.


Must possess strong computer skills, including the entire MS Office Suite. Must also be self-motivated, able to multi-task and prioritize.


Working Conditions:

Work is based in a busy office environment and subject to frequent interruptions. Normal work hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 to 4:30, however some extended or weekend hours are required. Position also requires frequent and extended travel in CONUS and abroad.

HAZMAT II Specialist
Date Posted: 06/17/2008
Department: Logistics
Office: EP Management Services
Location: Moyock, NC


Description

Primary Purpose:

To assist in the implementation of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) and waste compliance programs, respond to health and safety emergencies and properly package HAZMAT material for shipping.


Essential Functions:

· Assists in the development, revision and implementation of HAZ MAT Management programs to include – Medical waste, spill response, contingency plans, ammunition & explosive management
· Regularly inspects facilities where hazardous waste is stored and evaluates compliance
· Compiles and maintains list of hazardous waste needing disposal
· Prepares and presents effective employee training on safe management of hazardous materials and documents training
· Assists in emergency response planning, drills and incident response
· Provide technical support to assure timely reporting and compliance to appropriate agencies for the Biennial Hazardous Waste Report, Title V (Air Quality) Clean Air Permit, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) documents, Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan/Contingency Plan and all efforts to prevent and minimize spill emissions, waste minimization and environmental requirements.
· Prepare packaging for all types of hazardous materials in accordance with IATA specifications
· Have knowledge of all forms of Hazmat documentation and Federal regulations for shipping hazardous materials
· Knowledge of performance-oriented packaging (POP)
· Knowledge and ability to fill out hazardous material paperwork


Required Education/Experience:

B.S. is required, preferred B.S. in Chemistry, Biology, Health Physics, or Environmental Sciences. Knowledge of Federal/State and other government agencies laws, regulations and ordinances governing environmental protection, hazardous materials and waste management (OSHA/EPA/DOD/DOS). Three (3) years experience in coordinating and implementing hazardous materials and waste compliance programs. Must be able to read and interpret fabrication drawings. Certified in Hazmat Packing, Packaging, and shipping. DOT HAZMAT Training, RCRA Training, other certifications - please provide copies of all certifications.

IATA / ICAO - International Air Transportation Association Hazmat Certification

IMDG – International Maritime Dangerous Goods Certification

DOT – Department of Transportation Hazmat Certification

U.S. Army Ordnance School of Military Packaging Technology


Effective oral and written communication skills with all levels of the organization (including management, peers, team members and customer-base). Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage time and multiple priorities to completion. Problem solving skills with an analytical thought process. Ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.


Working Conditions:

Position will be based in a busy office environment and will be subject to frequent interruptions. Travel may be required as well as working outside in a variety of environmental conditions.

[yoyimbo]

Desde luego no creo que haya una lista interminable de candidatos, aunque sobre todo en la primera oferta, sólo les falta pedir.... "que sea rubio, mida 1`80 y su apellido sea.... "

Un saludo

[Loopster]

Pues si creías que eran muy específicos para el puesto de Director de Programas Internacionales de Law Enforcement mira los requisitos para los contratistas:

Law Enforcement Professionals (LEP)

Blackwater Worldwide is seeking LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS (LEP); to support current contract BID; proven criminal investigators with extensive experience investigating traditional organized crime, terrorism, narcotics, and/or gangs. Complex investigative experience as a lead investigator, or case agent, and experience on a task force is desired.
LEP must have a Top Secret (TS/SCI) security clearance
The environment in Iraq and Afghanistan

Skill Set Criteria. LEP personnel will possess the following attributes:

·Minimum of 10 years of law enforcement experience with a federal agency or major state/local law enforcement department.
·A thorough understanding of criminal intelligence and networks including organized crime, gangs, drug organizations and/or public corruption.
·Significant experience in investigations, interviews and informant source development.
·Ability to support and assist in the compilation and analysis of information regarding complex criminal investigations and recommend specific investigative directions based upon conclusions drawn from the analysis.
·Ability to use link analysis, event flow analysis and activity charting to develop inferences about the intentions and vulnerabilities of criminal groups, their key individuals, their methods of operations and the extent of their criminal influence and scope; make recommendations for intelligence and data collection strategies.
·Ability to use crime analysis techniques, statistical analysis and time series analysis to view, evaluate and draw conclusions regarding patterns of crime.
·Ability to analyze the behavior and methods of criminals.
·Ability to predict patterns and motives for behavior in certain demographic groups.
·Ability to analyze event statistics to determine patterns and methods of criminal enterprise.
·Ability to assess the responsiveness of aspects of the criminal enterprise to military operations or actions.
·Ability to examine records and files to gather identifying data about suspects.
·Ability to develop and maintain case files involving criminal events.
·Capability to advise on the collection of evidence to determine criminal identity, networks and activities.
·Ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding relationships among seemingly unrelated events).
·Ability to analyze completed intelligence and operational reports to determine what additional information and investigative work is needed.
·Capability to understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem solving and decision making.
·Ability to perform duties of the other members of the analytical teams to include mobilizing to and from incident sites.

All qualified and interested individuals should email their resumes to:

mailto:21490-CJB-0@blackwaterusa2.hrmdirect.com

Huele a expansión brutal de los contratos antinarcóticos en Afganistán, de cooperación policial y anticorrupción en Afganistán e Irak, y de investigación policial y antiterrorista en Irak.

[Loopster]

Dos militares norteamericanos, un miembro de la Embajada de EEUU en Irak y un empleado del Departamento de Defensa han sido asesinados en Ciudad Sadr hace cosa de una hora.

No se ha confirmado si el empleado era un contratista de un equipo de seguridad (con lo que sería ajeno al WPPS) o si el miembro de la embajada llevaba escoltas de Blackwater de la Embajada de Bagdad.

[Loopster]

Blackwater Worldwide y la fundación Wounded Warrior:

[Loopster]

Quien murió en el atentado de ayer fue un contratista, mediante contratación directa del Dept. of State, llamado Steve Farley, especialista en temas de instituciones y gobernación, que trabajaba en el PRT para el distrito de Ciudad Sadr. Los dos soldados fallecidos trabajaban también para el PRT, al igual que los dos (no uno como erroneamente dije ayer) contratistas del Dept. of Defense. Ambos trabajaban en temas de reconstrucción, no como equipo de seguridad.

Descansen en paz.