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Brian Quade of Denver writes:

Anti-globalization activists have long insisted that post Cold War neo-liberal policies are tantamount to a corporate takeover of the world. And of course, books like “When Corporations Rule the World” and documentaries like “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” have been fiercely criticized. But even the staunchest critics can not challenge these accusations anymore. Blackwater USA is a privately-owned mercenary army, earning an impressive nine-figure profit in only a few years from services they have sold to American taxpayers. And since no government or justice system has jurisdiction over them, their business model is rock-solid. Maybe Blackwater USA will go public soon so we can all get in on the action.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Cheney's Army of God. Thugs.

Blackwater epitomizes the two greatest things that America has - our capitalism and our military strength. Blackwater was founded by an ex-Navy SEAL. He took what the US taxpayer taught him to do, started a business, and now he protects State Dept diplomats in Iraq and all over the globe. They have NEVER lost a client. NEVER. Since the left in America is all for diplomacy (as are most of us) then it makes sense to protect the diplomats that do the work. Seems like common sense to me.

Dear Jesus, save us from your followers. Why can't our troops (sitting ducks and targets) get paid $150K-$300K per year like the Blackwater Mafia? Blackwater's thugs also get a lucrative disability package. Our Iraq-NAM vets return home to scrounge for medical assistance and social security disability pay.

Military reservisits get an even worst deal. More than 160K of them were fired while they were actually engaged in combat, and they returned home to file individual federal civil lawsuits. US Sen. Allard and Salazar could careless about these warriors and they are letting them get shafted just like the Rocky Flats workers. Slazar and Allard haven't found anything they are willing to die for. When America called them to serve in NAM, they immediately placed HER on ignore, and they called rich daddies.

Ooops! My bad! Shamnesty Salazar and his brother did have time to vote in congress, for their own family federal farm subsidy ($484K), which they will use to pay their criminal illegal Mexican farm workers. Flats workers must be tickled pink with this news.

If Blackwater no longer has a job in Iraq, I say we hire them to patrol our Southern Border. Their tactics would be both effective and (by many) welcome.

Michael: "Blackwater epitomizes the two greatest things that America has - our capitalism and our military strength."

But our military is not capable of protecting our diplomats? I think it is, at a lower cost and with more discipline. Michael underestimates our military.

Michael,
And our "diplomats" have "accomplished" exactly what?
At what cost?

Blackwater has failed, fire 'em.
It was a bad business decision, and rotten PR for American interests.

And the Bush legacy of failure continues.

Come to think of it , fire him too. along with Dick.

Blackwater epitomizes the two greatest things that America has - our capitalism and our military strength.

This is a naive view. Blackwater epitomizes the perversion of incentives in a far-from-free-market.

U.S. foreign and military policy created the market for private contractors (the twin decisions to 1) invade Iraq with inadequate troops and 2) outsource historically military functions, on an unprecedented scale.) - hardly a result of true 'capitalism' this is the modern incarnation of the 'poverty pimp' industry that formed as a result of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society largesse.

Here's the perversion: the Blackwater business model is built upon armed conflict. The greater the conflict, the longer it lasts, the more need for their services. Diplomacy or succesful military strategy, to the extent that it succeeds in reducing or avoiding conflict, is bad for business. The upshot is that Blackwater has the incentive to create more conflict rather than less.

And yet the 'Surge' of American soliders aims to reduce the armed conflict between the warring parties, so as to 1) give the central gov't some time to get their act together, or 2) create islands of stability across the country (forgive me, the stated policy shifts so often it is hard to tell what the real mission in Iraq is anymore). If our soldiers succeed, they get to come home...the historical incentive for traditional soliders, and one that got America through many wars.

So...between these two conflicting incentives and interests, who do you want to succeed? Blackwater and their business model....or American troops?

Amazing that this appears to be a trick question to the purported patriots among us.

That's funny Michael, because they also epitomize everything that is bad.

Turning war into a business for profit is a bad thing.

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