Charlie Rose Science Series
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10/15/2007
Erik Prince
An hour with Erik Prince, Chairman, CEO and Founder, Blackwater USA.
Keywords:
An hour with Erik Prince, Chairman, CEO and Founder, Blackwater USA.
DVD
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Audio
Audio available through Audible.com.
Audio available through Audible.com.
Transcripts
Transcripts available through Voxant.
Transcripts available through Voxant.
I am deeply against the war but after briefly reading some of the figures it seems that blackwater are taking a great deal of the blame and taking the focus away from all the people that are being killed by american soldiers apparently 195 people have been by blackwater thats barely more than the amount of english people that have been killed by american soldiers in the two iraq wars and we are on your side lets not even talk about the 600,000 iraqi people killed in this war
People don't hate Blackwater because they're so called "mercenaries," people hate Blackwater because its politically incorrect to hate the military. The same people hating Blackwater today are the same ones who would spit on soldiers 35 years ago. Prince is also a successful capitalist, and this just burns some people up inside. His organization has had a successful record of keeping State Dept. personal alive and this is all that matters. Whether the war was right or wrong is another debate completely. The same people who are against the war are the same people who don't like Blackwater. The US military wouldn't be able to operate without contractors. These folks are doing the jobs that leftists won't do. Keep up the good work.
All personal beliefs aside, this is truly the only video I have been able to find of Blackwater on the internet that is not a strict condemnation or denouncement.
Accreditation for those questions come from 12 new principles of warfare BY LT. CMDR. CHRISTOPHER E. VAN AVERY
Mr Prince clearly provides a needed service for America by Americans.
As the Military has transformed to respond to the threats evolving in many countries three questions need be answered and in the answer you'll find folks needed like Erik Prince. How has the revolution in military affairs (RMA) affected military capability, and how will it affect capability in the future? Second, what types of conflicts and enemies should America expect to confront over the next quarter-century? And third, who will be cooperating with America in military operations of the future? Even these seemingly simple questions have complex answers and significant caveats that must be recognized.
Erik Prince sounds like a professional, upstanding executive who is doing his due diligence and has branched out beyond training to aid his country. I wish him success as he continues to maintain a high standard. Lisa
True, Iraq did not attack the US. Iraq's Saddam Hussain did not allow United Nation Inspectors to inspect for United Nation violations for OVER 6 years. President GW Bush gave Saddam 6 months to comply, Saddam did not comply. We attacked Iraq after the 6 month dead line. Congress, in the knowledge that Saddam's demise would bring down Iraq's government, the Democrat Controlled Congress passed legislation to instill a Republic form of Government governed by the people, not a dictator. Blackwater is the Best of the Best. Trained by the US Military, then trained by Blackwater to work for Blackwater. There are other private companies in Iraq invited by the Iraq Interior Ministry to help with securing the freedoms of a Republic form of Government run by the people. Those other private companies in Iraq give blame to blackwater becuase the "Popular Media" only knows the name of "Blackwater" failing to know which who is the other contractors and who really is "Blackwater", often getting the who wrong. However, if you ask any "Popular Media" worker in Iraq who they want to protect them, they'll confide : Blackwater. For those who hate Blackwater; most people recognize those who hate Blackwater as terrorists or sympathizers of terrorists. There are over 170 contractors looking for those people. I hope those contractors find the Terrorists and sympathizers and deal with them as appropriately as possible. Hi Cookie.
As a present Blackwater employee and republican, I personally think that Erik Prince is not the "Devil" as many believe. Erik is doing his job. Everything that these contractors of Blackwater do is strictly by the U.S. gov. law. They abide by that 1,000 page contract not only because they have to but because they are trained to do what is in that contract. I see the intense training these guys go through everyday and it is not some backyard "Cowboy" training. These contractors are professionally trained through the U.S. gov. for a multiple of years before Blackwater even touches them. Even after the government training Blackwater trains them even more so, not brain washing. These contractors and Blsckwater have there shit together when they execute a mission. They don't just react, they have a strict plan of action and they stick to it. Please for God's and Blackwater's sake get off their back. If the public was really worried so much about the "innocent Iraqis" then please join us or a branch of military and do something to help, verses complain. Blackwater and the U.S. gov. are doing there best to help establish the country why can't you people(republicans) realize this. HO-Rah war in Iraq!
Please I do'nt even know why you are so sopriced, Erick Prince does not even pay taxes, becouse he is not requiered to do so. He says he works for the American Government. He is destroying Our American Flag! He is not an true American. He is the Devil him self.
Eric Prince DEVIL!!! at its best work.
Rose: "How many Iraqi civilians have been killed by Blackwater?" Prince: "That's an unknowable number." Unknowable???!!! Prince should make sure that number is knowable... do you think it would be okay for the death of American civilians to be an unknowable number??? Of course not! Prince of Darkness, indeed.
Prince is not what God created as a man, he is a cute and clean sharp angel type of monster that i could compare to the smartest member of the MARA SALVATRUCHA 13, i still have lots more respect for my dog than I do have for that other kind of animal.
amazing - a drunk murders a group of unarmed fleeing civilians and somebody says boo hoo for the drunk and the drunk's indifferent boss. Of course Blackwater is responsible for its business model, its product and the behavior of the product. I thought we did away with the excuse "hey I didnt make the rules" in 1945.
Please forgive me! I stated in a previous post that 2000 people died on 9/11 but in reality it was nearly 3000 innocent Americans who died on 9/11.I am so sorry!
Glancing through the comments, I'm a little amazed at the "broad spectrum"--the frankly ignorant, hate mail aberrants. But at least these folks are listening (or tuning in). Interesting that they would even sit still for quiet, reasoned dialog. Whatever. I felt this interview was stunning, revealing--a standout in what is ALWAYS urgently relevant dialog. Meeting the REAL Prince--vs the demonized, media voodoo doll--was truly eye opening. It cast the whole issue of contract security, of "mercenaries" vs experienced American rehires, in very different light. It seems clear that Blackwater, and others, are being caught in a political cross fire--not of their own making. It is NOT about them, but about the War, and internal pressures. The single most striking fact--totally missing from general reporting--was that Blackwater has no OPERATIONAL control over their troops, but they operate under State Dept commanders. This, the HISTORY of BW, as a "shooters school" trainer--the PERSPECTIVE/CONTEXT was enormously helpful in parsing this very hot button issue. As always, you pushed Prince to face the tough questions that are swirling out there, while remaining fair and without "agenda". This is truly the "magic" that reels in news makers like this, who are in the hot seat, want to talk, but don't want the flack, the arguing, the personalities, the accusations that is part and parcel of so much of the media "circus'--the "get'em" journalism. You provide the sane, sober--but rigorous--forum that welcomes these interviewee's to open up, speak candidly, knowing they will have a honest and fair hearing. And while I guess there are some "crazy's" in your audience (judging from comments), certainly it is mainly those interested in the REAL story, the INSIDE story, the BACK story--the TRUTH, where so much else is being churned out. Thank you, Charlie, for your devotion to this VITAL task. You raise the level of public dialog on issues of crucial concern like few other programs do.
Erik, Prince of Darkness is one of the slickest and at the same time scariest people of our time. This guy's ruthless war profiteering under the guise of patriotism and national security is truly frightening. It cannot be that the US govt. is doling out no bid contracts to mercenary (look up the word, Erik - your people ARE the very definition of mercenaries!) companies like Blackwater. The only Americans with weapons in Iraq - or any US warzone - should be the US military, not these rent-a-cowboys! Let's pay our military better wages so soldiers stay in rather than paying ridiculous amounts of money to greedy, unscrupulous subcontractors like Prince and Blackwater who then hire ex-soldiers (immune from prosecution should they break the laws of the occupied country they operate in thus giving us even more of a black eye as a nation) to do the work the Army should be taking care of! Blackwater et al need to be curtailed big time or put out of the business of war altogether!
Oops! I meant to write an example of a (specific paragraph.)
I hate to admit this but,the American people have to remember that the country of Iraq didn't "attack" America on 9/11(I am very "afraid" when people who(m) post on message boards state: "Remember that we are at "war" but, with who?(Future message board posters:Please state with who? and why? we are at war in Iraq)(Because I notice you never use words that are specific but, general like: them, you people, they,and we etc...) (Example of a General Paragraph....) (Because I thought that the hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, Egypt,(and that Pakistan funded 9/11 and Afghanistan trained the hijackers)(What does this mean that the 4 countries that I mentioned can just attack America and just get away with killing 2000 innocent Americans?) Can you imagine during World War II if FDR "attacked" China instead of,Japan after Pearl Harbor! or JFK during "The Bay of Pigs" planning to bomb France because of their connection to Cuba and Russia!(It don't make sense to be in Iraq!It is like 1+1=4)(It don't add up!)(and now "pestering" Iranian....) Unless people who believe it is all right to "attack" all (Muslim/Arabs) whether they were involved or "not involved" with 9/11 are filled with so much "hatred" toward all (Muslim/Arabs) that they don't care who they attack!(Which I am so sorry! to say seems to be the case because they don't seem to be able to exhibit any signs of reasoning!) (and if this is "true" may God/Allah have mercy on their souls!)
With 40 years of experience in military, government and politics, I can only say that Charlie Rose's interview with Eric Prince re: Blackwater, USA finally presented a "balanced" exchange of information and ideas. Clearly Blackwater is a highly professional organization which only seeks the best of the best for its DSS contracts. It also seems to me that both Blackwater and Eric Prince (personally) have been singled out for attack by those who motive are substantially less worthy and, in fact, are motivated by agendas contrary to the national security of thes UNITED States of America. It seems to me that most of Blackwater's critics do nothing of what it's like being in combat and the actual FOG of WAR. How many "innocent" civilians have been killed or maimed by US military forces? How many by insurgent/criminal Iraqis? Let's stop having the fire call the kettle black!!!
What troubles me is the same people that beat up on Blackwater has no plan to combat terrorism. Sticking your head in the sand is not a plan. Blackwater provides a service that is much needed today. Plus it is cheaper for what you are getting. Prvite corporations are always cheaper than government runned operations. How can anyone make the claim that what Blackwater does is a failure, there are no facts to support this. This is a war people in which people die even innocent people. If you think this will stop by pulling Blackwater out you are crazy...or maybe still have your head in the sand. Truth be known some people are against war period. I say if you want peace you better plan for war.
If viewer of Charle Rose want to watch or hear an "opposing" view about Blackwater, USA in Iraq, please be sure to purchase Bill Moyer's Journal and watch his recent interview with author Jeremy Scahill.(Excellant!)(He appeared on Bill Moyer's Journal recently in response to that Prince guy recent media blitz to put an "innocent" face on Blackwater,USA) (THAT PRINCE GUY WENT FROM NEWS SHOW TO NEWS SHOW REPEATING THE SAME RHETORIC!)(ON CUE!)But, on the other hand, author Jeremy Scahill who is very well informed, knowledgeable,and appears to be very honest when it comes to him commenting on Blackwater,USA and that Prince guy!in his book "Blackwater, USA." P.S. If you have Comcast-In-Demand you may can watch it on Comcast before it expire on 10/26/2007.
Blackwater is scary. We need to argument the Army and USMC to the point that mercenaries are not used. They should be subjet to UCMJ and a chain of command. Also this is a backdoor way to fight an unpopular war without adequate military personnel. Also the cost has to be prohibitive.
A solid performance - Prince. He knows how to handle hard balls. I think what matters the most is accountability. I dont think that Order17 is a reasonable decree. To grant immunity under Iraqi law is like undermining Iraqi sovereignty. There is always a danger of a private army running for a government. The government just cant give a 'License to Kill'. Blackwater maybe doing some 'good' elsewhere by its operations but in Iraq I think its doing more damage than good. But what is interesting in the first place is why is 'US Military/Army' cannot handle the securities of their own officials. Did we end up in this situation out of pure incapability of the US Military or because of profitable motives of a few lobbyists/investors?
. Excellent interview. Rose asked some tough questions and Prince replied with solid answers. I do think though that Charlie went down some wrong paths with policy related questions. Blackwater is a private firm and not responsible for the policy formations of the USA. I know some are uncomfortable with contracting out government functions, but I couldn't help thinking, 'Jeez, I wish we had Blackwater running airport security rather than the TSA'. .
Prince, Blackwater, private contractors, this administration are beyond worrisome, they're TERRIFYING!!!! See: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/?campaign=pbshomefeatures_1_billmoyersjournal_2007-10-19
Don't believe what you read in the media. I know operators (Ex Seals - Highly thought of ones at that) that sometimes take contracts with Blackwater. One of them worked with members of the team that was involved in the incident on Sept 16. He assures me that they are stand up guys that they were fired upon. Now, flip this whole thing around and think about this from the Iraqi side of things. If youâ??re a member of the Iraqi government that is part of a group that wants to get rid of the US forces in Iraq, would you want Blackwater to stay or go? Before you answer think about this: No diplomat that Blackwater has guarded has been killed. That means they are good at what they do. So, if you can get rid of them you have less competent folks to fight against. This will help your cause in getting the US to leave Iraq. Could such a thing happen and be behind the â??storyâ?? the Iraq folks are spreading? Think about it. Look beyond the smoke and mirrors.
THWACK!!!!!Prince for President.....
Three words: Robert Young Pelton. He not only spent time with Prince and Blackwater long before he hit the headlines. He provides excellent insights into his motivation and life. Check out his book (the only one written from inside Blackwater: Licensed to Kill, Hired Guns in the War on Terror
"Only part of her neck and jaw remained". One of the most powerful stories I have ever read regarding the recent Blackwater incidents and about our Iraq adventure and how it relates to us in general. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/10/17/134725/74
Without the Democrats taking control of Congress in '06, these hearings, and this interview would have never happened. The privatization ("corporatization") of this nation's foreign policy and military responsibilities results in this type of abhorent mercenary approach. When the profit motive replaces the role of our military to implement American foreign policy, we are in real trouble, and at great risk abroad and at home.
Two thoughts come to mind: 1. as Ross Perot anticipated the revolution that data systems would have on business ... for Neocons Don Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz+ seeking "light footprint/cost-effective solutions", Blackwater/Eric Prince was a tailor-made choice/outfit to lift from obscurity ... the fact that none of the lives they were/are guarding have been lost tells much of the story. 2. Now that the war in Iraq, in retrospect, should have relieved on a massive coalition of international peacekeepers ... even greater than used in President 41 George H.W. Bush's Operation Desert Storm ... any use of private foreign forces such as Blackwater negate the only mitigating and overwhelming reason to have U.S. forces there: to be on the right side of history ... instead of allowing factions to battle each other with the U.S. caught in the middle playing pinkerton guard to black gold.
Charlie's conversation with Eric Prince was very enlightening on several dimensions. Operations on the ground in Iraq - I learned about logistics, tactics and brave men (both employees of Blackwater and US Government our brave military). I learned about politics behind the State Department paying this private firm for services that are quicker, more reliable and effective in protecting US Diplomats (each mission to protect was successful in Iraq. If it were up to me I would ask Blackwater to set up for another Rwanda and be ready to deploy to avoid death and destruction of innocent lives.
Once a SEAL, always a SEAL. Men cannot perform that type of service without being arrogant. Erik believes he is providing a service for the country he loves. I hope the men in question didn't let him, his organization, and our country down.
I happened to tune in just as Charlie was asking Mr. Prince whether he considered himself more a businessman or a warrior. I thought it was a perfect question. Mr. Prince took a breath before answering. You could tell he was conflicted. This is the essence of the issue. He is really both, a mercenary, and his answer was in line with that idea. We have to admit we are hiring mercenaries. Why else would we be hiring former special warfare military for "protection" when regular military would do?
Hello! Charlie Rose, my name is PD and I would like to know if you can invite the author of the book "Blackwater USA," Jeremy Scahill on your show in the very near future. (That is if he have not been on your program already....) in order for him to present the "opposing view" to the guest that you recently had on your show 10/15/2007 Erik Prince, CEO, of Blackwater, usa. Thanks, C.Rose P.S. I tune into your show every evening at (11:00pm on the dot....)because it is:Just you (very intelligent host)the guest,(very interesting guest)the dark, (nothing to distract from the great conversation) and that wonderful oak table.
I also think Prince didn't do himself any favors with Charlie by dismissing John Burns' assessment of Blackwater problems in Iraq. There is something very troubling about a CEO is is so sure about everyting. Especially when everything has gone so very badly.
C'mon, Blackwater and Lockeed Martin were awarded 15 billion dollars to help fight the war on Drugs 9/16/07. 600 of them were in New Orleans immediately after Katrina. They are building airship zepplins for surveilance from 15,000 feet, WAKE UP!
Erik Prince should have been asked of what would he say to the Iraqi victems and thier families? or this question would be too irrelevant?
IF CHARLIE DIDN'T CONDUCT JUST A 'TESTALYING' SESSION FOR ERIK PRINCE AND AN INFOMERCIAL FOR BLACKWATER, THEN I WONDER IF CHARLIE WILL HAVE ANY *CRITICS* OF BLACKWATER ON. CRITICS LIKE _JEREMY SCHAHILL_ -- WHO'S BEEN ON THE PBS NEWSHOUR, THE CBS EVENING NEWS, AND OTHER NEWSCASTS.
I entered with a low opinion of Erik Prince/Blackwater, and exited with a higher one. Sure, not all questions were answered fully,and Blackwater people may end up being found at fault, but as Prince pointed out twice, he is not a policy guy. The bigger point is the policy that creates an opening for firms like Blackwater. His firm responds to a need created by a policy of downsizing. If the policy was reversed to upsize, and our taxes were higher?... If we had paid more taxes would that have prevented other US military failures in the war on terrorism? I doubt it. Lota blame to go around. This was a worthwhile hour that helped illuminate the space Blackwater works in. I endorse the comments of Ms. S and similar above/below.
The developing Blackwater situation shows that the Iraqi government is evidently irked by the colonial aspects of the U.S. occupation to the extent that they are willing to more aggressively assert their sovereignty despite the risks - a move that could drastically curtail the influence of the Bush shadow government outside the Green Zone. This is an interesting development because it might mean that progress in training Iraqi forces has actually succeeded to the point where they no longer feel they must hide behind the U.S. shield to survive. The Blackwater crisis may be a prelude to an Iraqi request that most U.S. forces leave their country immediately so that the Shia and their allies can enter the final phase of their (bloody) consolidation of power. Perhaps, surprisingly, we may be able to leave with honor almost intact after all, and much sooner than expected, although not everyone here in the U.s. would be pleased with that outcome. The opportunity to manage Iraq would be lost forever and our Imperial advance blunted in this sector of the globe! Some might even be tempted to implement the Diem Scenario to avert this disaster, though in the end that would probably be rejected in favor of a strategy of foot-dragging and lengthy delay. The Blackwater swarm must now prepare a contingency plan to alight in a new location for their next lucrative assignment - probably somewhere in Africa. The Permanent War will continue for now and they will continue to be needed.
ANOTHER INFOMERCIAL 'INTERVIEW' ABOUT BLACKWATER (and their white ultra-right-wing laissez-faire capitalists [but secretly crony capitalists\ mercenaries). When will Blackwater --if it hasn't done so already-- start overthrowing democratic &/or socialist governments in the Third World -- like the U.S. has done in Africa, Latin America and once even in Iran? ANOTHER INTERVIEW THAT SOUNDED LIKE TESTIMONY CONDUCTED BY ERIK PRINCE'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY. I GUESS WE JUST REALLY CAN'T EXPECT ANY BETTER FROM AMERICAN "JOURNALISM". This past Sunday's (Oct 14) "60 Minutes" with Erik Prince conducted by Lara Logan was bad enough -- but at least she's cuter (the interview looks a lot better if you turn down the sound and just watch this "CBS News chief foreign correspondent" ingenue) than Charlie Rose. (Shouldn't major network "chief foreign correspondents" look like they're out of grad school? Shouldn't they look like Helen Thomas or Walter Cronkite -- and not like your little sister? Shouldn't they have some lines in their forehead?) Here's what I posted at the "60 Minutes" website before they took ALL the (mostly critical) comments down under their Erik Prince & Blackwater story. But, at least "60 Minutes" got a good earful -- even from other journalists who posted. That'll teach these guys to allow comments. These establishment corporate TV interviewers are not used to intellectually critical criticisms: THEY THINK WE'RE ALL CHUMPS AND IDIOTS. All of this, too, applies to the Charlie Rose (always the journalistic patriotic flag-waving &/or patriotic "noble cause") style of interview too: THE, NORMALLY BREATHY, LAURA LOGAN ADVERMERCIAL/ADVERTORIAL INTERVIEW OF BLACKWATER HEAD ERIK PRINCE SOUNDED LIKE FRIENDLY TESTIMONY CONDUCTED BY HIS *DEFENSE* ATTORNEY! -- COMPLETE WITH LITTLE PR VIDEO CLIPS (LIKE HIS LITTLE MEMORIAL WALK AND THE FOLDED AMERICAN FLAG CLOSE-UP). IS *THIS* WHAT "60 MINUTES" HAS CRITICALLY *SUNK* TO ON IMPORTANT ISSUES? IF LAURA LOGAN'S INTERVIEW GOT ANY TOUGHER, WE''D HAVE TO GIVE HER *MARSHMELLOWS* TO TOSS AT ERIK PRINCE. Blackwater mercenary corporation boasts that no client that it has been contracted to guard has ever been killed under its protection. THE QUESTION TO ASK IS HOW MANY AMERICAN *SOLDIERS* HAVE BEEN KILLED BY IRAQIS TAKING RETRIBUTION FOR BLACKWATER''S WANTON INDISCRIMINATE MURDER, WITH IMPUNITY, OF INNOCENT IRAQI CIVILIANS? Probably *that's* why those 4 Blackwater mercenaries were abushed, shot, burned up, and strung up on that bridge in/near Fallujah. I always used to wonder, before, why the U.S. military in Iraq would go in and indiscriminately destroy almost an entire CITY -- using everything from heavy conventional bombs, to phosphorus bombs, to forms of napalm, to cluster bombs -- the whole city became a U.S. military free-fire zone -- costing so many innocent civilian deaths (men, women, children, even babies) that even the U.S.-selected "Iraqi govt" utterly *demanded* that the U.S. military STOP -- just because 4 extremely highly paid American contract mercenaries got killed. Now we know why: it's because the no-competing-bids-contract Blackwater corporation is extremely highly connected among the Bush Administration corporate cronies and the Republican party. I bet that the U.S. military never destroyed any other entire city in Iraq because 4 rather poorly paid (from the "economic draft") American *soldiers* got killed.
The interview was repetitive and too long. There were some interesting comments made, but it would have been more effective as a shorter segment. The excerpt clip you had before putting on this full interview was pretty good.
Someone told me that If would read a biography of Augusto Pinochet or Idi Amin(now I can include George Bush and Erik Prince)I would find good things on these mercenaries. Last night Charlie Rose dedicated not 15 minutes, not 30 minutes but an entire hour to interview this killer by proxy. I did not last the whole interview being that it is brodacast here at 11:00 PM. But I remember quite clearly when Mr. Rose asked the "Prince" on how many Iraki civilians had been shot by Blackwater cowboys. Prince did not answer the question(he did not give any number) but Rose did not challenge him on this important question. Mainstream audiences in this country may will in the long run agree with a man like this, who is getting billions of dollars from the Pentagon in order to proetct our other warmongers in Irak and making us believe he is also protectin us.Rose also asked Prince about some "peace" mission in places like Darfur and Mogadishu. Give me a break So wars now are declared by stupid leaders like Bush and then placed into the hands of mercenaries that get big money in order to kill innocents in the name of "democracy". I hope that Mr. Rose (or PBS) give equal time to a pacifist like Amy Goodman or Noam Chomsky to counter attack the Prince interview. Also provide some time to Mr. Jeremy Scahill who wrote a recent book about Blackwater, Prince and their mercenary tactics. Mr. Scahill says that there are more mercenary companies in Irak than nations at the U.N.
I thought the interview was very good, except I was expecting some harder questions regarding the aforementioned episode regarding the drunk Blackwater employee who killed the Iraqi bodyguard. Also, I was expecting more inquiry regarding the March 2004 Fallujah episode and subsequent lawsuit (and counter-lawsuit by Blackwater to receive "liquidated damages from the Contractor" for $250,000) by the mother of Scott Helvenston, as was printed in this month's Harper's. I found it quite disturbing that Prince saw no problem providing no insurance or benefits to his contractors. I would have liked for Charlie to inquire about that as well.
somebody help me out here - so this guy takes the cream of the crop (supposedly) from our military and bribes them into a high paying corporate job that will sell them to the highest bidder (not necessarily the US)- and when the US uses them will charge the American tax payer multi times more than we pay to have our own military? And if these ex military guys leave and our numbers shrink and they go off to some other battlefield not protecting the US, how is this possibly good for America? They are undermining our military! Hello? BTW Charlie, keep eating whatever you had for breakfast because your energy was awesome.
Reread maglite above. Prince's hubris epitomizes what's wrong with America exemplified by the neocons and the administration (Cheney, Wolfowitz(sp?), W et al.-------------------------------- We deserve the charmless Prince along with all the overbearing imperialists crowning our kingdom. Hail to the Prince! Our homegrown Buccaneer. He believes John Wayne was not merely celluloid. We can preempt, cause we can, we can murder as we please, because we can. That is up until the day of reckoning for Messrs W, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Arrogance, Hubris.
The one afternoon I got free from work to watch my favorite guy on TV, Charlie Rose, I was so disappointed to see I was going to have to endure an interview with Erik Prince, a guy I had written off as someone on Bush payroll, hired mercenary, lawless, conscience-less person. I was so completely proved wrong. CR was brilliant as always, yes, he came across more aggressive than he normally is, he's a very polite human being (I love you Charlie, met you in San Francisco about eight or so months ago,) recognizing always that his guests are that, his guests, and therefore deserve his courtesy, BUT I think he needed to ask those brazen questions AND Erik delivered! I am so surprised that I now count myself a fan of this guy and his mission. Yes, send him to Darfur. Everyone else has turned their backs on the problems in that part of the world, let Blackwater go fix them. We write checks routinely to charities, not knowing how that money is being spent. If Blackwater can pay people well and train them well enough to police the police in other countries, it sounds like a legit deal. He did say that the accidental firings in September will be dealt with as soon as the FBI conducts its inquiry. Prince is right, there are so many private operators who are doing business the world over in the name of providing security, they answer to very little protocol or authority. If indeed BW is doing the work it claims to be doing, saving the lives it is, then it needs to be exonerated and allowed to do its work without malicious media and other detractors. Hillary will win the next election and will likely need to use services from these type of outfits to keep securing US and local interests abroad; that of course remains to be seen. These BW guys train our service guys and men/women in uniform, so it seems like a no brainer that they should save the cream of the crop for themselves. So what if they run a profitable outfit? Everyone runs a profitable outfit, diamond, gold and coal mines, those are unsafe jobs and a few people at the top make all the money, but everyone's mad with Prince because they didn't think of this idea first!
Thank you Charlie for your excellent interview. The fact that you are from North Carolina and that had some influence on the way you conducted the show, as someone suggested, is ridiculous. your questions led to a great deal of information, which also affected Erik Prince's body language that said volumes (To be fair, Prince seems to be very smart, a formidable force.) You covered a great deal; I wished, however, you'd asked about the case where one of his employees got drunk and killed the body guard of an Iraqi authority and is now remodeling his house in Washington State.
For those who aren't aware Charlie is from North Carolina and no doubt did such a lengthy interview as a favor to Erik Prince and some of his Libertarian friends, probably in order to get some of them to come on the program. We hardly ever hear from the most influential Libertarians and that was the best part of the interview. However I don't think I've seen a CEO come off as badly in a media interview as Prince did on this program - not because Rose asked tough questions, but because Prince essentially came off looking like a junior executive on his first job interview. That was ironic from a company that supposedly wants to provide training to executives or something - it's in fact Prince who needs the training, and I'm sure he's being told that.
Charlie, you spent most of the interview with a pointed finger occasionally morphing into a tightly-clenched fist jabbing at your guest. This appeared to be more of a prosecution than an interview. As Erik repeatedly reminded you Charlie, he was not responsible for the policy decisions that result in the need for private security. Charlie, you disappoint me more and more. Your contempt for Erik's career decision, and the profitability thereof, was palpable. And the use of the cowardly and trite phrase "some people say" is a glaringly transparent disguise for accusations YOU. If you have a problem with the amount being expended by the US government for private security, take it up with a member of Congress. And your query as to the relevance of Erik's recounting the attacks in the week leading up to the incident on September 16th was laughable. What world are you living in? Erik clearly described the extremely dangerous and volatile situations in which they operate, and how any situation may not be as innocent as it appears to be.
Charlie is asking the right questions. Prince is absolutely sure Blackwater will be exonerated by the FBI. The FBI??? Sure, it's remotely possible that innocents were murdered by mercenaries working in hell, but the FBI is on the job. God, I miss America...
"Immuned from Iraqi law". For an administration that likes to criticize trial lawyers, they are more dependent on lawyers than all the administrations in history combined. Waiting to hear about the Evangelical aspect to this outfit...
Charlie seemed well prepared and did a very good job with the interview. By way of background what has happened is the hated State Dept. armored vehicles are effectively terrorizing the local population in Baghdad and it's being blamed on Blackwater. The US military strategy is based on building rapport with the local population, but the State Dept. apparently had it's own agenda of terrorizing them instead. The Iraqi government was frustrated because the State Dept. kept covering for Blackwater, while the State Dept. provided all the ground rules for Blackwater personnel, plus the vehicles and command and control. Therefore effectively the State Dept. was Blackwater, who were never actually licensed because they were contractors to the State Dept. Apparently the vehicles from which so many innocent Iraqi civilians were killed were State Dept. vehicles! What is clearly wrong is to have these State Dept. vehicles running around in a war zone, murdering and otherwise terrorizing innocent Iraqi's, while the US military is trying to build rapport with the local population. Blackwater provided only the contracted personnel, plus the hated small helicopters they operate. The solution is to make sure the State Dept. doesn't operate in the middle of a war zone, since they have been busy undoing all the goodwill American soldiers were trying to build on the ground. The State Dept. cowards blamed it on Blackwater, when they themselves are clearly at fault. P.S. 11 comments on Charlie's interview with Prince were posted before the program even aired - perhaps it's the ghosts of some of the innocent Iraqi's murdered by Blackwater personnel?
Taciturn at times is a sign of maturity, wisdom, indifference. But also arrogance when acting in a skin of green. Mr. Prince; was not careful nor prudent but reckless by omission throughout his interview with C/R. Like a catcher who doesn't throw the ball back to the pitcher - catching and tossing C/R questions to side - Never countering with new ideas from learned lessons - Now going forward etc, etc -C/R.... What a kid........... Phillip Urso Russo
Ian's post is funny - it is exactly what I think when I post here - that there is one other person writing the dialogue with sporadic visits from bewildered civilians. But if I was going to talk to myself I assure you i would keep it to my own novel - anint gots to give it away here. Anyway, cant wait to hear the Prince of Death talk about emerging markets in global warfare - gee that must be one heckava powerpoint deck he has when he goes to wall street analysts. But I wonder how much he is doing to create new markets - after all, actually bringing peace to any part of the world would lower profits, right?
You can see from his face that he thinks all this is a joke. He is sooooooo smug and full of hubris ! Don't know where he gets it from. Either its his beliefs or maybe he knows Cheney loves him. In either case he has the smirk of someone who sees himself as absolutely righteous. For him, Iraqis are probably sub-human scum anyway. That attitude is just really productive for our foreign policy, right ?
Ian - the connections between Blackwater's founder Erik Prince and the Christian fundamentalists in the GOP are based on facts. Get Jeremy Scahill's book called--Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army--to get the truth behind it all. And the notion that a free market economy can help "develop" a country through a war based on lies is ludicrous. You only have to see what that gave Iraqis after four years and counting. And finally, what do you think Erik Prince is going to say in this interview, of course he's going to defend himseld and his firm just like he did before the House Committee.
The U.S. is giving away everything. It's good jobs, its national assets, its industries...and now its best soldiers (to BlackWater). This isn't reflective of growing U.S. power. This is reflective of a nation that's coming apart. And American's don't seem to care. Just look at this preview clip, where Charlie Rose never once refers to "Erik Prince" as a mercinary leader. I'll wager that Charlie will continually refer to BlackWater as "security contractors".
The broadcast of Mr. Rose' interview with Erik Prince (Blackwater) was postponed because 60 minutes wanted to air its interview first. CBS didn't did do very well on the subject last night. Looking forward to, hopefully, a more substantial and satisfactory program tonight.
The episode hasn't even aired yet, therefore the previous postings are nothing but noise - you should start a google group if you want a general open forum. based on the temporal ordering of the postings though, it appears this is the same person carrying on a conversation with themselves - cookie vs. malcolm. odd. I landed here hoping to catch the interview, thinking it had aired on friday as scheduled - but why would anyone refresh their browser as frequently as the two posters if they could clearly see the interview would not be available until Monday? I have no political motivations in my comments, and actually my instinct tells me I will disagree with this interviewee based on the christian fundamentalist ties alleged in the press - hence why I was eager to see Charlie's interview. but i will reserve judgement until hearing his side of the story. when i worked abroad several years ago, for many years, security firms were a fact of life, and none of the firms I interacted with were US based, Irish usually. i don't think we will be rid of them, and if you believe in milton friedman and free markets than they will foster competition and improvement, and this is good if you are the gut being protected, but I'd rather they were American if involved in foreign policy (I only worked for a multinational firm, that generally just worried about kidnappings). of course, they should not be allowed special treatment, and be held accountable. i'll save any further comment until I've seen the interview though. and I suppose my comments are yet more noise added to the entropy already manifested in this premature initiatiation of a discussion on an interview that has not yet aired. yes it is hypocrisy.
Cookie - I was merely contributing to the conversation. I've been looking for popular open message forums on the internet ever since Yahoo News Message Boards shut down in December 2006 due to complaints from fundamentalist Bush supporters who found it unacceptable that people in general were waking up to the lies. By the way, we're in rerun mode with regards to Iran.
Cookie - You're right, the truth was not shown ever since the beginning of the war in Iraq because the media was going along the Bush administration's line to justify the invasion at first. What I meant to say is that now things are going really bad to no end, questions are being raised as to what went wrong, and the answers eventually lead to what I said - even that is an understatement because the media is still not accurately reporting the facts even as we speak, but the majority of Americans have already figured out that the administration misled the country into this catastrophe.
The truth hasn't just come out - if I knew it then it was out there. The truth is merely now being given major air time on the news and in the papers. Big difference.
Cookie, I agree with your comment. The fact that foreign corporate interests and control in Iraq as part of the plan to invade is well documented even way before the war began. The Paul Bremer edicts related to private security firms and other corporations in July 2004 confirm it. Unfortunately, it's only now that the truth is coming out because this war is a total disaster on every level, and it comes as no suprise that the blueprint of this stupid adventure was drawn up on a napkin in the offices of the neoconservative junta at the Pentagon. What are you gonna do.
I knew in 2003, as did any one else paying attention, that we were sending in mercenaries so they could act without any legal constraints of our own country and/or the Geneva Conventions. I find in so disgraceful that this lawless behavior has been ignored by the mainstream media and our representatives for years until finally the killing gets so bad they cant hide it. I wonder how many murderous outbursts took place over the last 4 years that our soldiers were blamed for and killed for? Not to mention, of course, the Iraqis who died. Shame on everyone who let this go on for this long - and shame on this "CEO".