Charlie Rose

S. Robert Dixon  10/21/2008 02:37 PM Report

How can I get the text of the interview between Charlie Rose and Eric Prince , ceo of Blackwater?

Chuck  08/04/2008 04:59 AM Report

Comment by James on Wednesday, Jul 16 at 01:12 PM:

"Mr. Prince is the ideal individual to run this country"

Run this country? Run it? The President "runs the country", and Erik Prince is ideal for that?

It's a thing, this country, that needs to be run by someone. And Erik Prince is that someone.

We have LEADERS here, and their job is to RUN THINGS. Run them! On TIME!!! Like... like the TRAINS. Run them! Run them OVER! OVER AND OVER! Just RUN THEM DOWN. GUN THEM DOWN.

See James. See James shoot. Shoot James shoot. Bang! Bang! Nice James! Good boy!!!

Cortney Davis  07/27/2008 02:13 AM Report

Charlie always does great on his interviews. Erik seems like the U.S. Government had a Q&A session with him, and now he's starting to forget what they told him to say.

Deborah  07/19/2008 03:37 AM Report

Blackwater should absolutely be held accountable for their employee’s conduct, as should the U.S. government. Good Grief. Blackwater hires commandos from all over the world, including countries that are not all that friendly to the U.S. Blackwater is a private, well funded militia for hire with a clear political ideology. They were deployed to New Orleans following the catastrophic flood, and could be used in any town U.S.A if the president decided to declare marshal law. President Bush managed to covertly overturn a two hundred year law prohibiting the president's power to impose martial law. Bush can impose martial law, declare an emergency to justify it, and then hire Blackwater commandos-- maybe from other countries with no allegiance to the U.S.-- to enforce the presidents directive. Blackwater commandos, even those from other countries, will be paid in full with your tax dollars.

James  07/16/2008 01:12 PM Report

I can see what Mr. Prince saw when he first started Blackwater: The U.S. Military spends more on deploying and operating than it does on training, so why not create a company that will train soldiers better than the military can? Blackwater USA should not be blamed for what its employees did; the operators of these men should be blamed. The DoS should be held accountable for their contractor’s actions.

Erik Prince had, and still has, a great vision for this country. I would fully support Mr. Prince if he decided to run for President of the United States, or I would back any presidential candidate that decided to have Mr. Prince as their Secretary of Defense. Mr. Prince is the ideal individual to run this country, or a part of it: U.S. Military service, highly intelligent, founded a major company with over $500 million of revenue per year, and knows his economics (the limited government and zero taxes policy gave him my vote). We need more people like Mr. Prince to run our country; we need people who want to help America in the leadership positions, not corrupted congressmen and liars like we currently have. Let us remember the Framers, how each one was intelligent and either served his time in the military, or ran a successful business. Erik Prince for President!

Lisa  06/10/2008 04:54 PM Report

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.

Lisa  06/10/2008 04:49 PM Report

Mr Prince clearly provides a needed service for America by Americans.

valiant dickson  06/10/2008 04:47 PM Report

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

Ex-Iraq vet (3rd ID)  05/02/2008 03:19 AM Report

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.

Anonymous  04/28/2008 06:59 PM Report

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.

Lisa  04/06/2008 02:00 PM Report

Accreditation for those questions come from

12 new principles of warfare

BY LT. CMDR. CHRISTOPHER E. VAN AVERY

Lisa  04/06/2008 06:49 AM Report

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

Rev William Hayes  03/18/2008 02:46 AM Report

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.

Scott Gurganus  03/14/2008 02:16 AM Report

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!

Elsa   12/10/2007 09:50 PM Report

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.

Lou  12/05/2007 01:51 PM Report

Eric Prince DEVIL!!! at its best work.

JT  11/11/2007 10:32 AM Report

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.

Tom Madden  11/03/2007 03:00 PM Report

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.

Colonel (S) Louis Wein, USMC/USMCR (D)  11/03/2007 02:56 PM Report

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!!!

David Occhipinti  11/03/2007 02:56 PM Report

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.

Hells Bells  10/26/2007 09:27 PM Report

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.

Cookie  10/24/2007 03:39 PM Report

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.

PD  10/24/2007 02:31 PM Report

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!

Steve Helmer  10/24/2007 11:07 AM Report

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.

Stian Byrnesen  10/24/2007 07:38 AM Report

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!

PD  10/22/2007 03:46 PM Report

Oops! I meant to write an example of a (specific paragraph.)

PD  10/22/2007 03:41 PM Report

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!)

PD  10/22/2007 04:45 AM Report

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.

Mark Knighton  10/21/2007 10:13 PM Report

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.

Sai  10/21/2007 04:14 PM Report

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?

outback  10/21/2007 08:08 AM Report

.

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'.

.

sock puppet  10/19/2007 10:47 PM Report

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

Paul Thorn  10/18/2007 03:23 AM Report

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.

Xango  10/18/2007 01:14 AM Report

THWACK!!!!!Prince for President.....

Jim Kragen  10/17/2007 10:21 PM Report

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

maglite  10/17/2007 06:03 PM Report

"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

Tarch  10/17/2007 02:37 PM Report

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.

Christian T  10/17/2007 02:26 PM Report

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.

Joseph Anderson  10/17/2007 02:05 PM Report

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.

J. Kulig  10/17/2007 01:43 PM Report

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.

Jim  10/17/2007 12:18 PM Report

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?

PD  10/17/2007 05:16 AM Report

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.

DIG  10/17/2007 04:04 AM Report

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.

ryan  10/17/2007 02:30 AM Report

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!

White Water  10/17/2007 12:41 AM Report

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?

Tony Caffrey  10/16/2007 10:51 PM Report

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.

AJ. Stevens  10/16/2007 10:29 PM Report

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.

Joseph Anderson  10/16/2007 10:25 PM Report

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.

John  10/16/2007 09:24 PM Report

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.

Jorge Rodriguez  10/16/2007 07:23 PM Report

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.