McChurch - Funding of Blackwater

Is Blackwater a Black Hole?beck and call here in the United States hundreds
September 24, 2007of thousands of well-trained killers available to
As private security force, Blackwater, breaks intosquelch one of our most treasured rights - the
the news with the recent killing of 11 Iraqi civiliansright of free speech and peaceful protest. These
and accusations of illegal arms smuggling, acontract killers are not restrained by such
little-anticipated feature of the War on Terrorinconveniences as the Military Code of Justice or
surfaces. Refer to this feature as "collateralthe constitutional limitations on search and seizure
damage" if you will, but the bottom line is thatimposed on our public police forces. Their
engagement in war produces effects that rippleindiscretions can be quickly followed by a public
down through the innocents for generations.apology.
I believe that we will be tasting the stagnation ofThese soldiers of fortune are hired, not by the
Blackwater long after our troops return from IraqDefense Department, but by our State
and Afghanistan. We are creating a revolutionaryDepartment, under an obscure program called
force in America, founded on the principles ofWordwide Personal Protective Service (WWPS),
patriotism but answering to no other authorityformed to provide protection to our diplomats.
than the Almighty Buck.With 50,000 or more of these contract soldiers
Blackwater exists today because we simply donow engaged in Iraq, one has to wonder how
not have enough troops to prosecute ourmany diplomats we have there who need
engagement in the Middle East. It is beginning toprotection. 5,000? 10,000? Diplomacy not
appear in hot spots in America, such asappearing to play a significant role in the outcome,
Katrina-devastated New Orleans, under the guiseis it possible that these contract civilians are being
of keeping order. It is the privatization movementhired for one mission but being assigned to
run amok. It is perfectly legal.another?
The great irony is that while our nation isBlackwater's founder, reclusive Eric Prince, is no
engrossed in a campaign to disband militias fundedstranger to money. The brother-in-law to Rich
by Syria and Iran, it is doing so with our ownDeVos, founder of AMWAY and recent
private militias - some 180 or more of themgubernatorial candidate in Michigan, Prince is a
operating in the Iraq theatre. Their strength in Iraqmulti-millionaire in his own right, having inherited a
is estimated at from 20,000 to 50,000 contractfortune from his entrepreneur-dad, automotive
soldiers, although the numbers and their missionsupply king, Edgar Prince. The family has a long
are kept from the scrutiny of Congress. Howhistory of heavy involvement in conservative
many and what they are doing is a matter ofRepublican causes centering on privatization
guesswork for those whom we have elected toinitiatives such as school vouchers, tuition tax
represent us.credits and charter schools. Prince is a board
It is not the hundreds of millions of dollars in costmember of Christian Freedom International, a
that ought to concern us. We will spend thenon-profit group helping persecuted Christians
money either way - private or public militias. Whataround the world in 47 countries but curiously
ought to concern us is that we are creating amissing from one of the most oppressed regions
monster that will impact the lives and liberties of- the West Bank of the Jordan River.
Americans for generations to come.All of that is fine until it follows the natural
We are creating a well-trained, well-financedprogression of evolving into a power base that
bootjack army available to the highest bidder. Onencroaches into the lives and liberties of
the Blackwater web site, it is claimed that someAmericans under the conviction that we as a
50,000 have gone through their training regimennation must be wrenched back on course.
and stand ready for the call. Those who insistWhen patriotism and political ideology contract for
that, "It is better to kill them over there than togovernment services, what is created is a
have them kill us over here," will find that we willmonster for power and control, the antithesis of
bring our killers back home, ready and eager forliberty.
new assignments.Blackwater is well-named. You cannot see beyond
Spread that over the 180 or more "privateits surface. What lies beneath the surface,
security firms" already in operation, and it is easyhowever, can be fatal.
to see how in the near future there will be at our