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Blackwater controversy in Potrero and in Iraq

Union Tribune (2007-11-04) Doug Cooper, Fran Howard, Louise Buck, Norman Hansen

This Page: https://copswiki.org/Common/M269
Media Link: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/op-ed/letters/20071104-9999-lz1e4letters.html
More Info: Blackwater, COPS

UNION-TRIBUNE

November 4, 2007

Thousands of people volunteered throughout San Diego to help victims of the wildfires, but your newspaper decided to highlight Blackwater's vice president and his contribution to Potrero (“Potrero pulls together / Blackwater's relief effort wins praise of project foe”).

DOUG COOPER Kensington

Surely we San Diegans do not want an industry in our county that is above the law, which has needlessly and carelessly killed many Iraqi civilians. This company has been accountable to no one, not even the State Department.

The damage it has done to our reputation in the world is irreparable.

Can we count on our county supervisors to not being pressured into approving something that would stain us with this menace?

Blackwater has, with its unchecked military liberties, cost our nation its former high standing in the world. Do we want such an industry in our own county? Please, phone your county supervisor and tell him or her not to sanction Blackwater.

FRAN HOWARD San Diego

Regarding “Security guards offered immunity” (News, Oct. 30):

Why bother serving in the military where you get paid less, can't quit and are held to the standard of the Uniform Code of Military Justice? I know we are no longer even hoping to “win hearts and minds” but allowing mercenaries to run roughshod over the populace and shoot up the place with impunity would seem to encourage just the opposite, engendering resentment and retaliation. Outsourcing our national defense – and what's left of our national honor – is a poor idea. And doing it without built-in restraints is insanity.

LOUISE BUCK San Diego

Write us

The San Diego Union-Tribune welcomes letters to the editor. Because of the number of letters received, and to allow as many readers as possible to be published, it is the policy of the newspaper to publish no more than one letter from the same author within 90 days. Letters may be edited. It is also our policy to publish letters supporting or opposing a particular issue in a ratio reflecting the number received on each side.

To be considered for publication, a letter must include an address, daytime phone number and, if faxed or mailed, be signed. It may be sent to Letters Editor, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Post Office Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191, faxed to (619) 260-5081 or e-mailed to letters@uniontrib.com. Letters submitted may be used in print or in digital form in any publication or service authorized by the Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Who are these people who grant immunity to miscreants of Blackwater? Why is immunity even considered as an option? A felonious crime occurred causing national embarrassment and an insidious attempt by the State Department to cover up or at least create deniabilty of any responsibility of a free wheeling mercenary army that had no master.

No accountability will ever be forthcoming for those alleged public servants who condoned and authorized the presence of Blackwater and its counterparts in this war. No government oversight was in place or contemplated to prevent the disgraceful excesses done in the name of this nation.

Immunity is a lawyers' tool, used to hide all elements of truth. Aggressive investigation hardly ever needs to sop the progression of law.

The State Department is and always has been rife with incompetence and should not be allowed to pervert the law.

NORMAN HANSEN San Diego

Media Form edit

Title Blackwater controversy in Potrero and in Iraq
Publisher Union Tribune
Author Doug Cooper, Fran Howard, Louise Buck, Norman Hansen
Pub Date 2007-11-04
Media Link http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/op-ed/letters/20071104-9999-lz1e4letters.html
Note Letters to the Editor
Keywords Blackwater, COPS
Media Type Article
Book ISBN
Author Name Sortable
Topic revision: r2 - 10 Nov 2007, RaymondLutz
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