A progressive political blog that highlights the infringement of religion upon today’s government.

Outrage over the deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians last month may finally push Blackwater out of Iraq. While all sources seem to agree that Blackwater is in no danger of being fired outright it may see its role greatly reduced or even eliminated. This is an important development in the war on Iraq because cowboy mercenary forces are making things more dangerous for our real soldiers.

In recent months it has come out that Blackwater has been involved in an unprovoked mass killing of civilians, disarming and holding US soldiers at gunpoint, and created untold enemies with their blatant disregard for Iraqi life and property. The most recent outrage was sparked by the unprovoked mass killing of 17 civilians and the wounding of 27 more. This led to Al-Maliki calling for the company’s expulsion from Iraq. Of course despite Iraq being a free nation, the final decision as to who fights in Iraq is not the Iraqi government, but ours.

Many people within our government, and their lackies, have argued that Blackwater was indeed fired upon and acted in self defense. Of course, not being there myself I will defer judgment to those who are; chiefly, our own soldiers who arrived on scene less then half an hour later. The statements of our soldiers are backed up by an Iraqi probe. Both agree that Blackwater was not fired upon, and that the civilians appear to have been trying to escape when they were shot down.

“It appeared to me they were fleeing the scene when they were engaged. It had every indication of an excessive shooting.” ~ Lt. Col. Mike Tarsa

If we really want to support our troops we have to demand that these mercenaries are removed from Iraq and held accountable for their actions. This kind of cowboy gunslinger antics only increases anti-American sentiments and works to turn the Iraqi people against us. The only hope of keeping a full blown civil war from breaking out (if it’s not already) is to win over the hearts and minds of the average civilians. Having our mercenaries randomly killing them is hardly the best way to do this.

Breaking News:

• CBS News (October 18, 2007) Blackwater May be Relieved of Duty in Iraq
• Al Jazeera (October 18, 2007) Blackwater expected to leave Iraq

~ William ~

A House committee voted last week to send to the floor a resolution that would label the killing of 1.5 million Armenians by Turkey in 1915 genocide. Incensed, Turkey threatened that if this measure is passed by the full House they would reconsider their support of the Iraq war.
The US ships supplies through Turkey from [...]

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Recently I wrote a story about the tragic deaths of over 80 women directly caused by Nicaragua’s total ban on abortion. This is an important story and I highly suggest that everyone check it out. Those women died because of the religious right’s war on women’s rights to control their own bodies.
I learned [...]

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