Randi Scheurer Takes on Blackwater, Company That Abandoned Her Son in Iraq and Trains in Mt. Carroll
I know some anonymous poster(s) doesn't think much of my posting press releases from McHenry County area candidates, so I won't this time.
But 8th congressional district Congresswoman Melissa Bean's announced primary opponent Randi Scheurer has brought a fight-for-hire company named Blackwater into her campaign.
And, it's personal.
She says that the company abandoned her son Dan at the side of a road in Iraq, where he was serving in the armed forces.
According to her press release,
It continues,"Her son Daniel was hit by a private contractor in Baghdad while walking along the side of the road, thrown into a gully abandoned by these mercenaries. He now goes to the Veterans hospital in North Chicago to deal with the injuries incurred by this lawless, careless, greedy company running Bush's war in it's own dark way."
"They have just set up a paramilitary camp in Mt. Carroll, Illinois, where they intend to train a private military to be available to fight all around the globe."Scheurer's husband Bill Scheurer ran against Bean under the Moderate Party banner and has announced he will do it again next year.
You can read the full release at McHenry County Blog.
12 comments:
Let's get this joke of a company the heck out of Illinois. They have no more place here than does any other paramilitary organization. Let us never forget that Hitler rose to power through the use of a private army, and Blackwater has already proven that it cares little for laws. Legislators act now!
According to a friend of mine who was in Iraq, the Blackwater group is running day to day operation in Iraq,Afighanistan,Sudan and in Iran! My friend stated he met a lead contractor whose title was of a Coronel in the CIA and also in Blackwater, this genlteman was a Physician,Cuban-American and lived in Melrose Park.He stated this an man yelled and reprimanded an American General over strategies in fighting the insurgency.I agree we need to kick out Blackwater before they becoming to powerful!
Cal,
Blackwater is a very interesting company.
The founder, Erik Prince, interned for the first Pres. Bush's White House and is tied into the Dominionist movement in the US and the company itself has no government oversight whatsoever in its paramilitary roles that our government has hired them for.
Very curious that the White House would literally hand over the keys (and fork over the money) to a group it cannot directly control.
Illinois Democrats have offered NW IL for training private security forces,
Blagojevich's offer to assist Companion came as a federal investigation into Rezko's state-government dealings was heating up. A former top fund-raiser for the governor and other politicians, Rezko was indicted on corruption charges in October -- four months after Blagojevich's homeland security chief wrote a letter inviting Companion to train the guards at the Savanna Army Depot.
These companies are bad for our actual Armed Forces and soldiers.
Baar, still angry about not getting one of those sweet Blackwater contracts? So why now blame the Democrats because you couldn't get rich off Bush's private army?
Nothing more revealing that a little hypocrisy.
The privatization of war is very very unhealthy.
This is from a combat veteran's perspective.
suburbanon,
I should have been having dinner once a month with Tony Rezko. Then I would be connected and a player.
blackwater needs to be run out of this state and country.
mercenaries have no place in the american armed forces.
"mercenaries have no place in the american armed forces"
Why not? The French and Polish in the American Revolutionary Army performed pretty well. The mass of Irish immigrants made up a huge portion of the both sides of the Civil War armies.
War may not be very pleasant, but what is the problem with paying people who want to serve in the armed forces?
JBP
The problem with mercenaries is that they have no loyalty. They can, and often do, turn on you when it suits them. To allow Blackwater facilities within the United States is a foolish move in terms of national security.
It is my understanding that the Bush administration has exempted Blackwater from any and all legal liability from Iraqi national laws, and they certainly aren't covered by United States domestic law while operating there. I have seen footage of Blackwater "contractors" randomly shooting at Iraqis for no reason other than their own entertainment and without any fear of repercussions.
It is also my understanding that there is now nearly a 1 to 1 ratio of "private military contractors" to United States military personnel in Iraq. The talk about a troop withdrawal is a smokescreen--the administration would love to replace our military with these private companies--that way they wouldn't be bound by the same pesky laws (like the Geneva convention) and they wouldn't need to disclose as much information (proprietary trade secrets, you know.)
Illinois legislators, act now! Hold a hearing. Do something! Let's not let another Sturmabteilung to form right here at home!
I think soldiers would tell you there is a huge difference between soliders trained to fight wars, and security services trained to provide security.
They really don't compare.
Whether the US should train a Security Service as opposed to contracting out for the service is a good question.
It's worth noting there was a little noticed change back in Jan 2007 that has a huge impact on how these security firms will be managed.
From Gov Exe back in Jan 2007,
A little-noticed, last-minute change to a spending bill signed into law last year applies the military justice system to Defense contractors working in Iraq and Afghanistan, and potentially -- during national emergencies -- to those working on U.S. soil.
The change, which consists of just six words inserted into the Uniform Code of Military Justice, extends the military's strict rules of conduct to contractors not only during declared wars, but during so-called contingency operations. These include the current ones in the Middle East, as well as declared national emergencies in which the armed services are called upon, such as the response to last year's Hurricane Katrina.
I think it's a change that will go a long way towards correcting any abuses.
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