Blackwater Bodyguards Were Given Immunity

[Nbadan]

I bet if we offered immunity to every killer that killed state-side there would be many more confessions...

AP NewsBreak: Blackwater Bodyguards Were Given Immunity in Deadly Baghdad Shooting
LARA JAKES JORDAN
AP News
Oct 29, 2007 16:45 EDT


The State Department promised Blackwater USA bodyguards immunity from prosecution in its investigation of last month's deadly shooting of 17 Iraqi civilians, The Associated Press has learned.

As a result, it will likely be months before the United States can — if ever — bring criminal charges in the case that has infuriated the Iraqi government.

"Once you give immunity, you can't take it away," said a senior law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

A State Department spokesman did not have an immediate comment Monday. Both Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd and FBI spokesman Rich Kolko declined comment.

FBI agents were returning to Washington late Monday from Baghdad, where they have been trying to collect evidence in the Sept. 16 embassy convoy shooting without using statements from Blackwater employees who were given immunity.

Talking Point Memo (http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2007/10/charges_uncertain_in_blackwate.php)

Immunity = license to kill without recourse....no wonder the Iraqis want us out....

[ChumpDumper]

State can grant immunity?

[Nbadan]

...nobody's sure, but they sure love to push their interpretations around....

[xrayzebra]

State can grant immunity?

And do it all the time. You know like when they want
testimony against USBP.

[boutons_]

make us proud to be Americans!

you're doing a heckuva job, Condi

[PixelPusher]

Support The Mercs!®

[Nbadan]

Blackwater troops drew their weapons on American troops, disarmed them and made them lie on the ground...


The colonel was furious. “Can you believe it? They actually drew their weapons on U.S. soldiers.” He was describing a 2006 car accident, in which an SUV full of Blackwater operatives had crashed into a U.S. Army Humvee on a street in Baghdad’s Green Zone. The colonel, who was involved in a follow-up investigation and spoke on the condition he not be named, said the Blackwater guards disarmed the U.S. Army soldiers and made them lie on the ground at gunpoint until they could disentangle the SUV. His account was confirmed by the head of another private security company. Asked to address this and other allegations in this story, Blackwater spokesperson Anne Tyrrell said, “This type of gossip has led to many soap operas in the press.”

MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21163806/site/newsweek/)

[Nbadan]

He's not a crook! He's my brother!


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The lawyer for State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard asked on Saturday that he not be called to testify before Congress on discrepancies between his statements and those of his brother over the brother's ties to the Blackwater security firm.

"There is no legitimate purpose to be gained by publicly pitting two brothers against each other," Barbara Van Gelder wrote in a letter to Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the government oversight panel.

Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1743685220071118?sp=true)

[Nbadan]

yeah....STFU...


Not looking good for State Department Inspector General "Cookie" Krongard. Today he told the House Oversight Committee that his brother wasn't on the Blackwater advisory board. Then when he was later confronted with news to the contrary, he said he'd only just found out and would henceforth recuse himself from all Blackwater inquiries.

But Spencer Ackerman just interviewed Krongard's brother, "Buzzy" Krongard, who told Spencer that he definitely did tell his brother all about it. Only a few weeks ago apparently.

Perjury charges have been made of much less.

Talking Points Memo (http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/058892.php)

Think FAUX News will call him on this mental lapse?