p.s.Dear Mr Hamilton,
After hearing Erik Prince say that Blackwater is merely an extension of the regular army(yeh right,Erik!),doesn't that mean that they are subject to the same rules of engagement and behaviour?
And,have the actual Blackwater contracts and their rules/terms been seen by independant investigators/media? Do we know what rules the mercenary army sign their names to,and who,what,when etc,they are accountable to(on paper)?
Does the contract give them an automatic 'get out of jail free'clause,in the event of....? Just 'fine' and 'fire',with 'honour'? No repercussions?
Mr.Erik Prince was very evasive before the intelligence commitee.
Have you,or anyone else(Jeremy Scahill perhaps),seen a Blackwater Contract?
Because,if the man(?Moonen) who was fired and FINED for killing,whilst drunk,an Iraqi man,HAD BEEN in the regular army,HE WOULD HAVE BEEN COURT MARTIALLED,at least,even if he was "off duty"(no excuse)! I think they American people would be very interested to see Blackwater's Contract regulations and accountability.
Also, I wonder how many of the Republican candidates have already received campaign donations FROM Blackwater and its various associate companies?
It may be a good idea if they RETURNED them,if they are true to their American ethics and morals.
I know,I would DEFINATELY not want blood-money,from Prince and fellow Assoc's, whichever party I was running for! If MY tax money,is paying that Blackwater mercenary to shoot people,I WANT TO KNOW AND SEE THAT HE IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE for his conduct.
Thankyou John.

LOL! Oh John,does that mean that Blackwater have already been given the 'private'Pentagon contract to patrol,on the ground and in air,the borders between Iran and Iraq, plus other border 'buddies'? I suppose the US will be offering them luxury accomodation at all the US military bases being built in Iraq,too?
And who says we are not there as a permanent fixture! Roves plan was for 30 years,wasn't it? LOL!

The story that Blackwater is attempting to purchase military attack planes appears to be true. Reporter Nathan Hodge reported in the August 29th edition of Jane's Defense Weekly that Blackwater has applied for licenses to acquire an unspecified number of "Super Tucano" jets from Brazil's aerospace company, Embraer. These are light, turboprop planes - not jets - capable of flying low, relatively slow, in combat support missions. The Colombian military recently purchased a number of "Super Tucano" planes, presumably for use in counterinsurgency efforts against FARC rebels. It appears that Blackwater is looking to expand its private "air force" to include fixed-wing units.

Here's an excerpt of Nathan Hodge's report:
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Blackwater President Gary Jackson confirmed to Jane's at the Force Protection Equipment Demonstration in Stafford, Virginia, in mid-August that the company is in the process of acquiring the Super Tucano for a new training programme. Transfer of the aircraft to the US is still subject to US government approval and Blackwater would offer no further comment on the transaction or the planned training programme.

If the deal goes through, it will give the company a significant boost in a growing international market for fixed-wing tactical flight instruction, as well as a potential platform for counter-insurgency-style training.

The Super Tucano is in service with the Brazilian Air Force, which operates the aircraft as a primary aircraft trainer and in border-patrol missions under its SIVAM (Sistema de Vigilância da Amazônia) programme. Colombia finalised a contract for 25 Super Tucanos in December 2005; the aircraft has also been marketed to Singapore and the Dominican Republic. Fully equipped, the aircraft features five weapon hardpoints and a night-vision goggle (NVG)-compatible 'glass cockpit'. In military service, it is used for basic and advanced pilot training as well as for precision weapons delivery.
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Blackwater already operates a small fleet of helicopters in Iraq. In January, five Blackwater guards were killed in a Baghdad firefight when their "Little Bird" helicopters came under attack. One helicopter was downed; all four aboard were later found dead, with gunshot wounds to the head. A gunner on a second Blackwater helicopter was killed by gunfire.

The blogosphere is crackling with information - and speculation - about Blackwater's aerial plans. A good jumping-off point is Wired Magazine's Blog, "Danger Room":

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/08/blackwater-buys.html

Dear 'Specials',
I shall look forward to this presentation.
Would you please ask Jeremy Scahill,if he saw in the media,perhaps a month ago,that Blackwater was making a deal to buy ? a 1/2 dozen military jets with missile carrying capability, to use in Iraq? I remember reading this in the newspaper,and thinking to myself," The cheeky *******!" This Government funded mercenary unit(amongst GOD KNOWS how many more!),whose main tenet is to be on the "OFFENSIVE"(shoot first,ask questions later)to protect their "asset",are being allowed to own bomb-carrying jets,funded by the White House and Pentagon at the TAXPAYERS expense?? Not even the CIA are afforded THAT luxury!
Jeez! Blackwater are a liability enough,to the USA's reputation,with just hand weapons and helicopters etc!Now they want to give them missile laden jets TOO?
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
I think,when Bush goes to the 'little boy's room',he passes 'black'water,and it's washing our true Democracy,anti-clockwise,down the drain, LOL!

On September 16, the private security company Blackwater USA burst back into the headlines when its guards opened fire in Nisoor Square in Baghdad, killing at least 11 civilians. The Iraqi government reacted swiftly, with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki calling Blackwater's guards "criminal" and promising to ban the company from doing business in Iraq.

Diplomatic missions temporarily ground to a halt as State Department officials were stranded in the Green Zone without Blackwater forces to protect them. The missions were resumed only after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice personally pressured al-Maliki to relent. Four days after being banned from the country, Blackwater troops were back in business. But their future remains in doubt, as Iraqis across sectarian lines now clamor for the expulsion of private armies like Blackwater from their country.

From September 29th through October 3rd, Link TV will be airing a special presentation, "Blackwater: America's Private Army in Iraq". Host Stewart Cheifet looks at reaction from the Arab media to the September 16th shooting, courtesy of Link TV's program "Mosaic". He'll also air a clip of the film "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers" about Blackwater's presence in Iraq. And he'll speak with Jeremy Scahill, the award-winning journalist and author of "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army".

Click here for more information and air times:
http://www.linktv.org/programs/special_blackwater