‘ “Mercenary” Is a Slanderous Term’

 

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Do you worry about the lack of transparency of your business?
I think we're very transparent. We have been audited many times by the Defense Contract Management Agency … We invite neighbors onto the property. Members of Congress or staff, if they want to come down, we let them. We invite military officers.

On recent allegations and events, Blackwater [has been accused of] a higher civilian casualty rate than other contractors and a higher per-convoy casualty rate.
We operate … in Baghdad, which is where you also find the vast majority of U.S. military casualties, death, attacks. … There's 170-some security companies operating in Iraq. Many [don't have] the screening, vetting, training, oversight requirements we do.

Where do you go from here?
Like any business, we have tried to diversify … We went and hired smart people to [develop products] and innovate, and we have a lighter-than-air persistent-surveillance platform, which is just about done. There's a big rush in UAVs, unmanned air vehicles—but they have wings. This is a helium-filled blimp that will give us two to three days of persistent surveillance.

Up until now, you've had a reputation for secretiveness. If you had your druthers —Secretiveness?
I disagree with that. I speak at educational forums. I have spoken at various conferences. As much as I don't like doing media appearances now, I love Blackwater more, and I love our team, and I want to [be sure not to] let what we do be completely misrepresented as it has been to the media.

© 2007

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: SomeAmerican @ 01/04/2008 10:38:58 PM

    These are highly trained men just doing their job and what they believe in. Oddly enough, most the people opposing Blackwater dont realize that the job at hand happens to be just what it is Americans have been begging for... STOPPING THE WAR IN IRAQ. Its is their job to protect and ensure the safety of these diplomats so that they can safely get to where their going so that they may sign what is needed to STOP THE WAR.

  • Posted By: proudtobe @ 11/07/2007 10:47:26 PM

    "Freedom Rings" proud and true...because of smart, innovative, take charge well diciplined patriotic men, like ERIC PRINCE, thank you and keep up the good work.

  • Posted By: edfeeney @ 11/05/2007 2:20:55 AM

    Test

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