Feds should be careful in dealings with Blackwater

Blackwater Worldwide, the private security company that has earned billions of taxpayer dollars protecting American diplomats and other officials in Iraq and Afghanistan and, in the process, has been accused of operating in a mercenary manner, is a contender for another federal government contract worth $1 billion.

But before the Obama administration taps Blackwater, now called Xe Services, to train Afghanistan’s police force, it should consider the ramifications of what took place this week: Hundreds of private security guards linked to Blackwater were ordered to leave Iraq within seven days or face arrest on visa violations.

The order comes on the heels of a U.S. judge’s dismissal of criminal charges against Blackwater guards accused in September 2007 of shooting to death 17 Iraqis in Baghdad. The guards said they were ambushed, but U.S. prosecutors and many Iraqis said they let loose an unprovoked attack on civilians using machine guns and grenades.

One of the guards pleaded guilty in the case, but a federal judge in Washington threw out charges against the other five in December, ruling that the Justice Department mishandled evidence.

Iraqis are outraged and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has vowed to seek punishment for the guards. Iraq refused to grant Blackwater an operating license and now has taken action against those who once worked for the company but are employed by other security firms.

In January 2009, the State Department informed Blackwater that it would not renew its contracts to provide security for U.S. diplomats in Iraq, but last September a contract for air support for U.S officials was temporarily extended. Since then, however, the State Department has ended its contracts with Xe and DyneCorp International has taken over air support.

Bribery allegations

But Blackwater’s problems go beyond the actions of its guards. The Justice Department is now investigating whether the company tried to bribe Iraqi officials with $1 million to allow it to keep working the country after the Baghdad shooting.

And this week, the New York Times reported that two former employees have accused Blackwater Worldwide of defrauding the U.S. government for years by filing bogus receipts, double billing for the same services and charging government agencies for strippers and prostitutes.

Finally, there are reports that Xe has trained Afghan border guards who have turned out to be incompetent and, in some cases, corrupt.

A Virginia jury has indicted two former Blackwater guards on second-degree murder charges for their actions during a confrontation in Kabul last year that left two Afghans dead and another wounded. The men, both employed as trainers by Blackwater subsidiary Paravant, opened fire on a vehicle at an intersection after their convoy was involved in a traffic accident, federal investigators found.

It is clear that the Obama administration is taking a big risk by continuing to do business with this company, even if it has a different name and has changed its focus to training, aviation and logistics work.

The feelings of the people of Afghanistan cannot be ignored. The only way the United States will be successful in the war on global terrorism is if it wins the hearts and minds of people around the world.

Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan are on the frontline of the terror war and support of the people is absolutely essential.

Blackwater/Xe’s presence in the country on behalf of the United States will be used by the Taliban and al-Qaida against the Obama administration.