The New York Daily News reported yesterday that Blackwater personnel would be protecting the FBI agents. That prompted Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), who chairs the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees State Department operations, to urge Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to bar Blackwater employees from the investigation.
I have no idea why she chose to be reasonable.
State Department contractors are immune from Iraqi law, and none has been prosecuted under U.S. law.Also yesterday, the White House said it is opposed to a House bill that would extend current federal law covering Defense Department contractors overseas to those working for the State Department. A statement from the Office of Management and Budget said the bill was too vague and would have unspecified "intolerable consequences for crucial and necessary national security activities and operations."
State Department contractors need more immunity than Defense Department contractors, because frankly, Defense Department contractors are not shooting up Iraqi civilians – they’re too busy getting kidnapped and shot up themselves.
The bill, which has bipartisan support, is also backed by a trade organization of private security contractors that includes Blackwater and other firms working in Iraq.
The contractors themselves back the bill, but the White House opposes it.
Well, you can only be just so reasonable and then you have to revert.
....and hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
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