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Blackwater CLEARED In Iraq Killings

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From The Washington Times:

A federal judge dropped Thursday all charges against five contractors with the former Blackwater security firm, who had been accused of massacring 17 Iraqi civilians in a notorious 2007 gunfight.

In a stunning New Year’s Eve decision, U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina likely ended the politically charged case in a sharply worded ruling, accusing the Justice Department of making its case to the grand jury by using wrongly compelled testimony from the defendants, thus violating the defendants’ Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

A number of persons in the Blogosphere, including myself, were suspicious of the charges brought so swiftly and harshly against the five Blackwater defendants, who were charged with voluntary manslaughter and “firearms violations,” with the federal government accusing all the men in every death, rather than charging specific individuals with killing specific Iraqis. All five were facing mandatory 30-year federal prison terms.

Those working with or knowing of Blackwater contractors realize that they take their jobs very seriously and, if they were ineffective, they would not have been tasked (at the time) with diplomatic protection of US State Department officials.

It was four Blackwater contractors who were killed and their bodies burned and then strung from a Fallujah bridge in March of 2004.

The charges reminded me of Capt Willard’s quote from 1979’s “Apocalypse Now” — “Charging a man with murder in this place was like handing out speeding tickets in the Indy 500.”

The situations in combat are, at best, “fluctuous.” Anyone involved in an actual firefight, limited (as in myself) or all-out with multiple threats, know that there is little time to pause in sublime reflection. Not if you value your life.

Further, when the ROEs change, are obscure or subject to revamping by time, day, threat or suspect, one cannot logically expect that some confusion will not result.

This was clearly the proper decision.

BZ

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Christmas Day:

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These photographs were taken on Christmas Day, 12-25-2009.
In an average neighborhood. In an average town. In Fornicalia. This isn’t a ghetto, and it isn’t a gated community. It’s a place where there are modified one- and two-story homes which sold quickly. And where owners are challenged daily to take care of their homes and families.
I posit: WHAT IS MISSING?
Give it a moment before you scroll down.
Then give it another moment or two.
I have the answer.
And it will be shocking and obvious; both at once.
And it will reveal much about where we ARE as a society.
What is missing on Christmas day?
Answer:
Kids.
Kids on the street. Kids in the park. Kids playing outside. Kids using their Christmas presents.
With one major exception:
Kids in the United States are coddled, preened, smoothed, absolved, accommodated, set aside as some kind of miniature gods on pedestals.
They’re just kids. And they need to be slapped and shoved outside.
Instead of playing outside, America’s parents have purchased any number of computer software programs, phones, links and the like. Their kids are, thusly, occupied inside.
When I was a kid I got a bicycle, a skateboard, some Tonka trucks, a football, a baseball bat, Matchbox cars, blocks of wood, water pistols, and I ran over to my friends’ houses to find out what they got.
You couldn’t keep the kids inside.
And so there’s your Christmas, 2009, American parents.
BZ
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Goodbye 2009 and Hello 2010: More of the Same From Obama

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We are simply going to spend our way into — not just a depression, not just inflation, not just hyper-inflation, but a potential depression.

Mr Obama is showing he has absolutely no intention of curbing spending whatsoever for 2010.
He has essentially cut Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac a blank check. Late on Christmas Eve the Obama Administration removed the $400 billion dollar loan cap. Now? No cap whatsoever. Cui bono? you might ask. The answer: not the citizens. With the billions already sucked up by FM/FM, read this:
Just 31,382 borrowers nationwide had received permanent loan mods as of Nov. 30 under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), the Treasury Department reported. Meanwhile, First American CoreLogic says that 1.7 million homes are likely to be lost to foreclosure next year.
So, once again, where did the money go? Who is monitoring? No one knows; no one is monitoring.
But wait, there’s more:
GMAC already received $12.5 billion dollars from the federal government. Now it’s going to get an additional $3.8 billion. What a deal!
H.R. 4173, the “Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act,” was passed by the House earlier this month. Here are some high points of the bill, courtesy of Barney Frank:

— For all its heft, the bill doesn’t once mention the words “too-big-to-fail,” the main issue confronting the financial system. Admitting you have a problem, as any 12- stepper knows, is the crucial first step toward recovery.

— Instead, it supports the biggest banks. It authorizes Federal Reserve banks to provide as much as $4 trillion in emergency funding the next time Wall Street crashes. So much for “no-more-bailouts” talk. That is more than twice what the Fed pumped into markets this time around. The size of the fund makes the bribes in the Senate’s health-care bill look minuscule.

— Oh, hold on, the Federal Reserve and Treasury Secretary can’t authorize these funds unless “there is at least a 99 percent likelihood that all funds and interest will be paid back.” Too bad the same models used to foresee the housing meltdownprobably will be used to predict this likelihood as well.

More Bailouts

— The bill also allows the government, in a crisis, to back financial firms’ debts. Bondholders can sleep easy — there are more bailouts to come.

— The legislation does create a council of regulators to spot risks to the financial system and big financial firms. Unfortunately this group is made up of folks who missed the problems that led to the current crisis.

— Don’t worry, this time regulators will have better tools. Six months after being created, the council will report to Congress on “whether setting up an electronic database” would be a help. Maybe they’ll even get to use that Internet thingy.

Essentially, as Bloomberg.com writer David Reilly says, 4173 is nothing more than a $4 trillion dollar “gift” from Mr Frank.
And finally, don’t forget, Mr Obama not only wants another stimulus package for 2010, but insists on passage of his ObamaKare and CapNTax bills — sure to cost further trillions of dollars.
Folks, does anyone besides me think this is a recipe for the complete fiscal annihilation of the United States?
Yeah, right; let’s really welcome in that New Year.
BZ
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My New Readers and Commenters:

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Everyone’s time is precious.

When you take time out of your busy day to surf the internet and wind up here for a moment or two, I am honored.

I’d like to take this time to give a shout-out to my newest readers and commenters, in no particular order — when possible I want to reference your profile and/or the blog you write yourself:

– Mr Chuck: His profile indicates “Born in Dallas, TX, grew up and schooled in Highland Park. Texas A&M Graduate Class 1960 2 tours 1961-1965 Vietnam with MACV-SOG Captain, hamlet pacification and eradication of Viet-Cong chieftains.” God bless you, soldier, and thank you for your service to this country. My Dad (who passed away this year) has a brother, Jim, who currently lives in Highland Park.

– LL: His blog is “Virtual Mirage.” He also has a blog entitled “US Mexico Border Security.” Both, very well done.

– NEO, SOC: Welcome back. Neo’s blog is here at “Caucasionally Challenged Christian.” He also has “Kids Say The Funniest Things.”

– Donald Douglas: A powerhouse at “American Power.” Mr Douglas is “a pro-victory Associate Professor of Political Science teaching in Southern California. I love my country, and I fully support current U.S. military operations around the world. I despise the hard-left radical agenda and discourse. I also abhor irrationalism in argumentation. I welcome comments and debate, and I’ll defend my positions vigorously. Yet in friendship, you’ll find no one more trustworthy nor loyal; in battle you’ll find an umatched competitor whose tactical elan would make Machiavelli proud.”

– Old NFO: His blog is “Nobody Asked Me.” He describes himself as “an old retired Navy Mustang, back working since I kinda like to eat once in a while. Raised in the South, but lived all over the world.” Nice P-3 Orion shot, indeed.

– deaconbleu: he’s a pain in the ass. But he must find something he likes because he keeps coming back.

– WoFat: His blog, “WoFat Rides Again” indicates he is “Retired New Orleans cop. Criminal area of interest: Asian crime and gangs. Blog about anything that is of interest, or pisses me off.” Welcome, my Peace Officer Brother.

– Country Girl: She describes herself as “a Mom of two. I am also a hard worker; nothing is for free. I love to take care of anyone who is in need.” Wow. Talk about a True American Woman.

– KurtP: His blog is “A Trainwreck In Maxwell.” Texas, that is. Thanks for visiting once again, Kurt. Boston Terrier?

– Tim: A challenger indeed. He makes me think. His home is “Tim’s Blogfest.” For me, he leans kinda left — okay, fairly far left — but he’s honest, sincere and measured. And, oh yeah: because I’m in the mountains he’s one interested skiier. Check him out.

– Sue: Not a frequent commenter but I’d love to have her back consistently. You can access her portion of the Blogosphere at “POLITICS and RELIGION.” She describes herself: “I am a 56 year old Christian woman who is saddened to see her country going down the tubes, but who knows that her God is in complete control of the mess we have become. Praying God will spare this country from the wrath to come. . .”

– cj: Here is one very interesting person. She describes herself as: “a 50 year old, single, female who is a writer by desire and a public safety officer because I need to pay my bills. It makes the people I owe money to happy when I do.” Her blogs are “An Angry American,” and “My Years of Reading Seriously.” God bless you, my Peace Officer Sister.

– FJ: Occupation? Harpooner. Interests? “Hunting down and killing the great white leviathan.” A euphemism? Digital domain: “FJ’s Blog.” FJ has a massive South American interest — an interest to which we should be paying more attention.

– Greybeard: I’ll let him make the summation: “Obstreperous. Conservative. Independent. Ex- Dogcatcher, Ex-Cop. Ex-County Civil Defense Director. Retired ARMY Viet Nam Veteran. Small Business Owner. EMS Helicopter Pilot.” Go here to his blog at “Pitchpull.” You know: pulling some pitch? As in helos?

– Jo: Sorry, your profile doesn’t go anywhere. Thanks for visting and reading, though! UPDATE: Jo’s blog is “Southern Sass On Crime.” My apologies Jo, and kudos to your decision. Been there myself.

– Lonerider: Describes himself as “Just a geek, who moved down here from Canada about a decade ago, married a Texan and now have two native Texan kids.”

– Chris: Great photo of he and his beautiful wife. He describes himself as “a married conservative man with a beautiful daughter who is ready to runble with anyone who tries to take away my freedom.”

– David Wyatt: A man whose name is “in the clear” and unafraid. His blog is “Hallelujah Tis Done.” My guess is: he plays the banjo!

– Jennifer Leeland: Holy moley, a published writer visits my blog! I have purchased some of her books for my wife and she enjoyed them! Her web page is here. She definitely is “romance with an edge.”

– Clint: His blog, “The.Outer.Marker” should be followed! He is an “Airline pilot by day, but dedicated to advancing the ideals that have made the United States of America the greatest country in the world, by night.” Great blog, great conservative insight.

– Nickie Goomba: Ah, a man in my own proverbial “back yard.” Dude, we’re pretty much across the river from each other! Separated by a few thousand feet in altitude. Nice avatar too. Primary blog is the “Goomba News Network.” Give me a blast on the e-mail. I’d like to buy you a beer some time!

– Ron Russell: His blog is “TOTUS.” I’m guessing it’s not quite the same TOTUS. Or am I wrong? What, Ron, does the first “T” stand for?

– Chicago Ray: CR actually lives in — imagine this! — Chicago. A web and HTML genius, CR is sufficiently skilled to have his own business. His blog is — you guessed it! — ChicagoRay. As you might guess, his blog is a visual wonder. You want to create a website? Go to Chicago Ray!

– Borepatch: Clearly, a weapons devotee with an interest in our Second Amendment. His blog, “Bore Patch,” is a wonderful spot to find. As he describes: “Internet Security and Firearms. Either way, helping you keep your muzzle clean. No extra charge.” As the former Rangemaster for my 2,000 + department, I can relate to an interest in our Constitutional Freedoms.

In summary:

Somehow, in the merest past few weeks I’ve managed to acquire an entirely new set of readers. And, as we all know, a blog lives and dies with not only its standard readers — what I call my “Usual Suspects” — but also by its fresh blood.

A massive THANK YOU to all my loyal readers, and to my newest readers. Please come back. I value each and every one of you, indeed!

BZ
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