Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army

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Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army Page 63

by Jeremy Scahill


  3 Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, p. 267.

  4 Ibid., p. 267.

  5 Ibid., “Front Matter.”

  6 Ibid., p. 271.

  7 Ibid., p. 267.

  8 Billy Waugh with Tim Keown, Hunting the Jackal: A Special Forces and CIA Ground Soldier’s Fifty-Year Career Hunting America’s Enemies, William Morrow, New York, 2004, p. 143.

  9 Robert Young Pelton, Licensed to Kill, p. 28.

  10 Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, p. 271.

  11 Ibid., pg. 271.

  12 Billy Waugh with Tim Keown, Hunting the Jackal, p. 151.

  13 Ibid., p. 150.

  14 Ibid., p. 155.

  15 Ibid., pp. 156-157.

  16 Ibid., pp. 156-200.

  17 Ibid., p. 198.

  18 J. Cofer Black official biography, U.S. Department of State.

  19 Ibid.

  20 Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, p. 454.

  21 Ned Zeman, David Wise, David Rose, and Bryan Burrough, “The Path to 9/11: Lost Warnings and Fatal Errors,” Vanity Fair, November 2004.

  22 James Bamford, A Pretext for War: 9/11, Iraq, and the Abuse of America’s Intelligence Agencies, Doubleday, New York, 2004, p. 221.

  23 J. Cofer Black testimony before the 9/11 Commission, April 13, 2004.

  24 J. Cofer Black testimony before the Joint House/Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing into September 11, September 26, 2002.

  25 Ibid.

  26 Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, p. 455.

  27 James Bamford, A Pretext for War, p. 219; Ned Zeman, David Wise, David Rose and Bryan Burrough, “The Path to 9/11: Lost Warnings and Fatal Errors,” Vanity Fair, November 2004.

  28 Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, p. 492.

  29 Ibid., pp. 456-459.

  30 Ibid., p. 457.

  31 Ibid, pp. 456-457.

  32 James Bamford, A Pretext for War, p. 219.

  33 Nick Paton Walsh, “The Envoy Who Said Too Much: One Minute He Was Our Man in Tashkent, the Next He Was a Major Embarrassment for the Foreign Office,” Guardian, July 15, 2004.

  34 Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, p. 502.

  35 James Bamford, A Pretext for War, p. 220.

  36 Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, p. 516.

  37 Ibid., p. 518.

  38 Jon Lee Anderson, “A Lion’s Death: The Assassination of the Taliban’s Most Important Afghan opponent,” The New Yorker, October 1, 2001.

  39 Steve Coll, Ghost Wars, p. 543

  40 Ned Zeman, David Wise, David Rose, and Bryan Burrough, “The Path to 9/11: Lost Warnings and Fatal Errors,” Vanity Fair, November 2004.

  41 Ibid.

  42 “Two Months Before 9/11, an Urgent Warning to Rice,” Washington Post, October 1, 2006.

  43 Ibid.

  44 Ibid.

  45 Author copy of declassified memo titled “Bin Ladin Determined to Strike in US,” August 6, 2001.

  46 J. Cofer Black testimony before the Joint House/Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing into September 11, September 26, 2002.

  47 Gordon Corera, “How Terror Attacks Changed the CIA,” BBC News Online, March 12, 2006.

  48 Bob Woodward, Bush at War, Simon & Schuster, New York, 2002, p. 52.

  49 Ibid.

  50 Ibid.

  51 Gary Schroen, First In: An Insider’s Account of How the CIA Spearheaded the War on Terror in Afghanistan, Ballantine, New York, 2005, p. 38.

  52 Ibid.

  53 Ibid.

  54 Jane Mayer, “The Search for Osama,” The New Yorker, August 4, 2003.

  55 Bob Woodward, Bush at War, p. 103.

  56 Robert Young Pelton, Licensed to Kill, pp. 30-32.

  57 Transcript, Interview with Steve Coll, PBS Frontline, www.pbs.org/ wgbh/pages/frontline/ darkside/interviews/coll.html, posted June 20, 2006.

  58 Dana Priest, “Wrongful Imprisonment: Anatomy of a CIA Mistake German Citizen Released After Months in ‘Rendition,’” Washington Post, December 4, 2005.

  59 Ibid.

  60 Dana Priest and Barton Gellman, “U.S. Decries Abuse but Defends Interrogations; ‘Stress and Duress’ Tactics Used on Terrorism Suspects Held in Secret Overseas Facilities,” Washington Post, December 26, 2002.

  61 Transcript, Wolf Blitzer Reports, CNN, April 30, 2004.

  62 Dana Priest, “Wrongful Imprisonment: Anatomy of a CIA Mistake German Citizen Released After Months in ‘Rendition,’” Washington Post, December 4, 2005.

  63 Ibid.

  64 Dana Priest and Barton Gellman, “U.S. Decries Abuse but Defends Interrogations; ‘Stress and Duress’ Tactics Used on Terrorism Suspects Held in Secret Overseas Facilities,” Washington Post, December 26, 2002.

  65 Ibid.

  66 Michael Hirsh, John Barry, and Daniel Klaidman, “A Tortured Debate,” Newsweek, June 21, 2004.

  67 Jane Mayer, “Outsourcing Torture,” The New Yorker, February 14, 2005.

  68 Ibid.

  69 Jane Mayer, “Outsourcing Torture,” The New Yorker, February 14, 2005.

  70 Evan Thomas and Michael Hirsh, “Torture and Terror: Interrogators Have Pondered the Uses of Torture for Centuries and in the Wake of 9/11 the US Has Embraced So-called Torture Lite,” Newsweek, November 22, 2005.

  71 Dana Priest, “Wrongful Imprisonment: Anatomy of a CIA Mistake German Citizen Released After Months in ‘Rendition,’” the Washington Post, December 4, 2005.

  72 Richard Sale, “Embarrassed Rumsfeld Fired CIA Official,” United Press International, July 28, 2004.

  73 Barton Gellman and Thomas E. Ricks, “U.S. Concludes Bin Laden Escaped at Tora Bora Fight; Failure to Send Troops in Pursuit Termed Major Error,” the Washington Post, April 17, 2002.

  74 Bob Woodward and Dan Eggen, “Aug. Memo Focused on Attacks in U.S. Lack of Fresh Information Frustrated Bush,” the Washington Post, May 19, 2002.

  75 Richard Sale, “Embarrassed Rumsfeld Fired CIA Official,” United Press International, July 28, 2004.

  76 Ibid.

  77 White House press release, October 10, 2002.

  78 Transcript, “Counterterrorism Chief Says Terrorist Attacks Fell Sharply in 2002,” U.S. State Department, May 14, 2002.

  79 Transcript, 2003 State of the Union Address, January 28, 2003.

  80 Kathleen T. Rhem, “State Department: Terrorist Attacks Down 44 Percent in 2002,” American Forces Press Service, April 30, 2003.

  81 Transcript, “Release of the 2003 ‘Patterns of Global Terrorism’ Annual Report,” U.S. Department of State, April 29, 2004.

  82 Transcript, “Rollout of ‘Patterns of Global Terrorism 2003’ Annual Report,” U.S. Department of State, April 29, 2004.

  83 Alan B. Krueger and David Laitin, “Faulty Terror Report Card,” the Washington Post, May 17, 2004.

  84 Ibid.

  85 “Verbatim,” Time (Asia), July 5, 2004.

  86 Cam Simpson (Chicago Tribune), “Corrected Report Shows 2003 Terror Attacks the Highest in 2 Decades,” Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News, June 23, 2004.

  87 Alan B. Krueger and David Laitin, “Faulty Terror Report Card,” the Washington Post, May 17, 2004.

  88 Transcript, “Ambassador J. Cofer Black, Coordinator, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism Foreign Press Center Briefing,” U.S. Department of State, April 29, 2004.

  89 Barry Schweid, “Revised State Department Report Shows Rise in Terror Incidents Worldwide,” Associated Press, June 23, 2004.

  90 Author copy of letter.

  91 Paul Krugman, “White House Claims on Terrorism Don’t Add Up,” International Herald Tribune, June 26, 2004.

  92 Salamander Davoudi, “US Re-Releases Flawed Global Terror Report,” Financial Times, June 23, 2004.

  93 Paul Krugman, “White House Claims on Terrorism Don’t Add Up,” International Herald Tribune, June 26, 2004.

  94 Barry Schweid, “Revised State Department Report Shows Rise in Terror Incidents Worldwide,” Associated Press, June 23, 2004.

  95 Ibid.

  96 Ann Scott Tyson and Dana Priest, “Pentagon Seeking Leeway Overseas; Operations Could Bypass Envoys,” the Wash
ington Post, February 24, 2005.

  97 “US Supplies Three Patrol Ships to Boost Olympic Security,” Agence France-Presse, June 26, 2004.

  98 Ibid.

  99 BlackwaterUSA.com, captured November 30, 2006.

  100 “Blackwater’s Top Brass,” the Virginian-Pilot, July 24, 2006.

  101 Transcript, “Hearing of the International Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee,” April 1, 2004.

  102 Ibid.

  103 Blackwater Tactical Weekly, May 17, 2004.

  104 Paul Wiseman, “The Hunt for Bin Laden: Dragnet Snares Many of His Men, But Terrorist Kingpin Still at Large,” USA Today, September 10, 2004.

  105 “US State Department Counter-Terrorism Chief Resigns,” AFX News, November 7, 2004.

  106 Douglas Jehl, “Officials Won’t Be Disciplined for Actions Before Sept. 11,” the New York Times, October 6, 2005.

  107 John B. Roberts II, “Chinese Mole Hunt at CIA; Agency Keeps Human-Intelligence Apparatus, Barely,” the Washington Times, October 14, 2005.

  108 Blackwater USA Press Release, “Ambassador Cofer Black Becomes Vice-Chairman at Blackwater USA,” February 4, 2005.

  109 The Black Group Web site, www.blackgroupllc.com/services.html, captured November 30, 2006.

  110 The Black Group Web site, www.blackgroundllc.com/about.html, captured November 30, 2006.

  111 The Black Group Web site, www.blackgroupllc.com/contact.html, captured November 30, 2006.

  112 The Black Group Web site, www.blackgroupllc.com/, captured November 30, 2006.

  CHAPTER 17 1 Transcript, “President Bush Discusses Early Transfer of Iraqi Sovereignty,” www.whitehouse.gov, June 28, 2004.

  2 L. Paul Bremer III, My Year in Iraq, p. 395.

  3 Transcript, “President Bush Discusses Early Transfer of Iraqi Sovereignty,” www.whitehouse.gov, June 28, 2004.

  4 Scott Shane, “Poker-Faced Diplomat, Negroponte Is Poised for Role as Spy Chief,” the New York Times, March 29, 2005.

  5 Ibid.

  6 Carla Anne Robbins, “Negroponte Has Tricky Mission: U.S. Diplomat Is at Center of Debate Over Power of Iraq Envoy, the Wall Street Journal, April 27, 2004.

  7 Jay Hancock, Gary Cohn, and Tom Bowman, “Contra-era Envoy Nominated to Be U.N. Ambassador; Diplomat Helped Hide Honduran Abuses from Congress in ’80s; Vocal Supporters, Critics,” the Baltimore Sun, March 7, 2001; Michael Dobbs, “Papers Illustrate Negroponte’s Contra Role; Newly Released Documents Show Intelligence Nominee Was Active in U.S. Effort,” the Washington Post, April 12, 2005; Robert Parry, “Negroponte’s Dark Past: The Case Against Bush’s New Intelligence Czar,” In These Times, March 28, 2005.

  8 Jay Hancock, Gary Cohn, and Tom Bowman, “Contra-era Envoy Nominated to Be U.N. Ambassador; Diplomat Helped Hide Honduran Abuses from Congress in ’80s; Vocal Supporters, Critics,” the Baltimore Sun, March 7, 2001.

  9 Scott Shane, “Poker-Faced Diplomat, Negroponte Is Poised for Role as Spy Chief,” the New York Times, March 29, 2005.

  10 Carla Anne Robbins, “Negroponte Has Tricky Mission: U.S. Diplomat Is at Center of Debate Over Power of Iraq Envoy, the Wall Street Journal, April 27, 2004.

  11 Ibid.

  12 “Honduras Rushes to Pull Out Troops,” www.CNN.com, April 20, 2004.

  13 Wil Haygood, “Ambassador With Big Portfolio: John Negroponte Goes to Baghdad With a Record of Competence, and Controversy,” the Washington Post, June 21, 2004.

  14 Tyler Marshall, “Operation Limited Freedom: The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Is a Hub of ‘Extreme Diplomacy.’ All Moves Are Scripted, and There’s Even a Hostage Negotiator on Site,” the Los Angeles Times, January 22, 2005.

  15 Transcript, Democracy Now! April 27, 2004.

  16 Jeremy Scahill, “Mercenary Jackpot,” The Nation, August 28, 2006.

  17 Michael Hirsh and John Barry, “‘The Salvador Option’: The Pentagon May Put Special-Forces-Led Assassination or Kidnapping Teams in Iraq,” Newsweek (Web exclusive), January 8, 2005.

  18 Ibid.

  19 Transcript, “Joint Media Availability With U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov Following Their Meeting,” Department of Defense Briefing, January 11, 2005.

  20 Greg Jaffe, “Bands of Brothers—New Factor in Iraq: Irregular Brigades Fill Security Void—Jailed by Hussein, Gen. Thavit Is Leading Thousands Now; Questions About Loyalty—‘Toughest Force We’ve Got,’” the Wall Street Journal, February 16, 2005.

  21 Ibid.

  22 Ibid.

  23 Ibid.

  24 Peter Maass, “The Way of the Commandos,” The New York Times Magazine, May 1, 2005.

  25 Ibid.

  26 Ibid.

  27 Michael Hirsh and John Barry, “‘The Salvador Option’: The Pentagon May Put Special-Forces-Led Assassination or Kidnapping Teams in Iraq,” Newsweek (Web exclusive), January 8, 2005.

  28 Ibid.

  29 Douglas Jehl and Elisabeth Bumiller, “Bush Picks Longtime Diplomat for New Top Intelligence Job,” the New York Times, February 18, 2005.

  30 Robert Dreyfuss, “Phoenix Rising,” The American Prospect, January 1, 2004.

  31 Ibid.

  32 Ibid.

  33 Ibid.

  34 Transcript, Democracy Now! January 10, 2005.

  35 Scott Shane, “Poker-Faced Diplomat, Negroponte Is Poised for Role as Spy Chief,” the New York Times, March 29, 2005.

  36 Ibid.

  37 Michael Hirsh and John Barry, “‘The Salvador Option’: The Pentagon May Put Special-Forces-Led Assassination or Kidnapping Teams in Iraq,” Newsweek (Web exclusive), January 8, 2005.

  38 Transcript, Democracy Now! February 18, 2005.

  39 Anthony Shadid and Steve Fainaru, “Militias on the Rise Across Iraq: Shiite and Kurdish Groups Seizing Control, Instilling Fear in North and South,” the Washington Post, August 21, 2005.

  40 Transcript, Democracy Now! February 28, 2006.

  41 Ibid.

  42 Scott Ritter, “The Salvador Option: By Any Standard, the Ongoing American Occupation of Iraq Is a Disaster,” www.aljazeera.net , January 20, 2005.

  43 Tom Lasseter, “Sectarian Resentment Extends to Iraq’s Army,” Knight-Ridder, October 12, 2005.

  44 Patrick Cockburn, “Does Anyone in Washington or at Downing Street Know What’s Really Happening in Iraq?” CounterPunch, November 28, 2006.

  45 David Brown, “Study Claims Iraq’s ‘Excess’ Death Toll Has Reached 655,000,” the Washington Post, October 11, 2006.

  46 Transcript, “President Discusses War on Terror and Rebuilding Iraq,” www.whitehouse.gov, December 7, 2005.

  47 Jim Warren, “Kentucky Buddies Are Killed in Iraq: 2 Ex-Soldiers Were With Security Firms Died in Separate Incidents,” the Lexington Herald Leader, April 23, 2005.

  48 Liz Sly, “6 Americans Die in Crash of Helicopter: Civilians Employed by Private Security Firm,” the Chicago Tribune, April 22, 2005.

  49 “Security Company Faces Loss of Seven in Iraq: ‘A Very Sad Day for the Blackwater Family,’” Associated Press, April 22, 2005.

  50 Ibid.

  51 Transcript, ABC World News Tonight, April 23, 2005.

  52 Hector Gutierrez, “Coloradan Killed in Iraq Crash Trying to Earn Family Nest Egg,” Rocky Mountain News, April 23, 2005.

  53 Ibid.

  54 Liz Sly, “6 Americans Die in Crash of Helicopter: Civilians Employed by Private Security Firm,” the Chicago Tribune, April 22, 2005.

  55 John F. Burns, “Video Appears to Show Insurgents Kill a Downed Pilot,” the New York Times, April 23, 2005.

  56 Ibid.

  57 Author copy of video.

  58 John F. Burns, “Video Appears to Show Insurgents Kill a Downed Pilot,” the New York Times, April 23, 2005.

  59 Thomas Wagner, “Militant Group Says It Shot Down Helicopter in Iraq, Killed Sole Survivor,” Associated Press, April 22, 2005.

  60 Ibid.

 

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