Jeremy Scahill - Blackwater

81 Steve Fainaru, “Warnings Unheeded on Guards in Iraq,” Washington Post, December 24, 2007.

82 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, State Department Press Conference, September 21, 2007.

83 Jeremy Scahill, “Making a Killing,” The Nation, October 15, 2007.

84 Alissa J. Rubin and Andrew E. Kramer, “Iraqi Premier Says Blackwater Shootings Challenge His Nation’s Sovereignty,” New York Times, September 24, 2007.

85 James Glanz and Sabrina Tavernise, “Security Firm Faces Criminal Charges in Iraq,” New York Times, September 23, 2007.

86 Ibid.

87 Ibid.

88 Jeremy Scahill, “Making a Killing,” The Nation, October 15, 2007.

89 For more on this, see Chapter Four.

90 Author interview, September 2007.

91 Steve Fainaru, “Where Military Rules Don’t Apply,” Washington Post, September 20, 2007.

92 Ibid.

93 “U.S. Ambassador Calls Blackwater Shooting Horrific, but Still Feels High Regard for Guards,” Associated Press, October 25, 2007.

94 Transcript, Hearing on Iraq Private Contractor Oversight, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, October 2, 2007.

95 Ibid.

96 Matthew Lee, “Security Firm Is in Smuggling Probe; Blackwater May Be Charged for Bringing Weapons Into Iraq,” Associated Press, September 22, 2007.

97 Author copy, letter from Representative Henry Waxman to Howard Krongard, September 18, 2007.

98 Ibid.

99 Jeremy Scahill, “Blackwater’s Brothers,” The Nation , November 15, 2007.

100 Warren P. Strobel, “Inspector General Krongard Resigns,” McClatchy Newspapers, December 8, 2007.

101 Joseph Neff, “U.S. Probes Blackwater Weapons Shipments,” Raleigh News and Observer, September 22, 2007.

102 Author copy, letter from the State Department to Blackwater, September 20, 2007.

103 Author copy, letter from Representative Henry Waxman to Condoleezza Rice, September 25, 2007.

104 Author copy, letter from the State Department to Blackwater USA, September 25, 2007.

105 Author interview, March 2007.

106 John Negroponte’s statement before the Senate Appropriations Committee, September 26, 2007.

107 Jomana Karadsheh and Alan Duke, “Blackwater Incident Witness: ‘It Was Hell,’” CNN.com, October 2, 2007.

108 “‘They Protect People’s Lives’—One Month After Baghdad Killings, Bush Defends Blackwater USA,” Democracy Now!, October 18, 2007.

109 Unless otherwise noted, the description and quotes relating to Erik Prince’s Congressional testimony on October 2, 2007, are drawn from the author’s firsthand observations or the official transcript of the proceedings provided by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

110 “Edwards Points to a Link,” Washington Post, October 6, 2007.

111 Charles R. Black, Jr. biography, BKSH & Associates.

112 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority Staff Report, “Additional Information About Blackwater USA,” October 1, 2007.

113 Steve Fainaru, “Guards in Iraq Cite Frequent Shootings,” Washington Post, October 3, 2007.

114 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority Staff Report, “Additional Information About Blackwater USA,” October 1, 2007.

115 Ibid.

116 Ibid.

117 Transcript, Bill Moyers Journal , February 1, 2008.

118 Dena Bunis, “Rohrabacher Stands Behind Blackwater Chief,” Orange County Register, October 9, 2007.

119 Author copy.

120 “Blackwater Most Often Shoots First, Congressional Report Says,” CNN.com, October 2, 2007.

121 David M. Herszenhorn, “House’s Iraq Bill Applies U.S. Laws to Contractors,” New York Times, October 5, 2007.

122 James Gordon Meek, “Blackwater to Guard FBI Team Probing It,” New York Daily News, October 3, 2007.

123 Karen DeYoung, “Federal Guards to Protect Agents in Blackwater Investigation,” Washington Post, October 4, 2007.

124 Author interview, September 2007.

125 James Risen and David Johnston, “Justice Department Briefed Congress on Legal Obstacles in Blackwater Case,” New York Times, January 16, 2008.

126 Jonathan Karl and Kirit Radia, “ABC News Obtains Text of Blackwater Immunity Deal,” ABCNews.go.com, October 30, 2007.

127 Author interview, October 2007.

128 Author interview, October 2007.

129 Ned Parker, “‘Wall of Silence’ Protects Security Contractor in Iraq,” Los Angeles Times, September 21, 2007.

130 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority Staff Report, “Additional Information About Blackwater USA,” October 1, 2007.

131 Transcript, Hearing on Iraq Private Contractor Oversight, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, October 2, 2007.

132 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority Staff Report, “Additional Information About Blackwater USA,” October 1, 2007.

133 Ibid.

134 Transcript, Hearing on Iraq Private Contractor Oversight, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, October 2, 2007.

135 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority Staff Report, “Additional Information About Blackwater USA,” October 1, 2007.

136 Transcript, Hearing on Iraq Private Contractor Oversight, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, October 2, 2007.

137 Steve Fainaru, “How Blackwater Sniper Fire Felled 3 Iraqi Guards,” Washington Post, November 8, 2007.

138 Jennifer Daskal, “Blackwater in Baghdad,” Salon, December 14, 2007.

139 Ibid.

140 Jomana Karadsheh and Alan Duke, “Blackwater Incident Witness: ‘It Was Hell,’” CNN.com, October 2, 2007.

141 Sudarsan Raghavan, “U.S. Offers Cash to Victims in Blackwater Incident,” Washington Post, October 25, 2007.

142 Ibid; Jennifer Daskal, “Blackwater in Baghdad,” Salon, December 14, 2007.

143 Sudarsan Raghavan, “U.S. Offers Cash to Victims in Blackwater Incident,” Washington Post, October 25, 2007.

144 Karen DeYoung, “Immunity Jeopardizes Iraq Probe,” Washington Post, October 30, 2007.

145 David Johnston and John M. Broder, “F.B.I. Says Guards Killed 14 Iraqis Without Cause,” New York Times, November 14, 2007.

146 Lara Jakes Jordan, “FBI Finds Blackwater Trucks Patched,” Associated Press, January 12, 2008.

147 Author copy of the report.

148 Lara Jakes Jordan, “FBI Finds Blackwater Trucks Patched,” Associated Press, January 12, 2008.

149 Ibid.

150 Max Boot, “Accept the Blackwater Mercenaries,” Los Angeles Times, October 3, 2007.

151 Prepared Statement of Erik D. Prince for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, October 2, 2007.

152 Sworn statement of “Paul,” September 18, 2007; Ginger Thompson, “From Texas to Iraq, and Center of Blackwater Case,” New York Times, January 19, 2008.

153 Sworn statement of “Paul,” September 18, 2007.

154 Sudarsan Raghavan and Josh White, “Blackwater Guards Fired at Fleeing Cars, Soldiers Say,” Washington Post, October 12, 2007.

155 Sworn statement of “Paul,” September 18, 2007.

156 Prepared Statement of Erik D. Prince for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, October 2, 2007.

157 Steve Fainaru and Sudarsan Raghavan, “Blackwater Faced Bedlam, Embassy Finds,” Washington Post, September 28, 2007.

158 Sudarsan Raghavan and Josh White, “Blackwater Guards Fired at Fleeing Cars, Soldiers Say,” Washington Post, October 12, 2007.

159 Transcript, interview with Erik Prince, The Charlie Rose Show, PBS, October 15, 2007.