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

So much potential too much personal agenda

I will preface my comments by saying I am a moderate. I was hoping this book would be a good factual and well researched piece on Blackwater. However, what I got was a book which spent most of its pages slamming America, portraying our active military as blood thirsty killers, slamming the Bush administration as well as most religions. I expected some liberal leaning but this was so far left that it was out of sight. This is not to mention that the author used mostly hearsay as his basis of evidence. The other problem I had with the book was his quoting of Iraq comments as being totally factual while American statements as being all lies. This could have been a great book but comes off as a work of fiction because of the authors uncontrolled bias. Worse yet, it was poorly written in my opinion. The author use of certain labels was inconsistant with the meaning of the actual word he used.

8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

Can you say "Witch Hunt"?

This book doesn't even pretend to be objective. Scahill obviously has a serious hate-on for all private military contractors (Blackwater especially). This is the "in" thing right now. It's cool to hate on these guys, and Scahill's looking to make his mark as the coolest. So what if his research, while thorough, is biased and guided by his own axe to grind? Blackwater employees wouldn't even have given this guy the time of day, and Blackwater's CEO flat-out refused an interview with him. I'm sure it's because they saw through him and knew he was only there for a witch hunt. I'm not saying don't read this book. What I'm saying is look at more than just his viewpoint. I doubt that this guy's ever been in a combat zone, but he wants to critique every move made by those who work in them. I'd recommend you read Robert Young Pelton's book "Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror". He actually rode along with Blackwater employees and got an interview with the CEO. He's as close as you'll come to an objective viewpoint.

4 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

Completely biased, another Bush basher.

I purchased this book for help in writing a persuasive argument about the use of private military contractors. I was dissatisifend when reading it because it is completely anti-Bush and anti-private military contractors. It rarely mentioned the argument of the opposing party. Some of the content in the book was almost completely irrelevant to the subject (or the expected subject, which was Blackwater) and talked about extreme Christian organizations and battles in Iraq that didn't have Blackwater in them. The frequent quotaions of war on terror and other subjects drove me crazy. However, Scahill did a good job at documenting his sources which allowed me to use some of those for research.

If you're somebody who is looking at this to help them write an infromative paper on Blackwater, I would reccomend borrowing it from a friend or getting it from the library. I recommended some books dealing with the same issue (Private military companies).
War dog: A biased view that favors the use of PMCs
Licensed to Kill: The best choice because it offers a completely neutral view on the subject. Pelton has had unique opportunities with Erik Prince & Blackwater.
Big Boy Rules: A short book on the subject that is slightly biased but offers some good information.

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

A must read

A very well documented book that goes behind the scene to tell the story that's not coming out of Washington or through media sound bites.

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

The rise of the world's most powerful mercenary army.

"Jeremy Scahill actually doesn't know anything about Blackwater." So says Martin Strong Vice President Blackwater Worldwide. With the greatest respect to Mr Strong, if he is right, it is a pretty facile comment on 550 pages of detailed research and information. Unless, or until Mr Strong or anyone else from Blackwater elaborates on this blanket rejection, we must conclude that what Jeremy Scahill tells us is correct.
Blackwater is at once a compelling and frightening read. It is a detailed exposé of the private security industry generally and Blackwater in particular. It introduces us to the founders and their associations with the people and policies of the last US administration. It describes in minute detail how this cozy relationship enabled Blackwater to become an adjunct of American foreign policy.
Knowing Scahill's background, one might have expected a scathing attack -? but no, all his arguments are reasoned and nonjudgmental. Indeed, his portrayal of Eric Prince the company founder is complimentary. He tells us that Mr. Prince came from a very wealthy and successful family, but chose to join the military. While in the military, he excelled as a Navy Seal, and would have remained as such but gave it up to support his ailing wife and their children. The first Mrs. Prince died in tragic circumstances shortly after.
Not content to bask in considerable family wealth, Prince emulated his successful father by starting a business. The business he chose was one of which he had expert knowledge. He identified a need for military and law enforcement training and established a state of the art training facility at North Carolina.
It is then that sinister opportunities presented themselves in the form of the Iraq war. Blackwater were not alone in exploiting this opportunity ? they were just better at it than others were. The Bush administration identified a benefit in employing civilian contractors in a variety of functions previously carried out by the military. From a certain perspective it worked very well and like Topsy it grow'd until the number of civilian contractors almost equaled the military.
Using civilian contractors checks many boxes. There are considerable financial benefits to companies and individuals. There are benefits for government with fewer political problems than there might be with serving military. Activities can be pursued beyond the public glare. However, in all this there is one thing missing ? military discipline and legal restraint. Scahill describes how Blackwater was able to slip between the rock of military discipline and the hard place of the law. In a time of left of center politics, a rightwing mercenary army numbering around 30,000, is ominous indeed.
This is a truly excellent book, and should be read by everyone who wants to really know what is happening on the ground in Iraq, and elsewhere ? including mainland USA.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Gripping tale of mercenary politics

The Iraq war has seen a vast expansion in the use of private security contractors to complement the U.S. military. But who are these contractors? Who pays them? And how did one contractor, Blackwater, become so entrenched? Jeremy Scahill answers these questions and more in this provocative, thoroughly reported book about the world¿s largest, private mercenary army. Scahill has done a masterful job of researching this secretive organization to disclose its origins, motives, leaders and activities. getAbstract strongly recommends this compelling, disturbing story to anyone interested in the Iraq conflict, and in the larger picture of how private armies reshape warfare.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Attack on Patriotism

This is an interesting situation that America is now put itself into. We have begun outsourcing our military. Many people that say this is 'left-leaning' journalism, will call anything that they do not like 'left-leaning'. It is much easier than actually pointing out that maybe there is a tie with neo-conservatives and private military. These are the same people that still think that Iraq was involved with September 11th. They have a set way of the way things ought to be...anything else is...well liberal. Not a great argument, just like saying that we should not listen to conservative editorialists like Krauthammer and Kristol because they are 'right-leaning'. If someone questions the government, you should be asking why...not calling them an anti-patriot. I think the author is questioning outsourcing of the military's operations. So if he has left-leaning beliefs then take it for what it is. If you wanted a Discovery Channel documentary of the coolness of Blackwater... this is a little more intellectual than that...and it might say things you do not want to hear.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Dont Buy!!!

Its seems the author was set from the beginning to slander Blackwater. He is as biased as all the reports of America being the cause of the worlds ills. He blames the U.S. for mass murder in Iraq using accounts from Al-Jazeera reporters and unnamed Iraqis for all his references. He also accuses Blackwater as being a Extreme right-wing Christian movement supported by right wing politicians and rich people. His 'sources' are mysterious and sometimes unnamed. Not one source from Blackwater or anyone who is working for this company are used. Dont waste your money unless you enjoy stale left wing anti American bias.

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Definitely intriguing read

Jeremy Scahill gives excessive info, not only into Blackwater, but the people behind the scenes as well. It ties the book together and grabs you from cover to cover. If you have an interest in what goes on behind the scenes in Afghanistan and Iraq, it's a must read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

...can military outsourcing remain an asset?...., (2 of 2)

(1 of 2) is posted in Paperback edition .

Continued the European-Canadian `'even same sex marriage is becoming the joke in this land and we cannot accept this disease no matter how far our governments are going to convince us, yet we keep `importing' people from Asia and Africa to produce sons and daughters alien (and will remain so) to our European cultures"

This man (European-Canadian) has been worried that International Terrorists are using Canada to launder their dirty money.

He told me he read in the paper that hundreds of cases were investigated and proved to have harboured syndicates using money by suspected criminals.

He said, "Dirty money is being laundered at much higher rates than the market"

In his opinion his beautiful and peaceful country should rid itself of all suspects before they went amuck in the streets, out of hand.

He told me those guys have flourished because "We Canadians were lacking the necessary awareness to cope with the situation, and we regretfully invited too many people who never deserved to be here. We try now to treat them with ethics because our constitution tells us so. But how can you sir trade unethical murderers with ethical standards?"
"""Can you tell me Mister" he went on "if we would be treated likewise in their home countries. Can we, for example, build a Church or wear our normal clothing in summer. Can our women go bareheaded without being assaulted?"
"Of course not, we would be beheaded" he replied to his questions and went on "There are millions who oppose `Extremists' ideology, and will be more than pleased to rid themselves of their teachings. Now we, in Canada, are making the gravest mistakes ever: our government is accelerating invitations to all those 'scarfed' women who look you in the eyes in defiance. Damn them; if they do not like our European culture then let them get the hell out of here. Bush is encouraging this situation, he knows to which road this is going to take us, and it will. It will certainly lead to disturbances, and then the USA will forcefully come in to bail us out of this predicament and the price will be one to declare Canada its 51 Star""".

BBB) Military Outsourcing is not new. Indeed it should not remain news anymore. The advent goes back to the Mamluk era. A Mamluk "owned or possessed"; was a converted to Islam slave Soldier and/or a servant of the Ottoman Muslim Caliphs during the Middle Ages. Over time the Mamluks became a powerful military force, and on more than one occasion they took hold of power for themselves. They even ruled Egypt in the Mamluk Sultanate from 1250-1517, until Muhammad Ali Pasha terminated (exterminated by a sheer massacre) their remnants in the year 1811.

Napoleon outsourced his Army. He formed his own Mamluk corps in the early years of the 19th century and they became the last known Mamluk force. Napoleon's Imperial Guard had Mamluk soldiers during the Belgian campaign, including one of his personal servants. His famous bodyguard Roustan was also a Mamluk imported from Egypt.

CCC) Is Military Outsourcing an Asset or a Liability? From historical events it appears it has been a short term Asset until after its purpose is served it tends to transform itself to Liability - a long term Liability carried forward to the detriment of its founders!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

...can military outsourcing remain an asset?...., (1 of 2)

AAA) I acknowledge the fact the author has unleashed a gripping document and brought up the frightening disclosure of the ECT (Evangelicals and Catholics Together) document, which articulates `the vision that would animate Blackwater's corporate strategy and the politics practiced by its founder Eric Prince'

Page 20-22 ""The (ECT) document was most passionate in its opposition to abortion, calling abortion on demand `a massive attack on the dignity, right, and needs of women. Abortion is the leading edge of an encroaching culture of death" It also called for "moral education in schools, advocating for educational institutions that transmit to coming generations our cultural heritage, which is inseparable from the formative influence of religion, especially Judaism and Christianity"....

This confirms (with emphasis on `cultural heritage') what I heard in Canada when a `native' Canadian - person of European race- vented his spleen and complained to me his sentiments, with sincerity:

""`' You see Mister; I am 57 and have never seen deterioration in our social standards equal to what I have seen during the last ten years. Sir! Do you know how many abortions we have had in Quebec?" `'31,000 abortions performed in Quebec. Can you imagine that? Thirty one thousand in 1998 in Quebec alone, and our government keep talking about how bad the population -European-Canadian population- is going down - depleted!

Worse still, our government approve to bring in cheap labour from Asia and Africa as immigrants. This numerous immigration into Canada is costing us much. We spend our money trying to migrate these people into our societies, we encourage them to bring up their children to settle here while our women kill our babies"""
He went on complaining about the number of Chinese products in the Canadian market. He claimed that every time he bought ten items he had to return eight for mal-function.
He noticed me as I gazed at the large cross hanging on the front door of his orderly salon.
He told me he's a devout reader of theology.
His preference is Saint Thomas.
He also reads for Saint Peter, notably the messages.
He said he has good written articles and books on the man - Saint Peter -traditionally regarded as the first Bishop of Rome, because `'Saint Peter is telling us we can only become human by expanding our knowledge according to our talents, gift and opportunity''.

To tell you the truth, his sincerity impressed me much.
I asked him about the Da Vinci Code.
`'This is sheer rubbish'' he protested the moment I pronounced the word `Da.....'.
`'It is all commerce and ignorance in disguise'' He paused a little and said `'those who saw the movie are committing blasphemy. They must have been unable to think by themselves, they just wanted others to think for them'' concluded the European-Canadian on this subject with fires burning in his eyes.

He went inside his bookshelf and brought me a nice heavy volume `'You see Mister, this is the sort of reading that gives food to human spirit, unfortunately we are losing all that in this Country'' He continued `' Our ladies are busy raising cats and dogs instead of getting married and bringing up families. They spend thousands of dollars through vets who engage in fooling them rather than curing their animals. A veterinarian squeezes their monies out simply because they can never know what he is talking about''...

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Informational Work that Leans to the Left

Scahill's book on the mercenary firm blackwater is very informative and an intersting topic as the 2008 presidential election nears. There is a cautioning overtone towards the mercenary firm in regards to the predictability of certian types of events that occur around the world including the Iraq War, conflicts in Africa, natural disasters and the use of such an institution in each instance.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Thank u

For serving our country

Thank You!

Arrived in a timely matter and the book was in a lot better condition than I expected it to be. Very pleased.

meh...

It did not take long for me to feel like I was reading a research paper that had a slanted point of view. There was very little effort to hide the agenda that Mr. Scahill has against the war in Iraq and the services that Blackwater provides. The author also does a rather poor job supporting his conclusions. It was a struggle, but I finished reading the book so that my opinion would be fair. To everyone else, I say do not waste your time.

Highly Recommended

Very informative about the top defense contracting company that was in Iraq in the early stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Gives thorough details of incidents that occured in Iraq that made the company known in both negative and positive ways. Also tells the story of the founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince. I enjoyed it very much except for a few bland chapters that talked about Political backgrounds of some officials. Definitely worth reading if you don't know much about the business and private security side of US involvement in Iraq.

A look inside the "new" US military, and how it is affecting strategy and policy.

You need to be able to get through the author's rants against conservative members of the government, military, industry and religious institutions, but if successful, you will learn much about the current trend to privatize military and security functions, and the potential consequences of this trend. The body of the book runs 464 pages, and the words "neoconservative," "right-wing," "religious right" certainly appear more than 464 times. I have seen the author on TV a number of times, primarliy on Bill Maher's show, so this came as no surprise to me.

The information on Blackwater, its affiliates, and competitors is truly eye-opening. Although I'd heard the term "civilian contractors" before relating to the Iraq War, I had no idea that many of them are mercenaries hired by our government to handle jobs, including personal security details, that were previously the responsibility of the military. It was also a surprise, and a disheartening one at that, to learn that these same "contractors" have been used right here in the U.S., most notably in New Orleans in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.

The viewpoint of the author is obvious, and he makes virtually no effort to present a balanced study of the subject matter, but I found the book to be informative, interesting, and disturbing despite this.

Wasted My Money

I thought this was going give an insight of the business and history of a Blackwater. What it ends up being is a free for all bashing of America and the government. Don't waste your time, you can hear and see this for free on a Liberal radio station.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Blackwater - the real story of American foreign policy

Even already knowing the picture doesn't lessen the impact once, the veil is lifted and, the specifics are told. Incredibly documented, we can no longer claim to be the "good guys." Definitely a book the "American public" does not want to read.

Gripping, Shocking, and Provocative

Jeremy Scahill has writing a work of paramount importance as the US occupation of Iraq seems to be drawing to a close. The use of Private Security Contractors (Mercenaries) has gone largely unnoticed by the major news networks beyond the Nisour Square shootings. The implications, both ethical and security related of privatizing our military have gone largely unexplored. Scahill writes in a very approachable manner and beyond that his writing is very gripping.

As other reviewers have pointed out the book does not report the pros to PMCs/PSCs (Private Military Companies/Private Security Companies), but it is a work of paramount important in its arguments against such companies. As a persuasive work it well deserves positive reviews.

In the end Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army is an work of investigative journalism of the highest order. That explores the not only the questions around one company, or on industry, but that of how we fight our wars, and how we will continue to fight our wars.