Erik Prince

Paying fines is merely the cost of doing business:

The private security company formerly called Blackwater Worldwide, long plagued by accusations of impropriety, has reached an agreement with the State Department for the company to pay $42 million in fines for hundreds of violations of U.S. export control regulations.

But by paying fines rather than facing criminal charges on the export violations, Blackwater will be able to continue to obtain government contracts.

Oh, I understand. Not.

To avoid paying for all his crimes against humanity:

In documents filed last week in a civil lawsuit brought by former Blackwater employees accusing Prince of defrauding the government, Prince sought to avoid giving a deposition by stating that he had moved to Abu Dhabi in time for his children to enter school there Aug. 15.

Prince does not face any criminal charges, but five former top company executives have been indicted on federal weapons, conspiracy and obstruction charges. Two guards who worked for a Blackwater-affiliated company face murder charges from a 2009 shooting in Afghanistan, and the Justice Department is trying to revive its prosecution of five former Blackwater guards accused of killing 17 Iraqi civilians in 2007.

I would say, "Good riddance to bad rubbish", but what's to stop him from setting up shop in Abu Dhabi?

Erik 'the Crusader' Prince tried to bar the press from covering his appearance at the DeVos Fieldhouse as the keynote speaker for the recent “Tulip Time Festival” in his hometown of Holland, Michigan. But he failed. The Nation magazine obtained an audio recording of the speech. The speech, delivered by Prince to a friendly audience, provides a stunning glimpse into his views and future plans and reveals details of previously undisclosed activities of Blackwater.

According to an AP story, North Carolina's own Prince Machiavelli is feeling a little down these days. The guy has a company that pulled down almost a billion in taxpayer funding, but he personally can't get no respect? Not so puzzling. Why on earth wouldn't any politician want more distance from the Blackwater/Xe mercenaries? They're the contractor equivalent of swine flu.

So it appears that Mr. Prince is going to take his vast fortune and quit being a soldier of fortune. Heaven help us.

Prince announced earlier this year that he would relinquish involvement in the company's day-to-day business as part of a management shake-up, and company spokeswoman Stacy DeLuke said Wednesday that Prince also plans to give up some of his ownership rights. He is considering becoming a high school teacher.

PROTEST TO COMMEMORATE THE 17 INNOCENT IRAQI CITIZENS MURDERED BY BLACKWATER IN NISOUR SQUARE

One Year Anniversary Protest and Rally Against Blackwater

Sponsored by Blackwater Watch
and North Carolina Stop Torture Now

For more information telephone 919-801-0734 or email admin at blackwaterwatch.net

Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008 4-6 p.m.
at Blackwater's Lobbyist Firm Headquarters:

Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice
One West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Things are heating up, folks. So put on your body armor and get to work. We need to get Marshall's back. This was posted today at the N&O's Blackwater Blog. It is an email from one of the @$$holes who works for Erik Prince in the war-profiteering business:

All:

There is a man named Marshall Adame who is running for congress (sic) in our district. He just put a quote online which says he wants this company and all of us to cease to exist.

Updated with question mark. Some are arguing this doesn't constitute a threat. So let's frame it as a question. Threat? Pure stupidity? SOP 4 BWUSA?