Obama Present on Continued Use of Blackwater

Originally posted at DailyKos and at MyDD.com   ::   My e-mail address is HillarysBloggers@yahoo.com   ::   I’m married with children — pro-choice, tree-huggin, Million Mom Marchin’, yellow-dog-Democrat.

An article in the current issue of The Nation discusses comments from a senior foreign policy advisor to Sen. Obama, in which they make clear BO’s refusal to rule out continued use of private security forces such as Blackwater.

I think we all know that “private security forces” actually means mercenaries – hired guns – private armies - folks who do the exact same job as our troops, get paid a shitload more money and operate outside the laws of Iraq and those here at home.

In other words – they can literally get away with murder (and they have) and BO is keeping open his options when it comes to using them on the ground in Iraq.  Maybe that’s why he says he’ll bring our combat troops home but he refuses to declare he will end the occupation entirely.

Make the jump – you know you want to…

A senior foreign policy adviser to leading Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has told The Nation that if elected Obama will not “rule out” using private security companies like Blackwater Worldwide in Iraq. The adviser also said that Obama does not plan to sign on to legislation that seeks to ban the use of these forces in US war zones by January 2009, when a new President will be sworn in.

Obama’s broader Iraq withdrawal plan provides for some US troops to remain in Iraq - how many his advisors won’t say.  But it’s clear that Obama’s “Follow-on force” will include a robust security force to protect US personnel in Iraq…

Contrast this with something Hillary’s Senate office put out earlier today…

Senator Clinton Cosponsors Legislation to Ban Use of Private Security Contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan

Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton announced today that she has cosponsored legislation to ban the use of Blackwater and other private mercenary firms in Iraq.  

“From this war’s very beginning, this administration has permitted thousands of heavily-armed military contractors to march through Iraq without any law or court to rein them in or hold them accountable.  These private security contractors have been reckless and have compromised our mission in Iraq.  The time to show these contractors the door is long past due.  We need to stop filling the coffers of contractors in Iraq, and make sure that armed personnel in Iraq are fully accountable to the U.S. government and follow the chain of command,” said Senator Clinton.

The legislation requires that all personnel at any U.S. diplomatic or consular mission in Iraq be provided security services only by Federal Government Personnel.  It also includes a whistleblower clause to protect contract personnel who uncover contract violations, criminal actions, or human rights abuses.

(Source

Now imagine if the names on the above bits of info were reversed.

Imagine it had been Hillary who’d said she wouldn’t rule out the use of Blackwater and other private armies in Iraq, while Obama had co-sponsored a bill to make sure these bastids are sent packing.

Just imagine the OUTRAGE that would’ve been posted on sites like this and in every other corner of he blogosphere.

I think we’d see exploding heads everywhere we looked.  The press and the media would be all over the story and would splash it on every front page at the newsstands - lead every news report for a week and yes… CNN would become the all Hillary / Blackwater network - all - the - time.  Yet because it’s BO stating he’d likely continue to use those mercenaries…

Crickets

Jane Hamsher over at Firedog Lake makes an excellent point along these lines.  She says she noticed that the hate directed at Hillary just does not transfer over to our realy enemy – John McCain.  Check it out…

Oh hang on – wait – first look at this little video…

Ok now to her point in Where Oh Where Are the McCain Haters?…

Those who were the most vociferous about accusing her of racism, of running a “Southern Strategy,” of gaming the system, of conducting a scurrilous smear-driven campaign, who would argue until the death that she must be defeated lest she continue the war forever, just do not get that worked up about John McCain appearing on stage with religious wack-job racists or threatening to bomb Iran and stay in Iraq for 100 years. Every word uttered by the Clinton campaign would propel a hundred outraged “did you see this?” emails into my inbox. John McCain? Not so much.

I’m not sure I could add much to her excellent points.  With all the hate and venom on our left-leaning blogs, we rarely ever hear any mention of John McCain – a man who’s said he’ll keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years.  Yet we see post after post after post attacking Hillary – a Democrat who’s vowed to start bringing our troops home within 60 days of her inauguration.  

At any rate, go read Hamsher’s article.  Its short but chock full of great points as usual.

And finally as an aside, Hillary’s campaign just announced they’ve raised over $35 million this month – their best month in the history of this campaign – with over 200,000 new donors kicking in what they could.

I checked out the campaign’s blog and found a post by Hillary’s Internet Director – Peter Daou, where he posted some notes that came in from people as they donated.  The first one really hit a nerve with me – take a look and then I’ll say why…

Hey everyone, I am a poor grad student, but I just donated $15.44 to Hillary’s campaign. If I can do it, almost everybody can. I’ll just eat ramen noodles for dinner tonight!!! Please people, match my donation of $15.44!! Will anyone take me up on my offer??? MADAM PRESIDENT, NEVER LOSE FAITH! WE ARE BEHIND YOU! PEACE TO EVERYONE!!!

Neema from New York, NY

Now when I first moved to DC after college some 23 plus years ago, I worked on the Hill for a House Subcommittee and made the paltry sum of just $12,000 a year (that’s what a college education got you in 1984).  I practically lived off Ramen Noodles so I can really relate to Neema – and I’ll be donating another $50.00 in her honor for making what I know is a serious sacrifice for the cause.

I’d love it if you’d join us by donating whatever you can to help Hillary in her historic run for the White House, to reward this woman who’s stood up for what’s right for over 35 years, and will send Blackwater packing once she’s in the Oval Office.

DONATE NOW!