The founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince, is a Navy man, is also a Christian of the conservative strand. He has given a bunch of money to conservative causes, including James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family” group. Just to set the stage.

And Obama said, as a candidate, that he would not “rule out” keeping Blackwater, now “Xe,” in Iraq. Hillary not so much, not even close:

(she) released a statement announcing that Clinton is now co-sponsoring legislation to “ban the use of Blackwater and other private mercenary firms in Iraq,” saying, “The time to show these contractors the door is long past due.”

Uh huh. And what has Obama done since becoming president? He’s given Blackwater, aka, Xe, a $70 million dollar contract. Doesn’t that make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

Here’s the thing: the founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince, has been implicated by two former employees for murder. Yep. And you are not going to believe this story. It is going to make you SO happy (that’s snark) that Obama has chosen to give this man, and his company, more money to stay in the Middle East. I’ll give you some of the highlights, but I urge you to read the whole piece (and the author, Jeremy Scahill, has written a LOT about Blackwater. He was a bit snide about Hillary Clinton and her resolve to NOT have Blackwater on the payroll any longer, even though that was in the same article in which he pointed out that Obama the Candidate he wouldn’t “rule it out.” Still, the articles are worth reading.). To the article:

A former Blackwater employee and an ex-US Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia. The two men claim that the company’s owner, Erik Prince, may have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were cooperating with federal authorities investigating the company. The former employee also alleges that Prince “views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe,” and that Prince’s companies “encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life.”

Now is when I remind you that Obama chose to retain this company. A “Christian crusader” hellbent on wiping Muslims off the map. WOW. There’s more:

Doe #2 states in the declaration that he has also provided the information contained in his statement “in grand jury proceedings convened by the United States Department of Justice.” Federal prosecutors convened a grand jury in the aftermath of the September 16, 2007, Nisour Square shootings in Baghdad, which left seventeen Iraqis dead. Five Blackwater employees are awaiting trial on several manslaughter charges and a sixth, Jeremy Ridgeway, has already pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attempting to commit manslaughter and is cooperating with prosecutors. It is not clear whether Doe #2 testified in front of the Nisour Square grand jury or in front of a separate grand jury.

The two declarations are each five pages long and contain a series of devastating allegations concerning Erik Prince and his network of companies, which now operate under the banner of Xe Services LLC. Among those leveled by Doe #2 is that Prince “views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe”:

To that end, Mr. Prince intentionally deployed to Iraq certain men who shared his vision of Christian supremacy, knowing and wanting these men to take every available opportunity to murder Iraqis. Many of these men used call signs based on the Knights of the Templar, the warriors who fought the Crusades.

Mr. Prince operated his companies in a manner that encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life. For example, Mr. Prince’s executives would openly speak about going over to Iraq to “lay Hajiis out on cardboard.” Going to Iraq to shoot and kill Iraqis was viewed as a sport or game. Mr. Prince’s employees openly and consistently used racist and derogatory terms for Iraqis and other Arabs, such as “ragheads” or “hajiis.”

Among the additional allegations made by Doe #1 is that “Blackwater was smuggling weapons into Iraq.” He states that he personally witnessed weapons being “pulled out” from dog food bags. Doe #2 alleges that “Prince and his employees arranged for the weapons to be polywrapped and smuggled into Iraq on Mr. Prince’s private planes, which operated under the name Presidential Airlines,” adding that Prince “generated substantial revenues from participating in the illegal arms trade.”

Doe #2 states: “Using his various companies, [Prince] procured and distributed various weapons, including unlawful weapons such as sawed off semi-automatic machine guns with silencers, through unlawful channels of distribution.” Blackwater “was not abiding by the terms of the contract with the State Department and was deceiving the State Department,” according to Doe #1.

This is disturbing on so many levels, isn’t it? Naturally, Prince denies any wrongdoing:

In their testimony, both men also allege that Blackwater was smuggling weapons into Iraq. One of the men alleges that Prince turned a profit by transporting “illegal” or “unlawful” weapons into the country on Prince’s private planes. They also charge that Prince and other Blackwater executives destroyed incriminating videos, emails and other documents and have intentionally deceived the US State Department and other federal agencies. The identities of the two individuals were sealed out of concerns for their safety.

These allegations, and a series of other charges, are contained in sworn affidavits, given under penalty of perjury, filed late at night on August 3 in the Eastern District of Virginia as part of a seventy-page motion by lawyers for Iraqi civilians suing Blackwater for alleged war crimes and other misconduct. Susan Burke, a private attorney working in conjunction with the Center for Constitutional Rights, is suing Blackwater in five separate civil cases filed in the Washington, DC, area. They were recently consolidated before Judge T.S. Ellis III of the Eastern District of Virginia for pretrial motions. Burke filed the August 3 motion in response to Blackwater’s motion to dismiss the case. Blackwater asserts that Prince and the company are innocent of any wrongdoing and that they were professionally performing their duties on behalf of their employer, the US State Department.

Yes, Prince is claiming everything he did was on behalf of the State Department. Oh, sure. I have no doubt that, given how Hilary Clinton spoke of his organization during the campaign, that she was all behind what he was doing in Iraq. Again, that is snark.

So - will Obama be held accountable for keeping Blackwater/Xe on the payroll and at the State Department, or will he pass the buck (again) and blame Clinton, even though she wanted nothing to do with them?

Will Erik Prince get his comeuppance for his private “crusade” against Muslims? Will he be held to account for smuggling weapons into Iraq? If what has been alleged against him is true, he deserves everything that is coming to him. Personally, I am exceedingly offended that this man and his company have been on OUR payroll, operating this way on OUR behalf. What he has been accused of doing is obscene. Just reprehensible.

Tell me again why Obama renewed his contract, because I don’t get it (even before these allegations)…

Excerpted from Hillary Rodham Clinton’s editorial in today’s WSJ:

In the past few years, the number of corporations flocking to places like the Cayman Islands to evade U.S. taxes has exploded. One of these companies, former Halliburton subsidiary KBR, has used offshore tax havens to avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars in federal taxes. To no one’s surprise, instead of cracking down on KBR, the Bush administration has rewarded the company in April of this year with a 10-year, $150 billion contract in Iraq.

There appears to be no crisis, tragedy or disaster immune from exploitation under the Bush administration. The examples of the waste, fraud and abuse are legion — from KBR performing shoddy electrical work in Iraq that has resulted in the electrocution of our military personnel according to Pentagon and Congressional investigators, to the firing of an Army official who dared to refuse a $1 billion payout for questionable charges to the same company. In another scam, the Pentagon awarded a $300 million contract to AEY, Inc., a company run by a 22-year-old who fulfilled an ammunition deal in Afghanistan by supplying rotting Chinese-made munitions to our allies.

But the fraud and waste are not limited to the war. In the weeks after Hurricane Katrina, for example, FEMA awarded a contract worth more than $500 million for trailers to serve as temporary housing. The contractor, Gulf Stream, collected all of its money even though they knew at the time that its trailers were contaminated with formaldehyde.

While touting fiscal responsibility, President Bush and his administration have lined the pockets of political cronies like Halliburton and Blackwater. While calling for earmark reform, the president has allowed no-bid and questionable contracting throughout the federal government to dwarf earmark spending by a 10-to-1 ratio.

If we’re going to get serious about putting our nation’s fiscal house in order, let’s talk about putting an end to billions in no-bid contract awards to unaccountable contractors. Let’s talk about the number of lucrative contracts and bonuses being paid for duties never performed, promises never fulfilled, and contracts falsely described as complete. And let’s talk about reforming the federal contracting system so that we can take on the real waste, fraud and abuse in our federal government.

I’ve proposed a comprehensive overhaul to root out corruption in no-bid contracts and other shady deals. Reforms must include the following:

- Instead of rewarding companies that exploit tax shelters and incorporate in tax havens, let’s ban the federal government from contracting with companies that hide profits offshore.

- We should put in place safeguards so that contracts are awarded to responsible companies that abide by the law and complete the work they’re hired to do.

- Let’s put a stop to the disgraceful practice of giving bonuses to contractors for work never performed, which has been allowed to happen in Iraq and throughout the federal government according to the GAO and inspectors general.

- We need to increase transparency and competition in the contracting system, and to stop the ideological privatization of critical governmental functions.

In 1941, as the U.S. mobilized and entered World War II, then Sen. Harry Truman proposed and chaired the Senate Special Committee to investigate the National Defense Program. … By some estimates, the “Truman Committee” saved the American people some $15 billion — more than $165 billion in today’s dollars.

Truman took on the war profiteers because he understood that when the lives of Americans hang in the balance, we cannot afford to misuse even a single dollar. In the Democratic Congress, we’ve proposed a new Truman Committee to address the waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan that has already taken place, a proposal stymied by the president and his allies. And my proposal would prevent waste, fraud and abuse in future contracting.

Of course, we need far more than a Truman Committee. We need the Truman spirit in the White House, where the buck finally stops.

***

Ladies and gentlemen, here is another example of a work horse vs. a show horse.

So glad Hillary is on the job. Her words have bite. Better yet, her actions have merit.

She understands that some things cannot be delegated.

Has Obama said anything about this? Has he done anything? Aah, there’s a real question. Actually, he wants to keep Blackwater going, for one thing. For another, he has yet to have a meeting on the subcommittee he chairs to oversee Afghanistan. For a man who wants to end the war…?

Just in the last few weeks, Hillary has been front and center fighting for women’s rights, stopping Bush from cutting Medicare payments for seniors, vets and those with disabilities and now is once again taking Bush to task.

This is how Hillary occupies herself in advance of doing campaign stops for Barack who, by the way, is readying himself for another vacation this week.

So glad Senator Clinton understands that true leadership means working and taking on a difficult task - not just giving speeches, or aiming to win a popularity contest.

It is interesting that Senator Clinton always champions Harry Truman, generally regarded as one of our ten best Presidents. Harry Truman also championed the need for universal health care in his time. Like Truman, Senator Clinton understands where the buck stops.

I miss her.

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There are several terms that I personally would like to see fall out of favor for a while and the word “rant” is among them.  Drawing from Wikipedia.org – which is only as accurate as the people who contribute – but feels spot on accurate here in its definition, I want to share what I specifically find off-putting.  I will put the words I want to focus on in bolded italics.  

“A rant or harangue is a monologue that does not present a well-researched and calm argument; rather, it is typically an attack on an idea, a person or an institution, and very often lacks proven claims.

Some rants are used not to attack something, but to defend an individual, idea or organization. Rants of this type generally occur after the subject has been attacked by another individual or group.

Rants are used often in situations requiring monologue.”

Hillary’s withdrawal from the race has brought me a certain amount of peace which I haven’t seen discussed any where else in the blogs.  So much of the passion of her supporters has been aroused to defend an individual, idea or organization that after a time, we can and need to put that to the side.  She remains the strong, intelligent, committed Senator, wife and mother she was when she started her campaign.  She is now more familiar to millions of people who went out and voted for her.  It will only be easier now to elect her in 2012.  

Her platforms of universal health care, educational reform and economic programs that look after the welfare of the working and middle class are not going to become less relevant.  They will continue to be daily issues not just for those who did vote for her, but also those who were on the fence, didn’t vote at all or voted for one of her opponents.  Add primary election reform and I can see nothing but good things for her four years from now.  
 
There were two organizations we were defending throughout the final two months of her campaign:  women and the “old” Democratic party.  Four years from now, there will be more of us who understand what the media has done in this election.  The woman who didn’t see how important Hillary’s voice was will have seen her own share of misogyny and we will see a cultural backlash against it.  

After one more missed opportunity to regain the White House, there will either be a different Democratic party in four years, or there will be at least one more party in four years.  We have a real opportunity to be a part of the planning and realization of those fundamental opportunities.  Isn’t that an exciting thing to look forward to?  I for one can’t wait to get started either way.
 
So.  Where are we now?  Speaking only for me, I think that we challenge the notion that rants are used often in situations requiring monologue.  The most meaningful thing we can do is remember that our writings here are not monologues.  Borrowing once again from Wikipedia.org:  ”A monologue is an extended, uninterrupted by a single person. The person may be speaking his or her thoughts aloud or directly addressing other persons, e.g. an audience, a character, or a reader.”

When one of the posters launches a thread, he or she does so for the express purpose of encouraging – challenging actually – us to digest the thoughts and to think for ourselves  to bring something to the conversation.  To take the post a little further by offering up and contributing a new fact, a link, a suggestion that moves the original thread to a higher level than where it started.  

When we don’t contribute, we have a conversation that circles the drain and the life force of the conversation sucks it down ward.  When we deign to permit a Troll (again, Wikipedial.org  ”Someone who posts controversial and usually irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of baiting other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion”.)  we permit the discussion to lose its direction and it ends up down that drain faster than one might imagine.

Again, speaking only for me, what I would like to see is more discussion that focuses on a well-researched and calm argument; and relies upon proven claims so that we can demonstrate to the elders within the Democratic party that unlike the passion and fury that is required to sustain a rant, we are prepared to do what it takes insofar as educating the ill-informed electorate on matters that do effect them.  

A personal example seems like a good idea here.  There was a three-part and very detailed emotional article that appeared in our media here in Cleveland focusing on how difficult it was for two mothers to find out how their sons died while in the employ of Blackwater.  

While most of you are probably aware that Senator Obama supports continuing to have paid forces defend the interests of our country, I don’t know how many people know much about his policies beyond his oft reported claim to have spoken out against the war in Iraq.  We all know of issues that are important to American voters and yet they are not reported or are falsely reported or under reported so that he would have a cleared path to the Democratic nomination.  Well, he has it now.   

Are we going to rant or are we going to put forward calm, well researched, reasoned thoughts for why Senator Clinton’s former supporters cannot support him?  I for one vote for reason.  
 
Thanks for listening.

It seems to me that Barack isn’t sure how to get out of Iraq. His statement “we’ll get out as carefully as we went in carelessly” isn’t substantive.   Additionally he has taken a position that leads me to think he can’t get us out.  Barack plans to leave in place those contracts that went to Bush’s cronies without the need to bid. (Bush made a big deal out of prohibiting international interests from gaining any financial stake in Iraq’s possible success and instead “rewarded” his friends with those no-bid contracts that have cost taxpayers, or China, whichever you prefer, so much of our wealth.)

Barack also intends to keep private armies protecting those contractors. It will be impossible for any real diplomacy to take place while we occupy Iraq, either with troops or with contractors.

No nation wants to risk the lives of their own citizens for a war that enriches Bush’s friends.  Hillary’s plan is substantive and she’ll do it, whether or not she’s called a loser, whether or not the violence goes up while we’re leaving, and she won’t reoccupy the country under any circumstance.  She understands that this war is a disaster and she’d not willing to risk one more American or Iraqi life to `give’ Iraq’s so-called freely elected government any more chances.  It’s over, when she’s elected we’ll get out of there.

She has been clear and consistent on the question of exiting Iraq. Today she released an even clearer statement on her exit plans and her plans to repair our military and help our veterans of war.  (below)

So, Senator Obama, are you too busy campaigning to explain why you want Bush’s contracts enforced, why you plan to protect them with private armies, how you expect diplomacy to work if we’re occupying with contractors, and why you think the Iraqi government would compromise if you’re elected president?  

___________________________

Hillary Clinton: Ready to End the War in Iraq - April 18, 2008 press release

Today, in Radnor, Pennsylvania , Hillary Clinton was joined by Congressman and retired vice admiral Joe Sestak as she outlined her plan to end the war responsibly. Five years after the start of the war, we have come to a crossroads.

The war has sapped our military and economic strength, damaged U.S. national security, taken the lives of almost 4,000 brave young men and women in uniform, and placed a lasting toll on the tens of thousands of wounded, many with invisible injuries like Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The Bush-Cheney-McCain strategy is to continue this failed policy.

We need to end this war and bring our troops home swiftly, responsibly, and safely. We need to press the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own country. We need to rebuild our alliances and enlist the international community in securing stability in Iraq and the region.

 We need a Commander-in-Chief who is both committed to ending this war and who has the strength, experience, and leadership to do it the right way. Hillary Clinton is that candidate. As President, she will:   I. Start Bringing Our Troops Home   Bring Our Troops Home. As President, one of Hillary’s first official actions will be to convene the Joint Chiefs of Staff, her Secretary of Defense, and her National Security Council and direct them to draw up a a clear, comprehensive plan to bring home our troops, swiftly and responsibly, beginning within 60 days.

Under Hillary’s plan the United States will retain counterterrorism forces in Iraq and the region to fight al Qaeda and will not permit terrorists to have a safe haven in Iraq from which to attack the United States , its allies, or its interests.  Reduce Strains on Our Troops.

The war is placing tremendous strain on our armed forces, courting strategic risks posed by a force that is stretched to the breaking point.

As President, Hillary will also adopt the proposals of Rep. John Murtha that, for every month they spend in the field, soldiers will be guaranteed one month here at home. Our Marines will have a similar standard appropriate for their service. The Army’s policy goals and practice until the Iraq war were to have at least twice as much time at home for active duty soldiers as in the field and at least four times as much time at home as in the field for National Guard and Reserve.

As President, Hillary will reestablish these as long-term goals for our armed forces.   Remove Armed Private Military Contractors in Iraq . As U.S. troops begin to withdraw, we should not be leaving unaccountable, often irresponsible private military contractors to carry arms and engage in combat-oriented missions and security functions. Hillary has co-sponsored the Stop Security Outsourcing Act, which seeks to end this practice.

As President, Hillary will work toward a ban on armed private military contractors providing security for diplomatic personnel.  Stop Wasting Money on No-Bid Contracts. Spending on federal contracts has been the fastest-growing part of the discretionary budget over the past six years, yet has received little attention.

Under this Administration, the number of no-bid contracts has more than doubled, and between 2000 and 2006, spending on these contracts has increased 121 percent to $103 billion, representing more than half of federal procurement spending. During this time, companies like Halliburton have enjoyed record profits, thanks to a 700 percent increase in taxpayer funds awarded to them.

A recent Congressional report identified a wide range of contracts, running into the hundreds of billions of dollars, where federal auditors found massive overcharges, wasteful spending, and poor oversight. Hillary has proposed a measure that would create a new “point of order” against any spending bill in Fiscal 2009 that does not explicitly require a federal agency’s compliance with competitive contracting rules.

As President, Hillary will work to ensure that this becomes law and that we stop wasting money on no-bid contracts.   II. Secure Stability in Iraq As We Bring Our Troops Home   Greater political and economic stability means safer conditions for our departing troops and a smoother disengagement from our military’s missions across Iraq .

In order to foster stability as U.S. troops begin to redeploy, Hillary will focus on political reconciliation inside Iraq and holding the Iraqi government accountable for political and economic progress. She will:  Call on the United Nations to Play a Greater Role in Addressing Domestic Strife in Iraq . As President, Hillary will press the United Nations to play a greater role in bringing about national accommodation in Iraq , as it did with positive results in Bosnia , East Timor , and elsewhere.

The UN has already provided valuable technical assistance to Iraq , and is far more likely to be viewed as a neutral, honest broker than the United States - especially when it acts on behalf of a broad coalition of concerned states and the international community. The new UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has indicated he is willing to play a key role in assisting the Iraqis, and Hillary will ensure that the UN envoy in Iraq has the necessary authority by obtaining the Security Council’s explicit endorsement of a strengthened UN mandate to promote reconciliation.  Pursue an Integrated Strategy to Bring Stability to Iraq .

The surge has emphasized a bottom-up strategy that has reduced violence in the short term but, in the absence of an effective national strategy, risks deepening sectarian and intrasectarian divisions within Iraq in the long run. For example, the United States has established and armed local security elements - the Awakening in Anbar, for example, and other “Concerned Local Citizens” elsewhere - without getting the Iraqi government to live up to its agreement to integrate significant numbers of these local militias and “volunteers” into provincial police forces or the national Army. As President, Hillary will pursue a strategy that seeks to empower local leaders, but she will prioritize national accommodation, which is essential to stability.

She will do this by using U.S. and international influence and assistance as leverage to press the Iraqis to reach agreement on key issues, including provincial elections, the hydrocarbon law, and on the overall nature of federalism.  Appoint a Special Counsel to Make Reconstruction Funds Accountable. As Iraq ’s oil production increases, the potential revenue accumulated from oil production should increasingly fund Iraq ’s reconstruction, instead of U.S. taxpayer money.

Since 2006, Iraq has earned more than $80 billion from oil, and that figure is growing rapidly. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the war, the U.S. has provided roughly the same amount of money as the Iraqi government to rebuild the country (the United States has appropriated roughly $47 billion; the government of Iraq $50 billion).

Even as we send billions to Iraq while they earn billions in oil revenues, there are increasing reports that the Iraqi government is not spending its budget allocated for reconstruction. The Comptroller General of the U.S. testified that the capital expenditure rate for the central ministries in Iraq was only 7% as of November 2007. Hillary is committed to ensuring that Iraqi oil revenue is dedicated to reconstruction funding - and that the money is actually spent, so that Iraqi citizens receive basic services, such as electricity and clean drinking water, which are currently lacking for so many.

As President, Hillary will appoint a special counsel to investigate where Iraq ’s oil profits are going and how reconstruction funds are being spent - or not spent. She will ensure that reconstruction funds are spent wisely before providing the Iraqi government with more.  Combat the Black Market in Oil to Dry Up Funds for the Insurgency. Corruption and stolen oil sold on the black market constitute a critical funding source for the insurgency.

As President, Hillary will boost joint U.S.-Iraqi efforts to combat corruption and protect the oil supply. She will direct her Secretary of Defense to plan a nationwide U.S.-Iraqi crackdown on oil black marketers, ensuring that U.S. and Iraqi personnel have the resources and manpower necessary.

This effort will be designed to disrupt lines of funding for the insurgency, to increase stability, and to reduce attacks on our troops during the withdrawal. Hillary will direct the U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction to conduct regular reports on corruption in the oil industry. She will be prepared to withhold portions of aid if the Iraqi government does not show meaningful results in its anti-corruption efforts.

Finally, Hillary will double the funding for oil pipeline exclusion zones, which prevent illegal tapping and attacks on pipelines; and she will also provide resources to stop cross-border smuggling of black market oil.   III. A New Regional Diplomatic Initiative   Enlist the International Community to Stabilize the Region. Our allies and friends in the region all have a stake in a stable Iraq . Until now, in part because of the way the Bush Administration has behaved, they have gotten a free pass. No longer.

As President, Hillary will have a unique opportunity to reach out to our allies and partners in the region and press them to take greater responsibility for what happens in Iraq . She will hold a major regional stabilization conference early in her Presidency. This group will be composed of key allies, other global powers, and all of the states bordering Iraq , including Iran and Syria . The mission of this group will be to develop and implement a strategy to create a stable Iraq . In advance of that meeting, Hillary will confer with our treaty allies as well as our friends in the region to coordinate policy before gathering with the larger group of nations. One of her first international meetings as President will be with these leaders, including Saudi Arabia , the Gulf States , Jordan , and Egypt , as well as our European allies in order to push for greater responsible action towards Iraq , including more assistance. This will send a strong signal of our country’s determination - as we draw down our forces - to ensure that the rest of the world plays its part in stabilizing Iraq . Hillary will then convene a regional stabilization group composed of key allies, other global powers, and all of the states bordering Iraq .

The mission of this group will be to develop and implement a strategy to create a stable Iraq .  Provide for Refugees. As our forces redeploy out of Iraq , Hillary will also organize a major international effort under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to address the needs of Iraqi refugees. The UN will also play a role, helping to deal with the resettlement of refugees and others displaced from their homes, a number which now exceeds four million. With the price of oil at record levels, the government of Iraq now has considerable financial resources available.

As President, Hillary will also press the UN to establish a mechanism by which some of those Iraqi funds could be used to feed, clothe, shelter, and otherwise provide for these millions of refugees. Addressing the upheaval caused by this displacement will facilitate a smoother exit and a less risky end to the war.   IV. A Champion for Veterans   When our troops come home, we must make sure they receive the care and respect that they deserve.

When Hillary is President, she will make sure that every member of our armed forces will receive a fair shot at the American Dream when their service is over. She will ensure that every veteran in America will have health care. She will work so that every veteran receives the benefits they have earned and the assistance they need - right from the start. And she will make sure no soldier ever loses a bonus because he or she has been injured in service.

As President, Hillary will:  Enact a GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century. Hillary will enact a GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century that will resurrect the spirit of the original 1944 GI Bill and offer service members, veterans and their families with expanded education, housing and entrepreneurial benefits. Her plan will guarantee equal access for all components of the Armed Forces — Active, Guard and Reserve — that have deployed overseas in support of a combat operation since September 11 or served two years of active duty since September 11. She will fund undergraduate education for service members, as well as education for specialized trade or technical training, and certification and licensing programs. She will make GI educational benefits transferable within families. She will expand the VA Home Loan Guaranty program to allow veterans to use low-interest, no-fee loans to purchase, build or improve a home valued up to $625,000. She will establish a Veterans Microloan Program to provide veterans with no-collateral, low-interest microloans of up to $100,000 for entrepreneurial ventures.  Provide Affordable and Quality Health Care for All Veterans.

As President, Hillary will ensure that all of the 1.8 million uninsured veterans in this country have access to quality, affordable health care. She will restore the Clinton-era policy that opened the VA’s excellent and cost-effective health care system to all veterans who seek to enroll. She will make a long-term commitment to the VA system to ensure it is adequately funded and has the capacity to avoid backlogs and to handle greater enrollments. And she will provide coverage through the American Health Choices Plan to all veterans who choose not to use the VA system.  Ensure All Veterans Receive the Benefits They Have Earned and the Assistance They Need — Right from the Start. As President, Hillary will commit to getting a fair, accurate, and timely decision for every veteran filing a disability claim.

She will increase the number of qualified VA evaluators to reduce the backlog of claims. She will provide fast-track training for new claims specialists and expand the Benefits Delivery at Discharge Program to smooth the transition from service to discharge for all those who serve our country.  

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!