Stop using private armies

A national coalition of groups opposed to Blackwater, now called Xe, have called on Congress to investigate the U.S. Justice Department's handling of the criminal case against the Blackwater operatives alleged to have been responsible for the 2007 Nisour Square massacre.

A federal judge threw out the case alleging prosecutorial misconduct. The justice department bungled the case so badly that it appears they may have deliberately sabotaged the prosecution.

The Nisour Square massacre happened on Sept. 16, 2007. Blackwater guards, protecting a convoy of vehicles driving through Baghdad, opened fire and killed 17 Iraqi civilians and wounded 24 others. A U.S. Army investigation, an FBI investigation and an Iraqi government investigation all concluded that the shootings were unprovoked.

When the Judge Ricardo Urbina threw out the case, he did not rule on the merits of the case itself. But he made it clear that the prosecution had built their case on material that they had been warned would fatally damage the case.

Millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have gone to contracts with Blackwater, and many other millions have gone to pay for investigations into some of their activities.

The Illinois-based group No Private Armies, www.noprivatearmies.org, joins this call for an investigation. We also call upon Congress to support legislation, sponsored by Jan Schakowsky, which would phase out the use of private military companies in conflict zones. If you agree with us, please call Sens. Durbin and Burris and Congressman Foster and say so.

Mary Shesgreen

Elgin