Jeremy Scahill Testifies on Defense Contracting, 5.10.2007

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There are over 120,000 private contractors currently deployed in Iraq and yesterday, a House panel put some of the harshest criticisms of this privatization of war into the congressional record for the first time. The House Appropriations subcommittee on defense held a hearing on Thursday about defense contracting. Testifying before the panel was journalist Jeremy Scahill and filmmaker Robert Greenwald.

Jeremy is a Democracy Now! correspondent and an investigative reporter for The Nation magazine. He is author of the book "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army." In his opening remarks, he spoke about the lack of oversight of the tens of thousands of contractors deployed in Iraq.

Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: May 11, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Author: mediagrrl9

Length: 00:05:48
Rating: 4.91
Views: 34696

Tags: Blackwater mercenary contractors Iraq Erik Prince Scahill profiteers

Video Comments:
djtwostroke (August 11, 2008 at 4:07 am)
this isn't a war, how do you state to this?? this is a "war" against terrorism, terrorism is an idea how do you fight against that. You who are cheering the war are cheering your own downfall.
Ron Paul viva la revolution!!
dieyoubastards (August 29, 2008 at 10:08 pm)
The war against military forces in Iraq was over in a week.
That was fascist aggressive war.
Now it is admittedly nothing less than occupation, genocide and plunder.
"Terrorism" is a manufactured enemy necessary for smooth function of the fascist state.
Fascist dictatorships throughout history have staged thier own 9/11's to gain support for foriegn aggression and civil martial law.
As a Ron Paul supporter, I thought you would have been more informed.
grassyknollkiller (July 23, 2008 at 7:43 pm)
Hmmm...only 6 deaths caused by Blackwater 'mercenaries" in just 2 months?
But where is the liberal outrage at far more deaths in 2 months caused by foreign fighter "mercenaries" of Al Qaeda and muslim religous fanatics that pour across the borders?
Blackwater killing a few Iraq civilians by accident is horrible. But foreign mercenaries blowing up innocent men, women, and children on the street and in the markets is A-OK.
Yea...the typical lib shit, as usual.
luzeos (August 6, 2008 at 4:31 am)
Al Qaeda are not Us contractors or citizens hired by the US. You fucking moron, how the fuck are you gonna compare blackwater to fucking Hajis? huh?? stupid fuck. The point is that these blackwater fucks who break the law should be investigated and held to the UCMJ, and they will.
dieyoubastards (August 29, 2008 at 10:18 pm)
Uh, you are both morons. Al-Queada IS hired by the U.S.
And created, trained, funded and directed along with the Saudis and CIA operative Bin Laden by U.S. intelligence.
Always was, always will be, the Oswalds of 9/11!
And before you call me a kook, look it up, it's all admitted, all documented.
Ignorance of history meets manufacture of opinion!
Wake up you brainwashed masses.
Turn off the game, turn off the movie and do some research!
Your opinions are being manufactured for you!
grassyknollkiller (July 23, 2008 at 7:29 pm)
This is another lib blathering idiot. You never hear these guys talking about the atrocities of the home-grown muslim terroists.
He must then identify with them. He keeps his own wife/girlfriend in the bedroom/kitchen. He probably likes 'honor' killing and female genital cutting. And his bitch has get his permission to leave the home.
butteschool (July 22, 2008 at 4:19 pm)
Do you (guru7846) seriously believe the Osama is the perpetrator of the attack on 9/11? see Zeitgiest Movie (google it and you can watch it for free)

Don't you see?....contract soldier have no allegiance to this country. They are fighting for the money they make. Ok, maybe some are fighting simply because they are sick psychopathic individuals. How long will it be until Blackwater is contracted by some greedy power-hungry faction...oh wait..they already have! It's called "War Profiteering".
dieyoubastards (August 29, 2008 at 10:22 pm)
when Obama becomes commander-in-chief presiding over aggressive war with all the thousands of individual murders, at what point, if he fails to stop it, would you consider him also a war criminal? He already said he would bomb Pakistan, a nuclear power.
mrKurgan1 (July 22, 2008 at 10:59 am)
how old are you? do you have an education? get one you fool...
mrKurgan1 (July 22, 2008 at 10:58 am)
you really don't get it do you? i think you will find that jeremy scahill has done all the research that you will need to understand that the US has a real problem. sadly the problem stems from people (like you perhaps?) who think they have the right to lawlessness during active service. i suggest you do as you preach and get the real answers, you'd be suprised... enough said.