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| Iraq | |
| Rice issues new rules for Blackwater re: diplomatic convoyes | |
| 2007-10-06 | |
She also ordered video cameras installed in Blackwater vehicles. The steps will require the State Department to deploy dozens of additional in-house Diplomatic Security agents to accompany Blackwater guards and are the first in a series of moves Rice is expected to take to boost control of contractors the agency relies on to protect diplomats in Iraq. They are aimed at "putting in place more robust assets to make sure that the management, reporting and accountability function works as best as it possibly can," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack. The measures, which also include recording radio traffic between the embassy and diplomatic convoys and improving communications between those vehicles and U.S. military units in the vicinity, were implemented amid intense criticism of the department's security practices in Iraq and Blackwater's role. They also come as Iraqis and U.S. lawmakers are clamoring for clarification of the now nebulous jurisdiction and authority under which the State Department's private security guards work. On Thursday, the House passed legislation that would place all private government contractors in Iraq under U.S. criminal statutes. The Bush administration has expressed concerns about the proposed amendments but has pledged to work with Congress on improvements before the Senate takes up the bill in coming weeks. The bill's sponsor, Rep. David Price, D-N.C., said Friday that Rice's move was welcome but overdue. "It goes without saying that contract personnel who are armed and authorized to use deadly force ought to be closely monitored," he said in a statement. "The secretary still needs to address the essential question of accountability: How will rogue individuals who commit criminal acts be brought to justice?" In ordering changes, Rice accepted preliminary recommendations from an internal review board she created after the Sept. 16 incident in which Blackwater guards are accused of opening fire on Iraqi civilians in a main square in Baghdad. Blackwater contends its employees came under fire first, but the Iraqi government and witnesses have disputed that, saying the guards opened fire without provocation. McCormack did not say that previous practices lacked proper safeguards to ensure accountability, but said the practices could be enhanced for all the department's private security contractors, including Blackwater. The company, with about 1,000 employees in Iraq, is the largest of three private firms that guard U.S. diplomats in the country. The new rules initially will apply only to Blackwater details because the initial recommendations cover just Baghdad, where the company operates. This could be expanded to include the other two firms, Dyncorp and Triple Canopy, which work in the north and south of Iraq, McCormack said. The United States has not made conclusive findings about the incident, though there are multiple investigations under way to determine what happened. The FBI on Thursday took control of what had been a State Department probe, in part to prepare for the possibility the incident may be referred to the Justice Department for prosecutions. The orders issued Friday were recommended by a separate commission Rice created to look into the Baghdad embassy's overall security practices. McCormack maintained they are not intended to imply that the other investigations have determined Blackwater employees may have violated procedures. The panel is being led by Patrick Kennedy, one of the most senior management experts in the U.S. foreign service. Rice also brought in outside experts, including retired Gen. George Joulwan, a former NATO commander in Europe; Stapleton Roy, a retired veteran diplomat; and Eric Boswell, a former State Department and intelligence official. Kennedy has been in Baghdad for nearly a week. Rice had asked for a preliminary review by Friday. McCormack noted that not all members of Kennedy's team were in Baghdad yet and stressed that Rice's decision to implement changes did not preclude further revisions to security policies. Before Rice's orders, Diplomatic Security agents only accompanied U.S. convoys on an "ad hoc" basis, according to McCormack. Now, at least one agent will be in every convoy, he said. It was not immediately clear how many more agents that would require, but McCormack said it would number in the "dozens." Department officials have refused to say how many Diplomatic Security agents are in Iraq, citing security concerns. In addition, video cameras had not previously been mounted in convoy vehicles as a matter of policy and radio traffic had been monitored but not recorded by the embassy, McCormack said. Rice's orders also mandate that convoys have direct contact with tactical U.S. military teams in their vicinity, he said. "In case there is an incident, we will have an improved capability to ensure that we have all the possible information we can collect to determine exactly what happened," McCormack said. "And, we want to make sure that we have full connectivity, up and down the chain, with the military operating in the area." The State Department has counted 56 shooting incidents involving Blackwater guards in Iraq this year. All were being reviewed as part of the comprehensive inquiry Rice ordered. | |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #7 I've become seriously disappointed with Condi Rice over the last year and a half. She's been a dud as Sec/State. In fact, I'm also beginning to be seriously disappointed with GWB. I think it's a$$-kicking time in Washington - in the legislative branch, in the judicial branch, and most especially in the executive branch. Several (all?) Departments believe they can do what they wish, not what they executive desires. Such unelected decision-making is contrary to our Constitution, and greatly undermines it. That includes a bunch of paper-pushers wearing uniforms in the Pentagon, too. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-10-06 20:33 |
| #6 Mr. Besoeker - point of order. Sec. Rice relies on Asst. Sec. for Diplomatic Security Amb. Griffin to advise her on all matters related to security. PDAS Starr reports to Amb. Griffin and overseas the day to day operations of DSS. Several belly buttons are being pushed (believe me!) but in a pure wire diagram sense, Amb. Griffin is first in line. |
| Posted by: Bangkok Billy 2007-10-06 14:11 |
| #5 It's a contract. Nothing stops either party from terminating the contract. Blackwater could lose money. State can quickly lose influence and power by being isolated leaving DoD to run things. Guess who values what more than the other? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-10-06 08:46 |
| #4 One further comment.... unless I've missed it, please note the absence of any reference or mention of State Department Diplomatic Security liaison person(s) riding shotgun on the incident in question, or any of the other alleged 56 engagements mentioned. No add campaign intended here, but also never mentioned is the fact that while Blackwater has lost over 30 employees, they have yet to lose the first principal. I always enjoy searching for the obviously absent commentary. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-10-06 07:46 |
| #3 In other news: Rice to make automotive seatbelts mandatory in all new cars by 2010. ......duhhhhh, ok the bullshit flag is down. The US State Department Regional Security Officer (RSO) and Diplomtatic Seurity (DS) already have overall responsibility for all contracting associated with with diplomatic security details, to include tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP). If Blackwater's TTP was in error (and nobody has said it was), Rice has one bellybutton to push. His name is Greg Starr, he is the Principal Duputy Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-10-06 07:36 |
| #2 Intresting. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-10-06 03:26 |
| #1 She has authority only over diplomatic convoy/envoy protection. Nothing else. |
| Posted by: newc 2007-10-06 00:13 |