Blackwater Faces Hefty Fine for Iraq Gun Violations

Gary Jackson, 4 others allegedly stockpiled arms

(AP) - The former president of Blackwater Worldwide and four other former officials at the embattled security firm were indicted today on federal weapons charges, partially the result of a raid 2 years ago by agents that rounded up 22 weapons, including AK-47s. The indictment charges Gary Jackson, who left the company last year in a management shakeup, with conspiracy to violate firearms laws, false statements, and possession of an unregistered firearm. More»

(NEWSER) - Two former Blackwater employees accused company founder and CEO Erik Prince of murder in statements filed in federal court this week, the Nation reports. The former guards, including an ex-Marine, say Prince may have either killed or facilitated the killing of operatives probing the security contractor's Iraq operations. The investigators were working on behalf of the federal government, according to the workers. They also accuse Prince of smuggling illegal weapons into Iraq and condoning the killing of civilians. More»

State Dept. calls renewal 'moot' after Iraq denies operating license

(AP) - The State Department said Friday it will not renew Blackwater's contract to protect American diplomats in Iraq when it expires in May. A department spokeswoman said the contract will lapse because of the Iraqi government's decision to deny Blackwater a license to operate, amid lingering outrage over a 2007 shooting incident in Baghdad that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead. More»

Commission offers proposals to improve management of contracts

(NEWSER) - The US has basically flushed $30 billion down the toilet, according to a bipartisan commission looking into the money spent on contracts and grants in Iraq and Afghanistan. It found that at least one out of every six dollars spent in the last 10 years has been money wasted. In a report to be submitted to Congress Wednesday, the commission finds that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were begun “without adequate planning or contract-management personnel to handle the enormous scale and numbers of contracts,” write the group’s heads. And just as much money could go to waste all over again if the countries’ governments can't or won't maintain US-funded programs after we leave: The report cites $300 million we spent on a power plant that the Afghan government lacks the funds and expertise to run as an example. More»

'Criminal behavior and blatant corruption' a bad combo with 'ill-conceived projects'

(NEWSER) - The US has misspent “tens of billions of dollars” on contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan—at minimum—according to a new report from a bipartisan commission set up to scrutinize the issue. The report bemoaned problems like “ill-conceived projects,” “poor planning and oversight by the US government, as well as poor performance on the part of contractors,” and even “criminal behavior and blatant corruption,” according to the Atlantic . More»