Security Firm’s License Is Pulled in Iraq

By SABRINA TAVERNISE

BAGHDAD, Sept. 17 — The Iraqi government said it had revoked the license of Blackwater USA, a private security company that provides protection for American diplomats across Iraq, after shots fired from an American convoy killed eight Iraqis.

Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a spokesman for Iraq’s Ministry of Interior, said the authorities had canceled the company’s license and barred its activity across Iraq. He said the government would prosecute the deaths, though according to the rules that govern private contractors, it was not clear whether the Iraqis had the legal authority to do so.

“This is a big crime that we can’t stay silent before,” said Jawad al-Bolani, Iraq’s interior minister, speaking on satellite television. “Anyone who wants to have good relations with Iraq has to respect Iraqis.”

The incident took place on Sunday in Nisour Square, an area in western Baghdad that is clogged with construction and concrete blocks. American officials said that a convoy of State Department vehicles came under fire, causing one to break down. It was towed. The officials did not say whether any of the convoy’s security guards fired back or whether they worked for Blackwater.

Shortly before the incident, a car bomb had detonated some distance away, according to an Interior Ministry official, and mortars had landed in an Iraqi Army base that has guard towers overlooking the square. A grocery shop owner, Abu Muhammad, reported seeing two helicopters firing down into the area, apparently reacting to the nearby explosions...[Open in new window]

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Maybe Blackwater could get a contract guarding the staff of the Weekly Standard or AIPAC.

But that would mean people were starting to ' connect the dots', as they say. It's starting to happen but it's not yet a widespread phenomena.

Where's Cheney today? How's he doing? Working on his ' bomb Iran' plan? Somebody needs to take that boy's temperature, he's running kind of hot these days. Think?