A Brief History
On September 16, 2007, Americans and Iraqis found out just how dangerous it is when nations hire private “security,” basically mercenaries, during time of armed conflict. Agents of Blackwater Worldwide, a paramilitary “security” firm employed by the US in Iraq gunned down 17 Iraqi citizens, an event called “Nisour Square massacre.”
Digging Deeper
The incident brought international shame on the US, and only after seven years were the perpetrators tried, one convicted of murder and three of manslaughter. After finally saving some moral high ground with the convictions, in 2020 President Trump pardoned all four mercenaries!
The bad press over the massacre led Blackwater to change their name to Xe Services LLC, and then to Academi, and again in 2014 to Constellis Holdings. The company was involved in numerous incidents of wrongful shootings and other shady behavior while in Iraq, including allegations of being used by the CIA to assassinate and torture Iraqis.
Note: Not just Blackwater/Constellis has been accused of misdeeds in Iraq while employed by the US government, but other military contractors have likewise generated complaints of misdeeds, including rape, while supposedly serving the US military. The Russians also had a serious problem with their private army of mercenaries, called the Wagner Group, which almost pulled off a coup against the Kremlin!
Question for students (and subscribers) to ponder: Should the US employ private military contractors?
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Lerette, Morgan. Guns, Girls, and Greed: I Was a Blackwater Mercenary in Iraq. Recorded Books, 2024.
Rice, Barrie “Baz.” We Were Blackwater: Life, death and madness in the killing fields of Iraq – an SAS veteran’s explosive true story. Biteback Publishing, 2023.
