Blackwater under fire in U.S. Congress
Lawyer Blogs
[##_1L|1333078476.jpg|width="140" height="135" alt=""|_##]U.S. security contractor Blackwater, under investigation over deadly incidents in Iraq, defended its role there on Tuesday, but lawmakers took aim at the company's actions in a Sept. 16 shooting in which 11 Iraqis were killed. Blackwater founder and former Navy SEAL Erik Prince said in in testimony prepared for the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that his staff acted "appropriately" on that day in a very complex war zone.
"There has been a rush to judgment based on inaccurate information, and many public reports have wrongly pronounced Blackwater's guilt for the deaths of varying numbers of civilians," Prince said in the testimony.
"Congress should not accept these allegations as truth until it has the facts," added Prince.
Iraq's government has been strongly critical of Blackwater and has called the shooting incident a crime.
Committee chairman Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, said there were serious questions about Blackwater's performance and that the Sept. 16 shooting was just the latest in a number of "troubling" incidents.
"Is Blackwater, a private military contractor, helping or hurting our efforts in Iraq," Waxman asked in his opening statement.
"Blackwater will be accountable," he added.
Blackwater, which has received U.S. government contracts worth more than a billion dollars since 2001, is under intense scrutiny over its security work in Iraq, where Prince said the North Carolina firm had about 1,000 personnel.
The hearing comes amid growing questions over the role of private contractors in Iraq and whether the U.S. government relies too heavily on outsiders to perform jobs traditionally done by the military.
Related listings
-
US Supreme Court begins new term
Lawyer Blogs 10/01/2007[##_1L|1237711842.jpg|width="180" height="122" alt=""|_##]The US Supreme Court begins a new term Monday, which usually remains in session from October through June, has already accepted to review a complaint lodged on behalf of detainees held at the ...
-
Michigan Lawmakers Try to Avoid Shutdown
Lawyer Blogs 09/30/2007[##_1L|1183841170.jpg|width="120" height="93" alt=""|_##]Lawmakers trying to avoid a partial government shutdown were taking a short break early Sunday from brokering deals on tax increases and other measures aimed at plugging a budget deficit. The L...
-
FDIC Shuts Down NetBank Due to Defaults
Lawyer Blogs 09/28/2007[##_1L|1235484269.jpg|width="101" height="102" alt=""|_##]NetBank Inc., an online bank with $2.5 billion in assets, was shut down by the government on Friday because of an excessive level of mortgage defaults. It was the largest savings and loan fail...
Illinois Work Injury Lawyers – Krol, Bongiorno & Given, LTD.
Accidents in the workplace are often caused by unsafe work conditions arising from ignoring safety rules, overlooking maintenance or other negligence of those in management. While we are one of the largest firms in Illinois dedicated solely to the representation of injured workers, we pride ourselves on the personal, one-on-one approach we deliver to each client.
Work accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes permanent damage. Some extremely serious work injuries can permanently hinder a person’s ability to get around and continue their daily duties. Factors that affect one’s quality of life such as place of work, relationships with friends and family, and social standing can all be taken away quickly by a work injury. Although, you may not be able to recover all of your losses, you may be entitled to compensation as a result of your work injury. Krol, Bongiorno & Given, LTD. provides informed advocacy in all kinds of workers’ compensation claims, including:
• Injuries to the back and neck, including severe spinal cord injuries
• Serious head injuries
• Heart problems resulting from workplace activities
• Injuries to the knees, elbows, shoulders and other joints
• Injuries caused by repetitive movements
For Illinois Workers’ Compensation claims, you will ALWAYS cheat yourself if you do not hire an experienced attorney. When you hire Krol, Bongiorno & Given, Ltd, you will have someone to guide you through the process, and when it is time to settle, we will add value to your case IN EXCESS of our fee. In the last few years, employers and insurance carriers have sought to advance the argument that when you settle a case without an attorney, your already low settlement should be further reduced by 20% so that you do not get a “windfall.” Representing yourself in Illinois is a lose-lose proposition.