Congress Wants to Curb War Contractors

Source: Associated Press

Congress wants to curb war contractors
By Anne Flaherty, Associated Press Writer | October 1, 2007

WASHINGTON --Emboldened by the Blackwater scandal, congressional Democrats are moving aggressively to tighten the reins on private contractors in Iraq. The House will consider a bill this week by Rep. David Price that would make all contractors subject to prosecution by U.S. courts. This would close what he says is a dangerous loophole that leaves State Department contractors immune to prosecution.

In the Senate, lawmakers passed a $672 defense policy bill on Monday that would require detailed administration reports on the government's reliance of security contractors. The bill also would establish an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in wartime contracts. The political developments come as the FBI announced it will investigate the role Blackwater USA played in the Sept. 16 shoot-out in Baghdad that killed 11 Iraqis.

The Blackwater allegations "have the potential to become a flashpoint in terms of Iraqi antagonism toward U.S. personnel, with wide-ranging implications for our mission and our troops," wrote Price, D-N.C., in a recent letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"There is no question that the lack of clarity surrounding the legal options for prosecuting criminal acts has significantly undermined our efforts in Iraq," he added.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/10/01/congress_wants_to_curb_war_contractors/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News

Target they needed to be concerned with.

F^ck /em

* will always trump Congress because they are too weak, lack direction and have no plan. "You can't touch me!"

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" . . . minutes after a car bomb exploded outside a financial compound which the State Department official was visiting,"
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What the hell is a "financial compound"? Place where bribes are paid? Vault to hold war profiteering hoards? Drugs for Dollars program? Illegal arms to the enemy proceeds depostitory?

Also, why is State Dept there? Why is nobody asking these questions? Who is that knocking at my door? what i

No immunity? Oversight? Elimination of fraud and waste?

Miltary Industrial Complex no like. Congress bad.

In the Senate, lawmakers passed a $672 defense policy bill on Monday that would require detailed administration reports on the government's reliance of security contractors. The bill also would establish an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in wartime contracts. The political developments come as the FBI announced it will investigate the role Blackwater USA played in the Sept. 16 shoot-out in Baghdad that killed 11 Iraqis.