Former Blackwater seeks new owner

Source: AP

RALEIGH, N.C. — The security firm formerly known as Blackwater is looking for new ownership, announcing Monday it is pursuing a sale of the company that became renowned and reviled for its involvement with the U.S. government in Iraq and elsewhere.

The Moyock, N.C.-based company now called Xe Services announced its decision in a brief statement that gave few details.

"Xe's new management team has made significant changes and improvements to the company over the last 15 months, which have enabled the company to better serve the U.S. government and other customers, and will deliver additional value to a purchaser," the statement said.

Owner and founder Erik Prince said selling the company is a difficult decision, but constant criticsm of Xe helped him make up his mind.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jGoLr0X2GGT-Q71ueMw9WC1eMoEgD9G6N5601

Mercenaries can go back to placing ads on "Soldiers of Fortune".

And why isn't Prince in prison?

you haven't seen snarly and chimpy around lately have you?

Dick Cheney's former corrupt Halliburton that helped destroy the Gulf along with Iraq and Afghanistan!

I'd buy it just to own all the records. Plus to keep it out of the hands of whoever the hell ends up buying it. Plus, hey, what pacifist couldn't use an army of mercenaries?

Unfortunately, I don't think I can get away with making the suggestions.

You were thinking "just in case of zombie apocalypse" weren't you?

:shrug:

I think he would really like to own his own army. He'd never use his own money and would sneak off before the liability became apparent, but he would buy them in a heartbeat if he had one.

come back soon, under a different corporate identity, when the crumbs are ripe again.

hmmm

Source: AP

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- After years of bad publicity and a failed attempt to re-brand its image, the security firm formerly known as Blackwater has put itself up for sale, according to a late Monday report from the Associated Press.

"Performance doesn't matter in Washington, just politics," Erik Prince, the owner and founder of the Moyock, N.C., firm that now calls itself Xe Services, said in a prepared statement, according to the AP.

Finding a buyer is expected to take several months, the AP reported.

The announcement comes about three months after Xe sold its aviation division to Wood Dale, Ill., AAR Corp. /quotes/comstock/13*!air/quotes/nls/air (AIR 17.97, -0.33, -1.80%) for $200 million.


Read more: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/former-blackwater-dogged-by-its-past-is-for-sale-2010-06-08

---

It will probably get bought by a private equity firm.

There was a time in American history where the likes of Eric Prince would spend the rest of his life in jail.

Like, when FDR appointed Harry Truman to hunt down and kill war profiteers during WW2.

Now that the corporations that need war to make big money are running our government, that doesn't seem likely to happen, does it?

-90% Jimmy

perhaps the American people should pitch in and buy it - then totally dismantle it and put it completely out of business.

That would be better then letting it fall into the hands of some rich Arab sheik.

is nothing more than a thug who enjoys all things related to death and killing. He serves no good.

Now the owners will sell out and use the profits to buy politicians who will create another "opportunity" for them.

Business as usual in the hell of protofascist crony capitalism.

Your "performance" requires murdering innocent women & children. To the 9th ring of hell asshole.

Source: Raw Story/AP

Sayonara: Blackwater puts itself up for sale

By The Associated Press
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 -- 10:16 am

The security firm formerly known as Blackwater is looking for new ownership, announcing Monday it is pursuing a sale of the company that became renowned and reviled for its involvement with the U.S. government in Iraq and elsewhere.

The Moyock, N.C.-based company now called Xe Services announced its decision in a brief statement that gave few details.

"Xe's new management team has made significant changes and improvements to the company over the last 15 months, which have enabled the company to better serve the U.S. government and other customers, and will deliver additional value to a purchaser," the statement said.

Owner and founder Erik Prince said selling the company is a difficult decision, but constant criticsm of Xe helped him make up his mind.


Read more: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0608/blackwater-puts-sale/

it isn't even worth that much. :puke:

and hoping to avoid legal actions for their war crimes.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/former-blackwater-dogged-by-its-past-is-for-sale-2010-06-08?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Security contractor formerly known as Blackwater is for sale

<snip>

The announcement comes about three months after Xe sold its aviation division to Wood Dale, Ill., AAR Corp. /quotes/comstock/13*!air/quotes/nls/air (AIR 17.77, -0.20, -1.11%) for $200 million.

Xe and Prince, a former Navy SEAL who attended the Naval Academy, have been in the political hot seat since 2007 when several of its guards on contract in Baghdad opened fire on civilians and killed 17 people.

Though charges against the guards were later dropped, the incident outraged the Iraqi government and led to the U.S. State Department revoking the company's license to operate in the country.

Last year Baghdad removed the immunity from prosecution U.S. security contractors enjoyed under a military accord with Washington.

But Xe continues to attract the wrong kind of attention. Last month the New York Times reported Gary Jackson, the former president of Blackwater, tried to bribe Iraqi officials to "silence their criticism" following the fatal Baghdad shooting.

More recently, Jackson and four other former executives were indicted on charges of conspiring to violate federal firearm laws, the AP said.

.

The company formerly known as Blackwater has tried, with only limited success, to shed its tainted name. So now, “Xe Services LLC” is embracing the Blackwater brand, and opening a series of retail stores under the infamous guns-for-hire moniker.

At the Blackwater Pro Shops in Fayetteville, North Carolina and Salem, Connecticut, you can “purchase clothing and equipment emblazoned with the logo,” the Solider Systems blog explains. ”If that doesn’t get your blood pumping you can also try out your new firearms at their indoor range.”

There’s already an online store selling all sorts of swag — from a “BW Cosmopolitan Pilsner Glass” to a rifle. Maybe they’ll get really smart and leverage the awesome logos that Danger Room readers designed for ‘em a few years back.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/06/retail-guns-for-hire-blackwater-opens-storefronts/

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/06/07/7-things... /

Blackwater/Xe already operates several U.S. resorts and theme parks. Now they’re embarking on a new commercial venture: “Blackwater ProShops,” retail stores set to open in Connecticut and North Carolina offering everything from mouse pads to lube for your giant gun, all stamped with the Blackwater logo (”Xe” was too cuddly).

1. This mousepad, which proves that killing is exactly like a video game

2. This poster of a glorious, heroic bear battling an angry cloud. It instantly gives the owner’s life meaning and direction.

(In case you can’t read the inspirational tagline, here’s what it says: “When dark evil strides across the land, and even noble hearts shrink in fear, there are always warriors of pure spirit who take up the sword and stand their ground.”) Has a more apt description of Blackwater ever been penned?

3. This dainty pink Blackwater hat. That’s for chicks.

4. A DVD instruction course on shooting, which is exactly how everyone should learn to handle deadly weapons.

5. A cool pin commemorating the founding of a joint Blackwater/U.S. government.

6. This giant fucking gun.

7. Lube.


The above link has images of the items

A whole step beyond santorum.

I just HAVE to get some, to clean out the bottles and repackage coconut oil or something...

Isn't anyone going to suggest employee ownership?

I mean, how else can we fight corporate armies except with a co-op army?

Source: Grand Rapids Press

Want to buy Blackwater? Now's your chance
Published: Wednesday, June 09, 2010, 12:34 PM Updated: Wednesday, June 09, 2010, 12:36 PM
Troy Reimink | The Grand Rapids Press

Got a pile of money and an appetite for publicity? Xe Services, formerly known as Blackwater, could be yours. The controversial firm, founded by Holland native Erik Prince, is up for sale.

Why? Pick your reason. The private security company's recent attempt at rebranding following the 2007 killings of 17 Iraqi civilians was unsuccessful, says the New York Times:
"Blackwater, which changed its name to Xe Services and brought in new management last year in order to remake its image, is pursuing a sale in part because that overhaul has failed to change perceptions of the company, most critically inside government, which is its main customer."

Too much criticism, says Prince, whose brief statement read, "Performance doesn't matter in Washington, just politics."

Jeremy Scahill, reporter for the Nation and author of "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army," said the announcement is consequential but doesn't change the big picture:
"There is no doubt Erik Prince maintains deep contacts within the US military and intelligence community, but the Blackwater name is mud. Despite the rebranding efforts, Blackwater has remained Blackwater. The sale of the company would undoubtedly represent the end of an era. But Blackwater did not rise to prominence in a vacuum and it did not create the demand for the kinds of forces and services it offers. Even if Erik Prince leaves the mercenary game, Blackwater will continue on--almost certainly under a different name and, it seems, new ownership."

Read more: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/06/want_to_buy_blackwater_nows_yo.html

and turn them into the http://www.firstearthbattalion.org/">First Earth Battalion.

Once they have your 1.00 they'll give you an assets and liability report. That's when you find out the jokes on you. You bought life long bankruptcy for 1.00.

:-( :P

I was one of the 12 glowing golden being they encountered on the astral plane in the real thing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFqBTSvBPAU">Project Stargate out of Ft. Meade Maryland. Unfortunately we had to feed JM to the beast to keep him earth bound. Devoured by the darkness. Poor lil Psychonaught. When we say leave and never return here in this way we mean it.

Sorry.

I laugh that Prince thought that would work.

when things go wrong. "Well, we fucked up royally, time for a new PR campaign. That should take care of it."

Right.

after it was revealed that Erik Prince was some kinda hitler-esque Muslim extermination freak spending piles of our tax dollars?

This bogus operation needs to be shut down, not sold to the highest torturer.