You're currently reading an archived version of Jim Hightower's work.
The latest (and greatest?) observations from Jim Hightower are only now available at our Substack website. Join us there!
George W fanaticizes that he’s the George Washington of Iraq, a great military leader who mounted his mighty white steed and brought democracy to the people there.
Well, the Iraqis recently got a sense of just how limited George the Great’s democracy is. When some heavily-armed paramilitary agents working for the private military contractor, Blackwater, went on a Rambo-style shooting spree that left 11 innocent civilians dead in Baghdad – the people and their elected officials were furious that trigger-happy corporate mercenaries feel free to gun people down. Iraq’s prime minister promptly ordered Blackwater and its privatized troops out of the country.
Enjoying Hightower's work? Join us over at our new home on Substack:
That’s when Bush-the-Democracy-Bringer reminded the sovereign leaders of Iraq that… well… um… uh… the Iraqi government has no authority over the military contractors that are loose on their land. Specifically, Order No. 17, issued in 2004 by the American occupying authority, gives Blackwater, Dyncorp, Triple Canopy, and other corporate forces immunity from Iraqi laws. Nor are they subject to U.S. military law.
Imagine how George Washington and other leaders of the new American government would have felt in 1791 if they learned that the Continental Congress had quietly issued an order exempting the British East India Company from U.S. laws. If corporations are immune from the people’s authority, a country has neither a democracy nor sovereignty.
Still, the people of Iraq should be grateful to George the Great. While he stiffed their democratic authority by decreeing that Blackwater must remain there, he did magnanimously allow the appointment of a 16-member, joint U.S.-Iraqi commission to investigate Blackwater’s killing of the civilians.
Of course, commissions are where truth is taken to be strangled. And we’ve seen from our own 9-11 commission and the report of Iraq Study Group how much respect Bush & Company has for the findings of such commissions.
“Iraq: Blackwater is needed,” Austin American Statesman, September 24, 2007
“U.S. Contractor Banned By Iraq Over Shootings,” The New York Times, September 19, 2007
“Iraq orders US security firm out of country,” Boston Globe, September 18, 2007
“Iraqis: Video proves Blackwater at fault,” Austin American Statesman, September 23, 2007
“Mercenaries in cross hairs after killings,” Austin American Statesman, September 23, 2007