Guess who is fulfilling a military role for the US in Pakistan.
At a covert forward operating base run by the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, members of an elite division of Blackwater are at the center of a secret program in which they plan targeted assassinations of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, "snatch and grabs" of high-value targets and other sensitive actions inside and outside Pakistan, an investigation by The Nation has found. The Blackwater operatives also assist in gathering intelligence and help direct a US military drone bombing campaign that runs parallel to the well-documented CIA predator strikes, according to a well-placed source within the US military intelligence apparatus.
The source, who has worked on covert US military programs for years, including in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has direct knowledge of the program. He spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity because the program is classified. The source said that the program is so "compartmentalized" that senior figures within the Obama administration and the US military chain of command may not be aware of its existence.
The White House did not return calls or e-mail messages seeking comment for this story... [emphasis added]
Inserted from <The Nation>
I realize that every nation carries out covert intelligence operations that are more distasteful than any of us might like to acknowledge. If the US had the opportunity to assassinate or grab Osama, I’d be the first to say, “Go for it!” However, to entrust such sensitive operations the Blackwater, the GOP SS, given their record for anti-Muslim bigotry and casual disregard for human life, is unconscionable.
10 comments:
It's no different than when Bush was in charge and it may be worse and probably is. We have lost control of almost everything.
Just wait 'til democracy kicks in, everything will be cool.
Shame on Obama for giving those guys more contracts.
Graves you swine. ;-)
Fly and Stimson, this is not a new contract. This is left over from the Bush/GOP Reich.
This is no secret. The New Yorker did a piece on this. You can read the whole article here. Here is a direct quote from the article:
It’s surprising, but the Obama Administration has carried out as many unmanned drone strikes in its first ten months as the Bush Administration did in its final three years.
Interesting...
Josie, thanks for the link, but this article is not about the drone attacks. It's about covert ground forces from Blackwater.
And TC... MadMike and I talked about how the 'war' in Afghanistan should be 'intelligence' fought...
like opps...
that slipped downward, didn't it?
Good post! Even though it just further reveals that there is no really good Intelligence community up and operate these days.
Oh, let's not forget that Blackwater/Xe or whatever they call themselves these days are also taking K's (contracts) from the Pakistanis. So, whomever pays more money apparently wins. It's all over their media over there, but here no go. Hmm, wonder who's within the circle of 'know'. Certainly not our famous Prez....
Same thing. They're connected.
"The Blackwater operatives also assist in gathering intelligence and help direct a US military drone bombing campaign that runs parallel to the well-documented CIA predator strikes, according to a well-placed source within the US military." intelligence apparatus.
Gwen, Mike has a good had on his shoulders. Many of the top people in the intelligence communityb quit during the Bush/GOP Reich due to ethical considerations.
Lisa, a President's advisors have a unique ability to isolate him due to the intensity of his schedule.
Josie, the 'ALSO assist in gathering intelligence and help direct a military drone...' part was known. The main thrust of the article, assassinationa and kidnapping missions was not known or mentiopned in the Times article.
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