Who or what is Xe?
According to the Nation magazine Blackwater has changed its name to Xe. Why should that be necessary?
Challenges to Blackwater have come thick and fast as this privately owned organisation has become embroiled in America's wars. Deaths of Iraqi civilians has led to individuals suing Blackwater/Xe and so a gagging order is being sought by the firm to silence families of victims and their lawyers. Blackwater protests that making information known will compromise security of the individuals it is employed to protect. Other opinion is that the company is conducting unlawful activities in its areas of operations of which Iraq is just one. I used to watch a series of westerns under the name of Wells Fargo with images of stage coaches with armed guards and outriders shooting it out. The U.S. seems to have spread that culture worldwide! The difference is that Wells Fargo was supposed to uphold the law (whether it did or not is another matter) whereas Blackwater/Xe look as if they are involved in a cover up.
It is not only Iraqi citizens who have paid the price in this privatised war, Blackwater staff and other mercenaries have been killed, even executed. What compensation their families receive is yet another question to be asked. We know that the Bush administration was deeply involved with members involved on their board of management.
Posted by John Tyrrell at July 24, 2009 9:11 AM
