Question about the govt, and blackwater?

Question

Why is it so BAD if you support the govt, and blackwater? The way my professor said theyre the good guys along with our military and CIA, they're the ones that make sure we sleep tight at night. so I ask once more why is it so bad to support the govt, blackwater?

Answer 1

i find the use of private contractors such as blackwater very offensive. most of the contracts awarded to companies such as blackwater, have not been done in accordance with the usual rules for contracting with the usa. there is the appearance that many contracts have been awarded simply on cronyism, which raises the possibility of kickbacks to the government authority awarding it.  because rules have not been followed, we cannot know we are getting the best services for the best price.  taxpayers may indeed be paying far too much.  there have been charges that services provided by some contractors are not adequate, and may endanger the safety of our troops.  govt officials, including military officers in iraq, have complained the contracts are not written so as to give them the ability to monitor and control the services delivered by the contractor. in particular, there was a dangerous situation created by blackwater operatives in iraq a while back. there is some disagreement about particulars, but it seems a consensus that a vehicle full of armed blackwater soldiers opened fire on civilian iraqi citizens in a public area, killing many and endangering more.  most reports are that the iraqis offered no provocation and were unarmed.  blackwater says they "thought" the iraqis were "going to".... military leaders in iraq complained they had no authority to supervise or command the  blackwater soldiers. there was no disciplinary action against the soldiers and since there was no public hearing on the internal blackwater investigation, the public still does not know what i think it is entitled to know.  the actions of these mercenaries increased iraqi hostility (the iraq government was furious and did complain to our government)  this hostility in turn endangers our troops who are then the inadvertant targets of revenge from angry people who feel grievously wronged and with no punishment to wrongdoers. the hostility may have fostered an atmosphere even more favorable to terrorism, which endangers us all.         things are rarely black and white and it is increasingly difficult to discover the truth in this complex world.  but the privatizing of government functions, like contracting military services from a mercenary organization such as blackwater, opens the door to government and private corruption.  farming out government functions to private companies also lessens the government's authority to ensure the quality, kind, timeliness, etc. of services delivered.  i very much question that it has saved any tax dollaars and suspect it has cost more and we've received less.  with the exception of the documented shooting of civilians in iraq, i make these remarks as a generalization of the entire recent practice of subcontracting government functions to private business and do not wish to single out blackwater..  in ww2 there was a great scandal when the public started complaining about price-gouging and shoddy work by private businesses paid wih tax dollars to help gear up for the war. a special government commission(headed by future pres truman) was created to investigate and stop the abuse of tax dollars.  billions of dollars in tax money was alleged to have been wasteful use of tax dollars.  there are times when governments must, of course, purchase goods and services from private enteprise.  but as the truman commission discovered, tight controls must be in place to protect the american taxpayer.  the commision made a number of recommendations to congress in  regard to this need, but the restrictions and rules were evidently suspended in the rush to the war in iraq.  my opinion is that was yet another problem created by poor planning on the part of this administration.  i love and support my country.  but i think it is my right and RESPONSIBILITY as a citizen to protest, criticise, etc. the government of my country when i think it is not serving the country and its citizens as it should.  was it good for the germans to support hitler in the holocaust and agressive take over of other nations during ww2.  was it good for iraqis to support saddam hussein as he went about killing citizens who disagreed with him or who belonged to a different muslim sect than he did?  the leaders of every country are just people.  they may be bad, or they may be good but mistaken.  civil disabedience is a proud tradition in america.  remember the american revolution when a bunch of us didn't like our government was doing and decided to rebel?  your teacher is evidently fully supportive of the policies of the current government in washington, his right to have whatever opinion he wants. but i'm troubled that he is evidently teaching that you don't support your country if you don't support its present leaders and their policies.  the government of america is a government of "we, the people" and we all have responsibilties to educate ourselves and participate in the governing of our country by voting, running for office, defending, an