The Mercenaries Previously Known as Blackwater

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

First it was Blackwater USA. Then it was Blackwater Worldwide. Now, it's "Xe" (pronounced "Zee"). The private military company has repeatedly tried to re-brand, after numerous controversies from the killing of civilians in Nisoor Square in Baghdad; to its no-bid contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan and New Orleans, post-Katrina; to its hiring troops with ties to repressive regimes, like that of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. The company says its latest name change is meant to reflect a new focus. Blackwater / Xe spokesperson Anne Tyrrell said, "We've taken the company to a place where it is no longer accurately described as Blackwater." Its subsidiaries also have new names: Blackwater Airships is now Guardian Flight Systems, Blackwater Target Systems is GSD Manufacturing, and Blackwater Lodge and Training Center is the U.S. Training Center. The company has also shed its famous (or infamous) bear-paw and crosshairs logo. The new head of Blackwater / Xe, Gary Jackson, told employees, "Xe will be a one-stop shopping source for world class services in the fields of security, stability, aviation, training and logistics," reports the Wall Street Journal.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, February 14, 2009
Topics: 
Crisis Management
Corporations
War / Peace

Comments

Anonymous replied on

Tragic company but more pressure needs to be applied to them, and squirming out of their "Blackwater" brand may only draw more attention. I've posted this to http://twitter.com/earthintelnet for the 501c3 non-profit org I am executive director for.

Anonymous replied on

A skunk by any other name still stinks!

Anonymous replied on

Mercenary thugs by any other name...
still Blackwater

I hope someone is still tracking their illegal and brutal behavior- whatever their new disguise...

Anonymous replied on

A Google search for "xe" turns up 103 million hits, almost none of which are about Blackwater. Clearly the name "Xe" was chosen because it will remain lost in a sea of terms with "xe" as a substring. Years from now it will be very difficult to find information about them, unless the old name Blackwater sticks when writing about them. I'm surprised they didn't choose "The" for their new name.

Kerecem replied on

Thanks, for the good articles ...I am very intiresting.. evden eve nakliyat

Anonymous replied on

While mercenary, violence for profit corporation Blackwater has changed its name to some allegedly cool, two-character element from the periodic table (Xe), their mission and worldview remains the same. Their contract with the State Department is good until May 2009, they're still positioned on our Mexican, US land and oceanic borders in hopes of gaining that sole source border militarization contract I'm sure they're lobbying for (go Womble Carlisle!), and they're training both military and civilian personnel on how to ignore rules of engagement and take full advantage of excessive deadly force. And don't forget Blackwater is operating in both Afghanistan and Pakistan as well.

Despite owning and operating their own intelligence company, there was sheer stupidity on their part when they failed to do their homework to find out that they'll likely be sued for trademark infringement. Would you hire these guys to do your corporate intelligence and spying? Prospective customers beware!

A Stop Blackwater Conference will be held from April 24-27, 2009 in Stockton, Illinois. More information about Na-Xe.

Anonymous replied on

I think the men and women of Blackwater are heros who have put there lives on the line for the US on numerous occasions and all you clueless retards should wake up and realize that just because you have the "right" to yap about what you "think" you know happened and or happens in Iraq or any other part of the sandbox over here... maybe you should just buy a plane ticket and join the fight or shut the hell up.

Anonymous replied on

Our "real heroes" that risk their lives protecting the U.S. are Americans sworn in under the U.S. Military and Government.

A privatized, military contracting business, like Xe (formerly Blackwater), employ people from around the globe. They are "rent-a-soldiers" who will fight for any country's highest bidder. Blackwater is purely interested in massive bottom-line dollar amounts to please their shareholders.

Our brave U.S. soldiers to not receive multi-million dollar pensions. Many privatized militaries like Xe/Blackwater do. Blackwater/Xe is a multi-billion dollar business. Spare us with the idealogue rant. Xe is a profit driven entity. Mercenaries held by multi-national shareholders don't care who wins...as long as there is war somewhere, there a large profit to be made by them. No ideology required.

Pres. Eisenhower warned the American people the dangerous path of high-profit driven, corporate military contracting before he left office.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY

U.S. taxpayers pay for those Gov't contracts to other privatized militaries like KBR, whose shoddy construction of U.S. Marine showers ultimately led to Marine deaths. The Marines shower were not grounded and electrocuted our real heroes in uniform, sworn to fight for the U.S.. All the while, the private military contractor KBR's contract stated they could not be held responsible for their constructions.

Maybe these billion dollar accounts with private militaries like Xe and KBR should be spent on our own U.S. military men and women in uniform. Maybe for things like: Walter Reed V.A. or better equipment for our U.S. soldiers like body armor and I.E.D. resistant transport.

Blackwater are ultimately heroes to their shareholders.

Anonymous replied on

I think any reasonable person will acknowledge the bravery, good intentions, and heroic behavior of many members of Blackwater. Heroism is not in question. The concerns surrounding Blackwater are as such, and they are very real and reasonable concerns;
1. First, and with the most difficulty, you have to understand the propaganda machine of the United States. If you can not acknowledge it exist then this entire exchange is in vein. U.S. Propaganda is so voluminously documented though that to deny its existence would be the equivalent of denying that the sun rises each day.
2. You have to be aware that heroes are often used by people seeking power for reasons you and I would likely agree are not humanistic reasons.
3. A corporate paramilitary force poses a huge threat to the foundations of a society of people who desire peaceful freedom. You have to use your imagination to understand the serious threats this can pose to us as human beings not belonging to Blackwater.

With all do respect, you should rethink your statement regarding 'joining the fight or shutting the hell up'. You are essentially telling people to follow and do not ask questions...THAT is THE most dangerous behavior in the world. It is the root of EVERY genocide that has ever occurred. I would simply ask you to think more and be less emotional and insulting.

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