Blackwater too mercenary even for the mercenaries

Matt Stoller points out that Blackwater USA, is now out of the International Peace Operations Association.

Blackwater USA has ended an inquiry into the private security contractor's performance by withdrawing from an industry group that initiated the review after the company's guards were accused of killing 17 Iraqis in Baghdad last month.

The International Peace Operations Association said in a statement Friday that Blackwater withdrew its membership two days after the group decided to examine whether the contractor's "processes and procedures" complied with the group's code of conduct.

Why would Erik Prince pull his private armed forces out of the one group that is working to legitimize private military contractors? Could it be he's afraid of what they'll find?

J.J. Messner, the association's director of programs and operations, would not cite a specific episode that prompted the group's decision. Messner said Blackwater representatives initially agreed such a review was appropriate. He would not say why the company decided to sever the relationship.

You have to approach this with a certain amount of relativism. The IPOA membership list contains a variety of private military contractors from logistics suppliers to armed security operators. The effort is to provide legitimacy to mercenary armies and present themselves as a better option than state-provided armies to UN peacekeeping and security operations. The code of conduct issued by the IPOA is voluntary for member companies but, in the case of an association review, any report would include where a company under review did not meet those voluntary standards.

Given that Blackwater is under a cloud already and is being investigated by the US Congress, the last thing Erik Prince would want is a negative report from a mercenary trade association.

LadyBroadoak provides even more as people are starting to realize that Blackwater is run by little more than a Christian fundamentalist war lord.

And then there is Blackwater's 2007 Christmas card.

A Christmas wish that Christ’s great love,
His grace and goodness, too
May fill your heart and bless you now
and all the whole year through

May the Lord Jesus truly bless you during this wonderful season
as you rejoice with family and friends

Blackwater Worldwide

Yeah. I know. Don't let the incongruity ruin your day.