What did Blackwater do in Iraq?
The Nisour Square massacre occurred on September 16, 2007, when employees of Blackwater Security Consulting (now Academi), a private military company contracted by the US government to provide security services in Iraq, shot at Iraqi civilians, killing 17 and injuring 20 in Nisour Square, Baghdad, while escorting a …
What is Blackwater military?
Blackwater USA (renamed Xe in February 2009 and Academi in December 2011) is a North Carolina-based professional military, law enforcement, security and peacekeeping operations company. Blackwater was founded in 1997 by Erik Prince, a former U. S. Navy SEAL.
Who are Blackwater guards?
The four guards – Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, Dustin Heard and Nicholas Slatten – were part of an armoured convoy that opened fire indiscriminately with machine-guns, grenade launchers and a sniper on a crowd of unarmed people in a square in the Iraqi capital.
Are mercenaries legal in the US?
No U.S. law currently restricts or prohibits U.S. persons from serving in a foreign mercenary force. Only the U.S. government is restricted from hiring mercenaries under what is known as the Anti-Pinkerton Act of 1893.
Is private military legal?
Private military contractors (PMC) play a major role in the fields of gathering intelligence, training security ambitions, technical and technological support and transporting needs in conflict zones and all around the world. However, mercenaries are banned by international laws while PMCs are considered legal.
What is Blackwater worth?
Providing nearly 1,000 guards for bases and embassies abroad, Blackwater became the State Department’s largest private security company….Erik Prince Net Worth.
| Net Worth: | $2 Billion |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth: | Jun 6, 1969 (52 years old) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Profession: | Entrepreneur, Businessperson |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
Are mercenaries legal in war?
The use and recruitment of mercenaries are legally forbidden by the 1989 International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. A mercenary is defined as any person who is specially recruited locally or abroad in order to fight in an armed conflict.
Are there mercenaries today?
Recent years have seen major mercenary activity in Yemen, Nigeria, Ukraine, Syria, and Iraq. Many of these for-profit warriors outclass local militaries, and a few can even stand up to America’s most elite forces, as the battle in Syria shows. The Middle East is awash in mercenaries.
When did the Blackwater incident happen in Iraq?
On Sept. 16, 2007, private security guards working for the firm Blackwater Worldwide were escorting diplomats with the U.S. State Department through Baghdad, Iraq, when they got into a firefight that left 14 Iraqis dead and 18 others injured.
How many US troops are involved in Blackwater?
The Blackwater mess has roiled Capitol Hill and shined light on the many questions surrounding the legal status, management, oversight and accountability of the private military force in Iraq, which numbers more than 160,000 — at least as many as the total number of uniformed American forces there.
Why was Blackwater considered exempt from Iraqi law?
Secondly, the murky legal status of the contractors meant they might be considered exempt from Iraqi law because of a mandate left over from the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. governing authority in Iraq that was dissolved more than two years prior.
Who was involved in the Blackwater Brookings battle?
At some point in the 20-minute gunfight, Iraqi police and army forces stationed in watchtowers above the square also began firing. Other Iraqi security forces and Blackwater quick-reaction forces soon reportedly joined the battle.