Potential prosecution of Blackwater guards allegedly involved in the shooting deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians last month may have been compromised because the guards received immunity for statements they made to State Department officials investigating the incident, federal law enforcement officials said yesterday. -- WAPO
This is fucking bullshit. Where the hell does the State Department get the authority to grant immunity? Just the sort of bullshit that I would expect completely incompetent Condi Rice to come up with. Hauptsturmführer Prince must be happy as a pig in shit. That was money well spent. Its no problem if you are a friend of George Bush.
Scooter Libby granted immunity.
ATT and the other Telecom companies about to be granted immunity.
Did these guys get immunity?
On December 21, 2006, the U.S. military charged eight Marines in connection with the incident.[6] Four of the Marines, Frank Wuterich, Sanick de la Cruz, Justin Sharratt and Stephen Tatum were accused of unpremeditated murder. Tatum was further charged with negligent homicide and assault, while de la Cruz was also charged with making a false statement. Squad leader Frank Wuterich was charged with 12 counts of unpremeditated murder. -- wiki/Haditha_killings
The U.S. Department of Defense removed seventeen soldiers and officers from duty, and seven soldiers were charged with dereliction of duty, maltreatment, aggravated assault, and battery. Between May 2004 and September 2005, seven soldiers were convicted in courts martial, sentenced to federal prison time, and dishonorably discharged from service. Two soldiers, Specialist Charles Graner, and his former fiancée, Specialist Lynndie England, were sentenced to ten years and three years in prison, respectively. -- /wiki/Abu_Ghraib
To be clear, I don't think any of them should get immunity from prosecution. But if we are talking about who should get a break. I damn sure don't give a flying fig about some $500,000 a year mercenary who is accountable to no one and does nothing to help us accomplish the mission in Iraq. Nothing.
Well, God Save the King... what was it that Pete Stark said? The amusement of the president, sounds about right.
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