Blackwater Founder Assembling Secret Mercenary Army for UAE
UAE Confirms Hiring Erik Prince, Declines to Offer Details
For the second time this year, Blackwater USA founder Erik Prince has been tapped as the leader of a secret military being formed in the desert. In January he was reportedly at the head of a “anti-piracy milita” in northern Somalia. Now, he is in the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE confirmed Prince’s hiring, saying he was providing “operational, planning and training support” for them, but offering no additional details. Documents leaked regarding the deal with Prince’s new company, Reflex Responses, confirm that he is building up a new mercenary army for the emirates.
The mercenary force is largely composed of Colombians and reportedly also features a number of South African mercs who were involved in the Executive Outcomes corporate army of the 1990′s.
Officially the reason for the new mercenary army is “anti-terrorism” operations, but the force is also confirmed to be created to deal with “internal unrest.” A number of other nations in the region have faced pro-democracy uprisings in recent months, and the United Arab Emirates even provided troops to help Bahrain crush theirs. The UAE itself, however, seems to be taking no chances that its own military won’t be willing to crush similar demonstrations, and is preparing the mercenaries primarily as a force with no local ties which would have no qualms about opening fire on demonstrators to secure the regime’s control.
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Jamal
May 15th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
What do you expect from a mercenary company to build for a tyrant dictatorial regimes.., a peace core with bandage in their left arm marking Christianity…? The story of Adolph Prince goes back to Iran affairs.., when the state department and US militarism regime were short of mercenaries. Hillary Clinton and others have and hade a good relation with this man.., now that Arab Emirates and Saudis are involved acting to create momentum for their time.., using Muslims Brotherhood and its affiliated terrorists groups in Libya.., so the idea which started in State Department and Pentagon has grown to become a army of mercenaries helping labor department showing less unemployed numbers in US and perhaps in EU.., helping the tyrants in middle east creating wars helping uncle Sam the capitalist.., this is the nature of capitalism.., militarism is its last resort to be.., Adolph Prince is like father like son.., so don’t blame him he was brought up as a mercenary by the generals.
the lion
May 15th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Mr. Prince should realise that mercenaries have NO protections of Geneva but they are also cosidered instant War Criminals including himself.
Gadaffi in Libya is in fact facing this as we speak for his using Tauregs and other Mercenaries alledgedly members of the Libyan Military to kill Libyan civilians!
beeboltwu
May 16th, 2011 at 12:24 am
They are doing copy-cat from Qadhafi who is paying top $$$ for mecenaries.
ghouri
May 16th, 2011 at 3:42 am
fine new terror problem from black water in emirats and that country will be destroyed like Irak, Pakistan and afghanistan.
Roger Lafontaine
May 16th, 2011 at 6:39 am
They're always telling us how wonderful capitalism is for democracy. Now we have 'capitalist' armies to suppress the people who are demanding more democracy. If capitalism has to choose between $ and freedom it will always choose $.
Joe
May 16th, 2011 at 4:17 pm
I think it is a mistake to talk about blackwater as a private company. Despite whatever rhetoric might get said they are acting in cooperation with our government. It has long been our policy to arm foreign dictators through "private" contractors, especially where doing so ourselves might be embarrising politically.
Obama supports this UAE mercenary force