Reed Altemus - BLACKWATER STAMPS

Reed Altemus - BLACKWATER STAMPS
Originally uploaded by jim leftwich

The stamp is about the current Blackwater scandal: Blackwater is a private military contractor with thousands of personnel in Iraq. On September 16 there was an incident where a car carrying two Iraqi civilians got too close to a vehicle carrying diplomats guarded by Blackwater security. This set off the Blackwater mercenaries who basically responded with extreme and deadly force spraying bullets in all directions and the result was 17 Iraqi civilians were killed. One woman was shot 17 times. This brought into sharp focus the role of private military contractors in Iraq so it was in the news for about a week. The Iraqi government called it murder which is exactly what it was (not that there aren't similarly unconscionable civilian murders every day in Iraq by American military personnel) and asked that Blackwater leave Iraq. They did not ask that all private contractors (there are several) leave Iraq which is what they should have done. Also, they asked $8million for each of the families of the victims which was almost immediately paid by Blackwater (who can easily afford it because as government mercenaries they rake in the bucks). The payments are being investigated now. Also, Blackwater began leaving Iraq yesterday. But the point of my stamps is: how can you put a price on a human life (Jim Leftwich says that is "an obscene concept")? Also these the Blackwater guards involved should be brought to justice for cold blooded murders they committed. And that's where the story is right now (I haven't read the paper yet today…)

Please use these stamps on your mail... Reed Altemus 10-23-07