Is Blackwater being used in black ops in Iraq?

There is admittedly nothing special about the mercenary military firm, Blackwater, illegally smuggling weapons and related material into Iraq. The company is said to be facing large fines for having been caught around 900 times violating US State Department authorization prohibitions relating to the export of weapons or other technologies. The latest case, however, is a little bit different: Blackwater is being investigated for illegally shipping to Iraq assault weapons and silencers, hidden among sacks of dog food. Former CIA officer John Kiriakou has questioned the need for silencers by Blackwater and is quoted as saying that “the only reason you need a silencer is if you want to assassinate someone”. These latest revelations go some way toward confirming the suspicion of observers that, aside from security missions, the US is using Blackwater for certain black ops in Iraq. [JF]

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