End the Blackwater madness

 In Action Alert, Afghanistan, Iraq

Refusing a rape victim her day in court. Callously shooting a defenseless nine-year-old boy. Diverting hundreds of AK-47s intended for Afghan police to someone posing as a character from “South Park.” Using tax dollars to pay for prostitutes.

If only that were the end of the list. The sins of private military contractors like Blackwater – essentially hired guns — are seemingly endless, and I know you are as angry as I am that our tax dollars are funding this outrageous behavior.

Write your representative and senators today and urge them to cosponsor the Stop Outsourcing Security Act so our hard-earned money can stop lining the pockets of these callous, reckless corporations.

The percentage of contractors used in the war in Afghanistan is the highest ever in history. The surge of 30,000 troops approved by President Obama will be dwarfed by the accompanying 56,000 contractors expected to flood into the region. If we can’t fight wars with our own military, maybe it’s a sign we shouldn’t be in the wars in the first place.

How much worse do things have to get before our government draws the line? Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) have had enough. They’ve introduced the Stop Outsourcing Security Act, which would prohibit the use of private contractors for military and security functions. Tell your representative and senators to cosponsor today.

Mohammed Kinani, whose nine-year-old son was killed by Blackwater employees in the Nisour Square shooting in Iraq, told The Nation “I wish the US Congress would ask [the head of Blackwater] why they killed my innocent son…. Do you think that this child was a threat to your company? This giant company that has the biggest weapons, the heaviest weapons, the planes, and this boy was a threat to them? I want Americans to know that this was a child that died for nothing.”

Let’s make sure Congress listens and puts an end to this taxpayer-funded madness. Our government can’t excuse this behavior, and they can’t ignore a public outcry if it’s loud enough. Take action.

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