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Quote :

"regular people can...you can get a class 3 permit...however, just like BW, you are subject to random searches of your property...you essentially sign over your constitutional right to prevent illegal search and seizure"

*cough*unConstitutional*cough*

9/19/2007 8:32:32 PM

blatantly unconstitutional

but they tell you you're giving up that right...thats just the way it is right now

9/19/2007 8:43:49 PM

i don't care if they pay you money and give you a blowjob while they are at it, it's still unConstitutional, since the gubment is forcing you to give up one Constitutionally protected right in order to utilize another Constitutionally protected right.

9/19/2007 8:45:41 PM

should you be able to have a cruise missile? is that protected by the 2nd amendment? not saying i disagree with you, but where do you draw the line? if class 3 weapons were really easy to get they'd get stolen and it'd be a scary country

9/19/2007 9:03:40 PM

They do, and it is.

9/19/2007 9:25:25 PM

^^ where do I draw the line? With the Constitution. Should I be able to get a cruise missile? I'm leaning towards [yes]

9/19/2007 11:04:18 PM

would you feel comfortable if John Q. Mailman and Tyrone G. Thuggins had cruise missiles?

That would also mean cruise missiles for Ahkmed M. Sleepercell

[Edited on September 19, 2007 at 11:22 PM. Reason : .]

9/19/2007 11:21:20 PM

so, then we should ban all firearms as well, because that means John Q. Mailman, Tyrone G. Thuggins, and Ahkmed M. Sleepercell also wouldn't have them, right?

oh, and btw, those were the worst fake names ever

9/19/2007 11:26:13 PM

nope. no middleground. impossible. black or white. those are the only choices.

9/19/2007 11:29:56 PM

in this case there need be no middle ground, because any "middle ground" blatantly infringes upon the Constitutionally protected right of citizens to bear arms. The purpose of the 2nd amendment was to ensure that the citizenry could throw off the yoke of an oppressive government if the need arose. Moreover, an armed citizenry would also help keep the government in check. If we interpret the 2nd Amendment to only protect "guns," then its purpose is defeated, as mere guns would be insufficient to fight against the US gov't now, should the citizenry ever deem it too oppressive to bear.

9/19/2007 11:36:15 PM

I'm content bearing arms without owning any cruise missiles

9/19/2007 11:38:26 PM

that's fine. just don't go around infringing on any one else's right to bear cruise missiles and we are good.
I'm fine not being a Muslim, but I'm not going to make it illegal for anyone else to be a Muslim...

9/19/2007 11:47:30 PM

How did this degenerate into a discussion about cruise missiles?

I don't miss State.

[Edited on September 21, 2007 at 2:28 AM. Reason : ]

9/21/2007 2:26:45 AM

Quote :

"John Q. Mailman, Tyrone G. Thuggins, and Ahkmed M. Sleepercell"

all those bonghits have really paid off with Twistas clever and creative abilities.

9/21/2007 3:08:12 AM

they're not supposed to be clever, they're supposed to get the point across without offending pussy faggots like you

9/21/2007 9:10:41 AM

psych!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/09/21/blackwater/index.html

9/21/2007 12:52:22 PM

Sweet! The Iraqi government has no power within their borders, and we're keeping it that way.

9/21/2007 12:55:39 PM

apparently (and unrelated to the shooting incidents), Blackwater is currently being investigated by the Feds for illegally smuggling weapons into Iraq... weapons that have found their way to various insurgent groups.

the Raleigh office of the FBI is investigating and has at least two Blackwater employees who are "cooperating" in exchange for sentence reduction.

9/22/2007 2:15:53 AM

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/18/iraq/main3271151.shtml

Click the "Videos" tab--and watch.

9/22/2007 3:25:43 AM

i like how the US/Blackwater version of the incident, that they were ambushed in a firefight -- heavily disputed by numerous witnesses -- is "supported" by a cartoonish CGI animation as an illustration.

kind of reminded me of the WMD "evidence"

9/22/2007 4:05:15 AM

^ CBS created the animation. If it's phony, it kind of reminds me of those phony documents that Dan Rather cooked up about Bush. STFU, you fucking troll.

9/22/2007 4:09:18 AM

who loves you, baby?

9/22/2007 4:35:50 AM

^ Yeah, I know--you kiss it out when you've got nothing.

9/22/2007 4:38:43 AM

Quote :

"and how come they can carry automatic weapons when regular people cant?"

b/c they live in a fucking war zone dumbass.

I have done contract work here in Iraq, and I can tell you the only way you'd get my weapon is from my cold dead hands.

I say let the investigation run its course, then react accordingly. will blackwater get kicked out? no. will the people involved get kicked out if found their actions were wrong? sure.

kneejerk reactions are no good.

Plus the military had plenty of people before defense cuts in the 90s drew down the armed forces. I know a lot of BW guys, and most of them are ex-SF, ex-SEAL, ex-Force Recon, or former law enforcement officers (usually SWAT). Everyone that I've met have been complete professionals and completely competent; and most (like me); are just doing some time making some money for retirement, children, better life. Is the pay good? Damn right. But the risk is very high, obviously.

From all my time here, nearly every function here in Iraq is supported by contract civillians; and not just US citizens, but Iraqi civillains as well, who are getting paid more now than they ever have.

9/22/2007 3:29:47 PM

Quote :

"apparently (and unrelated to the shooting incidents), Blackwater is currently being investigated by the Feds for illegally smuggling weapons into Iraq... weapons that have found their way to various insurgent groups. the Raleigh office of the FBI is investigating and has at least two Blackwater employees who are "cooperating" in exchange for sentence reduction."

http://www.newsobserver.com/nation_world/blackwater/story/712566.html

This is actually an N&O-sourced story. I was reading the BBC and they said it was from the News & Observer! The N&O does research stories...who knew?

Two Blackwater employees have pleaded guilty in Greenville and are cooperating with the feds.

Quote :

"Two sources familiar with the investigation said that prosecutors are looking at whether Blackwater lacked permits for dozens of automatic weapons used at its training grounds in Moyock. The investigation is also looking into whether Blackwater was shipping weapons, night-vision scopes, armor, gun kits and other military goods to Iraq without the required permits. U.S. law demands close attention to who ships weapons -- and to whom they are shipped. The weapons-smuggling investigation was mentioned in a letter sent Tuesday to State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard by Rep. Henry Waxman, a California Democrat who for years has been investigating wrongdoing by private contractors in Iraq. (snip) In January, the prosecutors obtained guilty pleas from two former Blackwater employees, Kenneth Wayne Cashwell of Virginia Beach and William Ellsworth "Max" Grumiaux of Clemmons, in Forsyth County. The men and their lawyers either refused to comment or did not return calls. The court files are stingy on details of the crimes: The men each pleaded guilty to possessing stolen firearms shipped in interstate or foreign commerce. Barrett, the prosecutor, has twice delayed the men's sentencing because of the help they are providing in the ongoing investigation. "

Blackwater statement:

Quote :

""Allegations that Blackwater was in any way associated or complicit in unlawful arms activities are baseless. The company has no knowledge of any employee improperly exporting weapons. When it was uncovered internally that two employees were stealing from the company, Blackwater immediately fired them and invited the ATF to conduct a thorough investigation. The employees, who were former Marines and law enforcement, have been convicted and are currently negotiating sentencing in Raleigh with federal prosecutors." "This issue is completely unrelated to Blackwater U.S. Government programs in Iraq.""

By the way, Blackwater is based in Moyock, North Carolina. It's up in Currituck County and is a 30-minute drive from Norfolk.

[Edited on September 23, 2007 at 10:23 PM. Reason : .]

9/23/2007 10:19:29 PM

^message_topic.aspx?topic=495278

no one wanted to post in my thread though

9/23/2007 11:33:19 PM

i kind of wanted to.... i just dont have anything to add on this topic yet. you should know better than to try and fork an already-successful thread, anyhow. (especially since i had already referenced the incident before you even tried to fork it)

Quote :

"This is actually an N&O-sourced story. I was reading the BBC and they said it was from the News & Observer!"

Nice. I read the same N&O credit in an AP story here on the Left Coast.

my News and Disturber homeboys are makin' me proud





[Edited on September 24, 2007 at 12:51 AM. Reason : ]

9/24/2007 12:49:45 AM

9/24/2007 11:48:44 AM