Petaluma, Calif.

When you combine all the information about Blackwater that Scahill is researching and putting together for US citizens, with the power the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 (HR 1955 and S. 1959) would give to our government to limit/eliminate political speech rights and permit government suppression of dissent, we end up with a recipe for disaster here in the US. Everything seems to be in place for our 230-year experiment in representative democracy to go "poof." Our fear of another terrorist attack on US soil is clouding our common sense, making us so afraid of one event that we're oblivious to the already-happening attacks on our constitutional rights. Brings to mind how livestock is distracted as they walk up the ramp to be kindly killed for mass consumption.

"Global stabilization professionals," indeed. These are government-sanctioned thugs employed by a powerful corporation whose ability to grow and to continue to be competitive relies on global and domestic instability.

Wake up, America! This is not security. This is terrorism on steroids!

Linda Carpenter Sexauer
12/10/2007 @ 11:49am

Jacksonville, Fla.

Mr. Scahill's knowledge, eloquence and courage were effectively demonstrated in the open conference phone call and Internet conversation with KvH, which I was fortunate to be invited to hear.

His laudable investigative journalistic watchdogging serves an invaluablely necessary function, placing him at the top ranks of heroic truthtellers of the People's History.

_¡Es verdad! _¡Muchas gracias, señor!

Lew Welge
The Nation is Us (at UF)
12/06/2007 @ 9:42pm

Riverside, Calif.

These organizations are staffed by people from many countries, and any foreign intelligence service can easily penetrate them. While private enterprise may be stupid enough to hire these people, they are an accident waiting to happen for any government who uses them. There will be more incidents similar to what happened in Iraq, and they will continue to screw up our foreign policy. These incidents may be a product of their on stupidity, or a foreign government's idea. They are basically another militia that sells itself to the highest bidder. They lack the organizational skill, chain of command, or experience of regular armies, and failure is guaranteed.

Pervis J. Casey
12/06/2007 @ 1:50pm