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DoomsdaysCW<p>Michigan native <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a> proposes <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/deportation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>deportation</span></a> plan to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ElSalvador" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ElSalvador</span></a>, report says</p><p>By Justin Engel, Apr. 14, 2025</p><p>"Erik Prince, the former CEO of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> USA and a Michigan native, is among a group of defense contractors proposing to expand plans for deporting <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/immigrants" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>immigrants</span></a> to a prison in El Salvador, Politico reported.</p><p>"The pitch would attempt to avoid <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/legal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>legal</span></a> challenges by designating part of the El Salvador prison system as <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AmericanTerritory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AmericanTerritory</span></a>, the report stated.</p><p>" 'It’s unclear how seriously the White House is considering the plan by Prince, who has drawn scrutiny for his firm’s role in a deadly massacre in Iraq two decades ago,' the Politico report stated. 'But it would give Prince’s group an unprecedented and potentially highly lucrative role in an expanded version of a transnational operation that has elicited its own web of controversies, in part because it has swept up immigrants who do not have criminal records in the United States.'</p><p>"The report coincides with President Donald Trump’s plans to host <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NayibBukele" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NayibBukele</span></a>, the president of El Salvador, at the White House on Monday, April 14.</p><p>"Since March, El Salvador has accepted from the U.S. more than 200 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Venezuelan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Venezuelan</span></a> immigrants — whom officials with President Donald Trump’s administration have accused of gang activity and violent crimes — and placed them inside the country’s notorious maximum-security gang prison. It is also holding a Maryland man who the administration admits was wrongly deported but has not been returned to the U.S., despite court orders to do so.</p><p>"Trump has ties to the family of Prince, an automotive supplier heir from Holland. Prince is the brother of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BetsyDeVos" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BetsyDeVos</span></a>, the secretary of education during the first Trump administration.</p><p>"Prince, a major Republican donor, has been accused of acting as a back channel on behalf of Trump. As Trump was preparing to take office in 2017, Prince met with a official close to Russian President Vladimir <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Putin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Putin</span></a> in the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Seychelles" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Seychelles</span></a>, islands off the coast of east Africa. Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on his Russia investigation said the meeting was set up ahead of time with the knowledge of former White House aide <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/StephenBannon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>StephenBannon</span></a>.</p><p>"Prince soared to notoriety after Blackwater USA employees in 2007 shot and killed <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Iraqi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Iraqi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/civilians" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>civilians</span></a> in Baghdad’s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NisourSquare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NisourSquare</span></a> during the Iraq war, casting a light on the role played by private contractors in U.S. military operations overseas.</p><p>"In the wake of the scandal the company’s name was changed and Prince sold his shares to a private equity fund."</p><p><a href="https://www.mlive.com/politics/2025/04/michigan-native-erik-prince-proposes-deportation-plan-to-el-salvador-report-says.html" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">mlive.com/politics/2025/04/mic</span><span class="invisible">higan-native-erik-prince-proposes-deportation-plan-to-el-salvador-report-says.html</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TripleCanopy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TripleCanopy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OffLeash" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OffLeash</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ProjectVeritas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ProjectVeritas</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Project2025" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Project2025</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TigerSwan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TigerSwan</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Authoritarianism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Authoritarianism</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>Exclusive- <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> supporter <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a> reaches deal with <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Congo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Congo</span></a> to help secure [steal] mineral wealth</p><p>Jessica Donati and Sonia Rolley<br>Thu, April 17, 2025 </p><p>Excerpt: "Democratic Republic of Congo has vast reserves of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/copper" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>copper</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cobalt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cobalt</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/lithium" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>lithium</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/coltan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>coltan</span></a> - a mineral used widely in smartphones, computers and electric vehicles - but has been plagued for decades by violence in its eastern region.</p><p>"The agreement between Congo and Prince initially involved a plan to deploy contractors to Goma, the capital of North Kivu province and the largest city in eastern Congo. But Goma is now under M23 control and that plan has been put on hold. M23 controls tracts of mineral-rich territory.</p><p>"A source close to the Congolese government told Reuters an initial deployment of Prince's advisers was expected to start in the south, far from the area controlled by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/M23" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>M23</span></a> and its allies.</p><p>" 'If you just look at Katanga, if you look at Kolwezi down just off the Zambian-Congo border, they claim that there's like $40 million a month in lost revenue of what's going out and what's coming in,' the source said.</p><p>"A diplomatic source also told Reuters the first stage of Prince's effort in Congo would focus on securing mines and tax revenues in copper-producing Katanga province.</p><p>"One of the sources close to Prince said advisers were expected to deploy with technical experts from a company specialised in testing and inspecting commodities. The advisers would initially target larger mines and expand as revenue collection improved.</p><p>"The source did not provide details on how the advisers would tackle corruption in the sector that has long drained revenue that would otherwise flow to the state.</p><p>"A source in the office of Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said an agreement in principle had been signed with Prince, but the details on where and how many advisers would be deployed remained to be established."</p><p><a href="https://www.aol.com/news/exclusive-trump-supporter-prince-reaches-142935924.html" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">aol.com/news/exclusive-trump-s</span><span class="invisible">upporter-prince-reaches-142935924.html</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TripleCanopy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TripleCanopy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OffLeash" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OffLeash</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ProjectVeritas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ProjectVeritas</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Project2025" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Project2025</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TigerSwan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TigerSwan</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Authoritarianism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Authoritarianism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Colonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Colonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Mining" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Mining</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Pollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Pollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Genocide" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Genocide</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Corruption" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Corruption</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CopperMining" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CopperMining</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MiningPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MiningPollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>Trump allies circulate <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MassDeportation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MassDeportation</span></a> plan calling for ‘processing camps’ and a private citizen ‘<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/army" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>army</span></a>’</p><p>The group, led by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> veteran <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a>, has close <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> ties.</p><p>By Dasha Burns and Myah Ward<br>02/25/2025 05:55 AM EST </p><p>"Prince declined to comment, and the other contractors and former immigration officials listed as key personnel in the document also declined to comment or could not be reached.</p><p>"The founders of the new special entity called <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/2USV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>2USV</span></a> have a long history with the U.S. government. Blackwater was formed by Prince in 1996 to provide training services to law enforcement, military personnel and other government agencies. It gained widespread attention for its work in Iraq and Afghanistan, providing security services for U.S. officials and military personnel, with critics viewing its rise as a result of the U.S. military’s overextension in the Middle East.</p><p>The military contractor came under scrutiny in 2007 following the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NisourSquareMassacre" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NisourSquareMassacre</span></a>, when <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> contractors opened fire and killed 17 Iraqi civilians and wounded 20 others — raising questions about oversight and accountability of private contractors. Several contractors were charged with manslaughter, and four were convicted in 2014. Trump pardoned them at the end of his first term in December 2020.</p><p>"Trump’s pardon was just one example of the influence of Prince’s family during the first Trump administration. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BetsyDeVos" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BetsyDeVos</span></a>, Prince’s sister, served as the president’s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Education" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Education</span></a> secretary, while Prince used his Trump connections as he chased business ventures in the U.S. and abroad.</p><p>"In 2018, he reportedly helped raise money for an effort to spy on progressives and Democratic organizations opposed to Trump." [As well as <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DAPL" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DAPL</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterProtectors" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterProtectors</span></a>!]<br><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/documents-military-contractors-mass-deportations-022648" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">politico.com/news/2025/02/25/d</span><span class="invisible">ocuments-military-contractors-mass-deportations-022648</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SilencingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SilencingDissent</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/USPol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>USPol</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Project2025" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Project2025</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CriminalizingActivism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CriminalizingActivism</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClimateActivists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateActivists</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NoDAPL" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NoDAPL</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Crapitalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Crapitalism</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChristoFascist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ChristoFascist</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateFascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateFascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SilencingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SilencingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClimateActivists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateActivists</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Activists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Activists</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NoDAPL" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NoDAPL</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CriminalizingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CriminalizingDissent</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CrackdownOnProtests" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CrackdownOnProtests</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AntiProtestLaws" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AntiProtestLaws</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateFascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateFascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CharacteristicsOfFascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CharacteristicsOfFascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TripleCanopy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TripleCanopy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SilencingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SilencingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>Dammit! I hate to say, "I told you so," but I TOLD YOU SO!</p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> allies circulate mass deportation plan calling for ‘processing camps’ and a private citizen ‘army’</p><p>The group, led by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> veteran <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a>, has close Trump ties.</p><p><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/documents-military-contractors-mass-deportations-022648" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">politico.com/news/2025/02/25/d</span><span class="invisible">ocuments-military-contractors-mass-deportations-022648</span></a> <br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SilencingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SilencingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Russia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Russia</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Spetsnaz" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Spetsnaz</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NightWolves" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NightWolves</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/authoritarianism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>authoritarianism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NoDAPL" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NoDAPL</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PutinsArmy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PutinsArmy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TripleCanopy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TripleCanopy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateInterests" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateInterests</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterDefenders" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterDefenders</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/StandWithStandingRock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>StandWithStandingRock</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LandDefenders" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>LandDefenders</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOilAndGas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigOilAndGas</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>And of course there's a <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> connection!!!</p><p>HT <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://c.im/@cdarwin" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>cdarwin</span></a></span></p><p>The armed individual who blocked senators from entering federal property bears the insignia of "Triple Canopy", which merged with Blackwater in 2014.</p><p>This is a mercenary paramilitary guard for Musk and his minions. *Anyone wearing this insignia should be considered extremely dangerous.<br><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/spartacus-nemik.bsky.social/post/3lhown2hn4225" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">bsky.app/profile/spartacus-nem</span><span class="invisible">ik.bsky.social/post/3lhown2hn4225</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TripleCanopy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TripleCanopy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SilencingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SilencingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>From 2017: Revealed: <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> Founder <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a>'s Business Ties With <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Netanyahu" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Netanyahu</span></a>’s Disgraced Chief of Staff</p><p>U.S. businessman at center of storm over allegedly setting up back-channel between <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Putin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Putin</span></a> has ties to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AriHarow" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AriHarow</span></a> and an Israeli financier</p><p>by Hagai Amit, Dec 6, 2017</p><p>"His involvement in foreign policy raises eyebrows because of his involvement in Blackwater (now known as <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a>), the multinational security firm that operates around the world. Though he sold the company in 2010, Prince has made a fortune from wars – from <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Iraq" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Iraq</span></a> to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Afghanistan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Afghanistan</span></a>. He has also attracted bad press: In September 2007, Blackwater employees escorting a convoy killed 17 Iraqis. They claimed it was an ambush, but Iraq claimed the killings were unprovoked. The Iraqi government refused to renew Blackwater’s license in 2009.</p><p>"Five years ago, well before anybody predicted Trump’s election, Prince visited Israel and was hosted by Harow. At the time, Harow was a businessman with a private investment fund as well as being chief of Netanyahu’s bureau. Harow tried to interest Prince in investing in Indigo Strategic Capital, a venture capital fund that Harow was co-managing with Dorian Barak.</p><p>"How much Prince invested in Indigo remains unknown, but it is known that through Indigo he invested in the Israeli companies <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NowForce" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NowForce</span></a> (security) and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AgentVi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AgentVi</span></a> (real-time video analytics)."</p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2017-12-06/ty-article/revealed-erik-prince-had-business-ties-with-netanyahus-disgraced-chief-of-staff/0000017f-f754-d460-afff-ff76cb520000" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">haaretz.com/israel-news/2017-1</span><span class="invisible">2-06/ty-article/revealed-erik-prince-had-business-ties-with-netanyahus-disgraced-chief-of-staff/0000017f-f754-d460-afff-ff76cb520000</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceIsAWarCriminal</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IsraeliWarCrimes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>IsraeliWarCrimes</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BibiIsAWarCriminal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BibiIsAWarCriminal</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a></p>
Chuck Darwin<p>The wealth of <a href="https://c.im/tags/Betsy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Betsy</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/DeVos" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DeVos</span></a>, <br>by contrast, comes from a simpler operation: <br>the marketing of what some have called a pyramid scheme that goes by the brand name <a href="https://c.im/tags/Amway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Amway</span></a>. </p><p>Founded by her father-in-law in 1959, Amway distributes home products like dish soap and cosmetics through a network of home-based sellers <br>who are pressured to recruit more sellers in order to earn a bonus on the amount of product the distributor would then sell wholesale to the recruit. <br>That recruit would also be a distributor, looking for recruits of his or her own, in order to sell more products wholesale in order to get that bonus. </p><p>Note the emphasis on recruitment and bonuses rather than the direct-selling to retail customers, <br>who, in the end, were the ones for whom Amway products were ostensibly intended.</p><p>In the business press, Amway is often described as a “multilevel marketing company.” </p><p>In the 1970s, the Federal Trade Commission described its business model as <br>an “inherent fraud,” as historian Rick Perlstein reported in The Nation, <br>and tried to shut the company down. <br>The FTC failed in that effort, but did issue orders in 1979 slapping Amway for price-fixing and misrepresenting the kind of money distributors could expect to make. <br>In fact, Amway was made to tell distributors that they could wind up losing money.</p><p>Three decades later, in 2010, a class action lawsuit by former sellers (um, “distributors”) alleging Amway’s engagement in an “illegal scheme” was settled out of court. </p><p>According to USA Today, Amway agreed to pay $55 million to former distributors, <br>closely oversee high-level distributors who run training businesses, <br>strengthen refund policies <br>and make other changes estimated to cost an additional $100 million.</p><p>In Forbes’ 2016 listing of “America’s Largest Private Companies,” Amway clocks in at number twenty-nine.</p><p>The education secretary, née Elisabeth Prince, did not come into the DeVos family empty-handed. <br>Her own family of origin, while not as wealthy as her husband’s, was quite well-to-do through her father’s enterprise, 💥Prince Corporation💥, itself a privately held company until Johnson Controls bought it for $1.3 billion in cash in 1996. </p><p>Founder <a href="https://c.im/tags/Edgar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Edgar</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Prince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Prince</span></a>, seeking to change the political culture to more closely resemble his own heartless Calvinism, <br>donated, according to Zack Stanton of Politico, “millions in seed funding to launch the <br>💥Family Research Council,” <br>the right-wing organization that represents and organizes politically conservative evangelical Christians, <br>and was famously designated an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. </p><p>Prince’s son, <a href="https://c.im/tags/Erik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Erik</span></a>, used his windfall to found <a href="https://c.im/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a>, the military contractor that went on to infamy when, in 2007, <br>its mercenaries gunned down civilians in a Baghdad city square. <br>Four Blackwater contractors were convicted in 2014 of killing fourteen unarmed Iraqis “in what prosecutors called a wartime atrocity,” according to the New York Times. <br>Blackwater, since sold and renamed <a href="https://c.im/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a>, was also privately held. <br>It enjoyed more than $1 billion in government contracts. <br>In 2010, according to the Washington Post, </p><p>Prince moved to the United Arab Emirates “amid mounting legal problems for his American business.”</p><p>Both the <a href="https://c.im/tags/Mercers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Mercers</span></a> and the <a href="https://c.im/tags/DeVoses" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DeVoses</span></a> pour millions into the political system. <br>You can bet they plan to run the country the same way they have run their companies: using shell games and pyramid schemes, fraud and shakedown.</p><p>According to The New Yorker’s Jane Mayer, <a href="https://c.im/tags/Robert" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Robert</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Mercer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Mercer</span></a> “gave $22.5 million in disclosed donations to Republican candidates and to political-action committees” to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. <br>And that doesn’t include possible donations to nonprofit advocacy groups, now allowed, <br>since the 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, <br>to conduct advertising for and against political candidates. </p><p>But unlike PACs, these nonprofits<br>—classified as “social welfare” groups<br>—are not required to disclose their donors.</p><p>Politico’s Stanton reports that Betsy and Dick DeVos pretty much own Michigan politics, <br>having spent “at least $100 million on political campaigns and causes over the past 20 years.” <br>The DeVoses used political giving and influence to cut funding to public schools and pave the way for a large influx of charter schools, <br>and to see Michigan, home to the once-mighty United Auto Workers, <br>turned into a so-called right-to-work state, <br>an anti-union designation that translates into greater workplace control for business bosses, but few rights for the bossed</p>
hex<p>Now is probably a good time for my US comrades to learn about what <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wagner" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wagner</span></a> is doing in Africa (renamed as <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AfricaCorps" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AfricaCorps</span></a> but really <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AfrikaKorps" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AfrikaKorps</span></a>). <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> (formerly <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a>) will be deployed to support ICE to suppress protests, like they probably were in Portland at the end of Trump's first term.</p><p>But don't rule out Putin sending in Wagner to support Trump if things get wild during this term, perhaps to violently suppress the next anti-police uprising.</p><p>This is less of a "I think this is likely" and more of a "well, anything can happen" type of thing. It never hurts to know more about the world.</p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/uspol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>uspol</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a>’s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a>: The Link Between Donald <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> And Vladimir <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Putin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Putin</span></a><br> <br>By Pieter Howes<br>Published on: 11:18 PST, Apr 3, 2017</p><p>"President Donald Trump just can’t seem to keep his head above water as he treads from one scandal to the next, trying to shake the links to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Russia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Russia</span></a> that keep popping up. But this might just be the skeleton that blows the Trump closet wide open.</p><p>"On Monday, The Washington Post reported that Erik Prince was a key player in a secret meeting with a Russian friend of Vladimir Putin in the Seychelles. The meeting allegedly took place on January 11 after officials from the United Arab Emirates (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/UAE" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>UAE</span></a>) arranged for Prince and Putin’s pal to get together and discuss the possibility of establishing a covert line of communication between Moscow and then President-elect Trump’s White House.</p><p>[...]</p><p>"It is alleged that the reason for the Abu Dhabi prince’s interest in facilitating the meeting was their mutual disdain for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Iran" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Iran</span></a>. Naturally, it seemed beneficial to both parties to try and strike some sort of deal with <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Russia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Russia</span></a> to lessen her ties with Tehran. Enter Blackwater’s Erik Prince and a trip to the Seychelles." </p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://www.inquisitr.com/4117565/erik-prince-link-between-trump-and-putin" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">inquisitr.com/4117565/erik-pri</span><span class="invisible">nce-link-between-trump-and-putin</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RightWing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RightWing</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Dictators" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Dictators</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NeverTrump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NeverTrump</span></a></p>
Father Enoch<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mstdn.social/@knittingknots2" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>knittingknots2</span></a></span> </p><p>Candidate Harris may have "the Swifties," but Traitor Trump has <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Putin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Putin</span></a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Palantir" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Palantir</span></a>, <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Xitter" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Xitter</span></a> and the <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/SupremeCourt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SupremeCourt</span></a> .</p><p>And I would not be remotely surprised if he ALSO had <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a>, formerly known as <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a>, at his disposal as well. I fact I would be shocked if Trump DIDN'T. </p><p>Don't get complacent, and remember; this <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/election" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>election</span></a> is too important for <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Billionaires" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Billionaires</span></a> to be decided by people.</p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>Looks like Erik Prince's SCOTUS whispering worked... jfc</p><p>The Supreme Court effectively abolishes the right to mass protest in three US states</p><p>It is no longer safe to organize a protest in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas.</p><p>By Ian Millhiser Apr 15, 2024, </p><p>"The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will not hear Mckesson v. Doe. The decision not to hear Mckesson leaves in place a lower court decision that effectively eliminated the right to organize a <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MassProtest" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MassProtest</span></a> in the states of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Louisiana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Louisiana</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Mississippi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Mississippi</span></a>, and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Texas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Texas</span></a>.</p><p>"Under that lower court decision, a protest organizer faces potentially ruinous financial consequences if a single attendee at a mass protest commits an illegal act."</p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SCOTUS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SCOTUS</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SLAPPs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SLAPPs</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RightToProtest" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RightToProtest</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FreeSpeech" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FreeSpeech</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CivilDisobedience" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CivilDisobedience</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorruptSCOTUS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorruptSCOTUS</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClarenceThomas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ClarenceThomas</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ImpeachJusticeThomas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ImpeachJusticeThomas</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NoDAPL" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NoDAPL</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Activism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Activism</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>How <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Militaries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Militaries</span></a> Are Transforming <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Agricultural" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Agricultural</span></a> Tech Into Deadly <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Weapons" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Weapons</span></a></p><p>By Max Fenton<br>Sept 26, 2022</p><p>"A subsequent U.N. investigation found that one of [<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a>’s] modified planes was due for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Libya" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Libya</span></a>, which has been subject to an international arms embargo since the outbreak of its brutal 2011 <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/civilwar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>civilwar</span></a>. Known as <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ProjectOpus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ProjectOpus</span></a>, Prince and his associates attempted to sell the modified crop-dusters to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/KhalidHaftar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>KhalidHaftar</span></a>, a Libyan <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/warlord" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>warlord</span></a> and one of the key players in the country’s civil conflict and power vacuum since the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi. The plane was thankfully intercepted in Jordan, where authorities demanded its military assets be removed. The plane later made its way to Cyprus, Balkan Insight reports, which is its last known location as of 2021 and where it may be undergoing mechanical servicing.</p><p>"Though largely foiled, Prince’s plans are a reminder of how <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cropdusting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cropdusting</span></a> planes are especially risky pieces of military technology when it comes to international law and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HumanRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HumanRights</span></a> issues in conflict. Many of the militaries interested in their use are alleged to have committed significant human rights violations in the course of irregular warfare campaigns, and the addition of a highly specialized attack plane to their arsenals may pose grave risks to those caught in the crossfire."</p><p><a href="https://slate.com/technology/2022/09/crop-duster-agricultural-tech-military-conflict.html" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">slate.com/technology/2022/09/c</span><span class="invisible">rop-duster-agricultural-tech-military-conflict.html</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Xe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Xe</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmies</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WeaponizedCropDusters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WeaponizedCropDusters</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AgentOrange" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AgentOrange</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> Founder <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a> Indicted for Arms Sales to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Libya" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Libya</span></a></p><p>By Miriam Raftery</p><p>July 27, 2023 (San Diego) — "The name Erik Prince became familiar to many residents in San Diego’s East County when Blackwater, the private military contracting firm he founded, sought to build a <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/paramilitary" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>paramilitary</span></a> training camp in Potrero.</p><p>"Now Austria has indicted Prince for alleged arms trafficking to Libya in violation of a United Nations arms embargo; at least one shipment of explosives reportedly went through <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Austria" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Austria</span></a> using an Austrian business, BNN reports. Prince is accused of organizing a covert military operation to supply Libyan warlord <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/KhalifaHafter" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>KhalifaHafter</span></a> with war equipment for rebellion against a government backed by the U.S. and the U.N.</p><p>"If convicted, Prince could face up to five years in prison. However, it is unclear whether or not he will be extradited to Austria; Prince holds residency in both the U.S. and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AbuDhabi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AbuDhabi</span></a>. Prince has denied UN allegations of arms peddling to Libya.</p><p>"The local <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Potrero" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Potrero</span></a> project drew massive opposition on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/environmental" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>environmental</span></a> grounds as well as the many controversies involving Blackwater, which Prince was CEO and chairman of at the time. The Harris Fire in October 2007 displaced many residents, but that didn’t stop them from showing up to vote and recall all five community planning group members who had voted for the project, which sparked national news headlines.</p><p>"The 2007 firestorms scorched Round Potrero Valley, where Blackwater planned to store <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ammunition" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ammunition</span></a> and a bunkhouse with 200 men in the box valley with only one exit. </p><p>"Blackwater ultimately dropped plans for the Potrero facility in 2008, ostensibly due to noise mediation requirements, although those had not changed since the project’s inception.</p><p>"Prince, a former Navy Seal before founding Blackwater in 2009, is no stranger to controversy. Three Blackwater guards were convicted in 2014 of manslaughter and another of murder in charges stemming from the massacre of civilians in Baghdad’s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NissourSquare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NissourSquare</span></a> in 2007. In March 2009, Prince resigned as Blackwater’s CEO but remained chairman of the board until the company’s sale in late 2010.</p><p>"Blackwater’s successor company, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a>, was accused of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ArmsTrafficking" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ArmsTrafficking</span></a> in 2012 dating back to when Prince served as CEO and Chairman. Then in 2020, the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FBI" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FBI</span></a> investigated Prince for arms trafficking involving <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cropduster" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cropduster</span></a> planes converted for military use.</p><p>"He moved to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in 2010, where he was hired by the crown prince to organize foreign troops for the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/UAE" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>UAE</span></a> and formed a new firm called <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ReflectResponses" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ReflectResponses</span></a>, or R2. He later trained Somalis in anti-piracy operations with UAE funding.</p><p>"Prince also leads a private equity firm, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FrontierResourcesGroup" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FrontierResourcesGroup</span></a> and until April 2021, chaired Frontier Services Group Ltd., which had various business dealings in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Africa" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Africa</span></a>.</p><p>"Prince also drew controversy over revelations that he lied to the House Intelligence Committee in Nov. 2017 about his involvement in the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> transition team and was at a Trump Tower meeting that allegedly had backchannel communications with a representative of Russian President Vladimir <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Putin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Putin</span></a>. A Special Counsel in 2018 found evidence contradicting Prince, the Washington Post reported. The House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department which announced in 2020 that it had opened an investigation into Prince’s alleged perjury during his testimony.</p><p>"Politically well connected, Prince is the sister of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BetsyDevos" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BetsyDevos</span></a>, former Secretary of Education under President Donald Trump, and has been a major donor to numerous Republican candidates and a Trump-aligned super-pac."</p><p><a href="https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/blackwater-founder-erik-prince-indicted-arms-sales-libya" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">eastcountymagazine.org/blackwa</span><span class="invisible">ter-founder-erik-prince-indicted-arms-sales-libya</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Xe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Xe</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmies</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrinceColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrinceColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TigerSwan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TigerSwan</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>ICYMI - 2010: From <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DemocracyNow" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DemocracyNow</span></a></p><p>The Nation: Docs Reveals <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a>-Linked Companies Provided Intel &amp; Security to Multinationals Like <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Monsanto" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Monsanto</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Chevron" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Chevron</span></a></p><p>September 16, 2010</p><p>“Blackwater’s Black Ops” — that’s the title of an explosive new article in The Nation magazine that reveals how entities closely linked with the private security firm Blackwater have provided <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/security" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>security</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/intelligence" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>intelligence</span></a> services to a range of powerful <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/corporations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>corporations</span></a> over the past several years. The companies include <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Monsanto" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Monsanto</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Chevron" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Chevron</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DeutscheBank" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DeutscheBank</span></a> and others. Blackwater has also provided intelligence and training services to foreign governments, including <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Jordan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Jordan</span></a>, the Canadian military and the Dutch police. We speak with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill. [includes rush transcript]</p><p>"AMY GOODMAN: “Blackwater’s Black Ops” — that’s the title of an explosive new article in The Nation magazine that reveals how entities closely linked with the private security firm Blackwater have provided security and intelligence services to a range of powerful corporations over the past several years. The companies include Monsanto, Chevron, the Walt <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Disney" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Disney</span></a> Company, Deutsche Bank, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Barclays" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Barclays</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RoyalCaribbean" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RoyalCaribbean</span></a> Cruise Lines.</p><p>"Blackwater has also provided intelligence and training services to foreign governments, including the Kingdom of Jordan, the Canadian military and the Dutch police. In 2007, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto worked with Blackwater when she returned to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Pakistan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Pakistan</span></a> to campaign for the general elections. Bhutto was assassinated in December of 2007.</p><p>"The new revelations come from documents obtained by The Nation. They show that Blackwater’s work for corporations and government agencies was contracted using two companies: <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TotalIntelligenceSolutions" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TotalIntelligenceSolutions</span></a> and the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TerrorismResearchCenter" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TerrorismResearchCenter</span></a>. Both companies are owned by Blackwater’s owner and founder, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a>.</p><p>"Today also marks the third anniversary of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NisourSquare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NisourSquare</span></a> massacre, when Blackwater guards gunned down seventeen <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Iraqi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Iraqi</span></a> civilians and wounded twenty in a fifteen-minute shooting spree in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Baghdad" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Baghdad</span></a>.</p><p>"For more, we’re joined now from New York by investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill. He’s a Puffin Foundation writing fellow at the Nation Institute. He’s a Democracy Now! correspondent and author of the book Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MercenaryArmy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MercenaryArmy</span></a>. His new article in online at thenation.com."</p><p>Listen / Read more:<br><a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2010/9/16/the_nation__docs_reveals_blackwater" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">democracynow.org/2010/9/16/the</span><span class="invisible">_nation__docs_reveals_blackwater</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Netherlands" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Netherlands</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Canada" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Canada</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Xe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Xe</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateArmies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateArmies</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>As Military Contractors Face Scrutiny; A Look at Erik Prince's Controversial 'Blackwater Worldwide'</p><p>Story by Rishitha Boddu, December 2, 2023</p><p>"Erik Prince is an American businessman and former US Navy SEAL whose net worth is estimated at a substantial $2 billion dollars. He is known for founding and owning the military contractor XE, widely recognized as <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlackwaterWorldwide" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlackwaterWorldwide</span></a>, a company that engaged in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/covert" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>covert</span></a> government operations. However, this enterprise faced intense scrutiny for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HumanRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HumanRights</span></a> violations in 2007, leading to Erik's decision to step down as its leader in 2009. But even before Blackwater, a significant portion of Prince's wealth is derived from his family's automotive accessory empire, established by his father.</p><p>"Established in 1997, Blackwater holds the distinction of being the largest private military company globally. Notably, it has been awarded more than $1.6 billion in federal contracts. Moreover, the company is reported to have secured classified contracts from the Central Intelligence Agency (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CIA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CIA</span></a>) amounting to a staggering $600 million since 2001. Following Erik's departure, Blackwater underwent a change in ownership, with a group of investors acquiring it in 2010, before rebranding it as Academi in 2011. In 2013, Erik Prince authored the book 'Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror,' shedding light on the company's inner workings.</p><p>"Blackwater, a private military and security company founded by Erik Prince in 1997, emerged as a major player during the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IraqWar" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>IraqWar</span></a>. The company secured contracts to provide security services to various U.S. government agencies, making it an essential part of the U.S. military presence in Iraq. Blackwater's involvement in the Iraq war, including the killing of civilians, brought it to the forefront of public scrutiny and controversy.</p><p>"Blackwater and Erik Prince faced numerous allegations of war crimes and misconduct during the Iraq war. The most infamous incident was the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NisourSquare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NisourSquare</span></a> massacre in 2007, where Blackwater personnel were involved in a shooting that resulted in the deaths of seventeen Iraqi civilians.</p><p>"The Nisour Square incident was a turning point, as it raised questions about the behavior of private military contractors in a war zone. It prompted further investigations into the conduct of Blackwater and its personnel, ultimately contributing to a tarnished reputation.</p><p>"Amid mounting legal challenges and heightened scrutiny, Erik Prince chose to step down from his role as the CEO of Blackwater in 2009. The controversy surrounding Blackwater's activities in Iraq and its reputation became increasingly untenable, and Prince sold the company.</p><p>"Prince's resignation was seen as a strategic move to distance himself from the crimes at Blackwater. While it marked his exit from the company he founded, it did not shield him from ongoing legal battles and public attention.</p><p>"In sworn statements submitted as part of the case, former Blackwater employees made explosive allegations, including claims that Prince may have been involved in the murder of individuals cooperating with federal authorities investigating the company.</p><p>"These individuals also alleged that Blackwater was engaged in smuggling weapons into Iraq and that Erik Prince, in their view, perceived himself as a '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChristianCrusader" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ChristianCrusader</span></a>' with a mission to eliminate Muslims and Islam. These allegations fueled the already raging controversy surrounding Prince and his companies.</p><p>"The fraud case and the allegations against Erik Prince and Blackwater have continued to generate public and legal scrutiny. This ongoing legal battle has kept the controversies alive, ensuring that Prince remains a figure of interest and concern."</p><p><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/as-military-contractors-face-scrutiny-a-look-at-erik-princes-controversial-blackwater-worldwide/ar-AA1kUmFz" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">msn.com/en-us/money/companies/</span><span class="invisible">as-military-contractors-face-scrutiny-a-look-at-erik-princes-controversial-blackwater-worldwide/ar-AA1kUmFz</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Xe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Xe</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NoDAPL" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NoDAPL</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClimateProtestors" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateProtestors</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TigerSwan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TigerSwan</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterProtectors" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterProtectors</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WarCrimes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WarCrimes</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IraqiCivilians" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>IraqiCivilians</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Warmonger" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Warmonger</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOilAndGas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigOilAndGas</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BetsyDevos" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BetsyDevos</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Amway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Amway</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChristianRight" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ChristianRight</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>2020: Shock And Dismay After <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> Pardons <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Blackwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blackwater</span></a> Guards Who Killed 14 Iraqi Civilians</p><p>by Laurel Wamsley <br>December 23, 20205:44 PM ET</p><p>"Among the pardons made by President Trump this week, the pardon of four former guards for Blackwater has been regarded by some as particularly galling.</p><p>"Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard were convicted six years ago in the killing of 14 Iraqi civilians and the wounding of 17 others. Witnesses described how the American men ambushed the civilians unprovoked, firing on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Baghdad" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Baghdad</span></a>'s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NisourSquare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NisourSquare</span></a> with heavy gunfire and grenade launchers.</p><p>"The massacre took place in 2007, when the four were working as guards for Blackwater, a private military contractor, on an assignment in Baghdad. They claimed they were fired on, but prosecutors said the Blackwater guards opened fire first. Slatten, whom prosecutors said started the shooting, was sentenced to life in prison."</p><p><a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/12/23/949679837/shock-and-dismay-after-trump-pardons-blackwater-guards-who-killed-14-iraqi-civil" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">npr.org/2020/12/23/949679837/s</span><span class="invisible">hock-and-dismay-after-trump-pardons-blackwater-guards-who-killed-14-iraqi-civil</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Iraq" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Iraq</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErikPrince" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ErikPrince</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Academi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Academi</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Xe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Xe</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WarCrimes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WarCrimes</span></a></p>