Before Shooting in Iraq, a Warning on Blackwater

Please note the byline. James Risen, the author of this article (and many other of similar calibre), has been ordered to identify the source for information that appeared in his book about a botched CIA mission in Iran. He has exhausted his appeals, so unless prosecutors suddenly decide to back down, he is likely to face contempt charges and possibly even jail time.

Pretty innocuous title for an article discussing mercenaries threatening State Department officials with death.

What is going to happen now?

Is blackwater/xe/Academi going to be held accountable?

Sadly I have the feeling nothing will happen.

This isn't remotely germane to HN. It's the news equivalent of a cat picture: a military contractor said something awful to a State Department investigator and then nothing else happened that was in any way connected to that incident. It's getting a huge amount of coverage because (a) it's lurid and (b) it confirms everyone's biases --- MINE TOO --- about Blackwater.

I can't imagine what intellectually meaningful conversation we could possibly have about this story. I flagged it, and I hope lots of other people do too.

That's what happen in Rome, wasn't it?