With reports that the recent Blackwater Massacre (and that's what we should call it) may have killed up to twenty Iraqi civilians, and growing Iraqi anger over this latest atrocity, are we seeing the beginning of the end of the U.S. occupation?
I'm just putting together a few tidbits, but, yes. I think, we may be at the beginning of the end. But not because al-Maliki will revoke Blackwater's license to operate. And, it's not because Congress will act to curb Blackwater's activities any time soon.
It's because the U.S. diplomats can't operate in the country without their preferred escort.
Blackwater personnel are still in the country, but for now they are not escorting U.S. diplomats. This means that diplomats are, in effect, stuck in the four-mile-square fortified Green Zone.
The diplomats would rather be protected by hired guns who face no accountablility and are not bound by the rules of engagement and military code that regulates our troops. Will their security needs put an end to the surge?
MarkinSanFran recently posted Juan Cole's comment to him that :
al-Maliki cannot survive in the Iraqi parliament if he lets American cowboys just shoot up downtown Baghdad at will.
But, others have pointed out in diaries posted by agnostic and Xan that al-Maliki's revoking of Blackwater's license would have little effect.
Today, however, NPR reports that Iraqi's may have had enough:
As if the lid of compliance and silence was suddenly broken, Iraqi officials point to many more incidents over the past few years. Blackwater once was able to explain away shootings of Iraqi civilians, saying they were acting in self defense. But Wednesday, U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo acknowledged those explanations are no longer good enough.
Not good enough? Good call, spokeswoman.
Sunday's incident seems to be the final straw — not just for Iraq's prime minister, but for the public. Outrage was bubbling on the streets.
Karim Muhammed, who owns a furniture store, said he's seen people killed by foreign security companies. He said Iraqi officials should have done something about this a long time ago.
"Why do they consider American blood first class, and ours a cheap commodity?" Muhammed said. "Are they better than us?"
Iraqi's might just be able to keep the pressure on. And they have great leverage now because the diplomatic corps is out of a commission without their mercenaries in SUVs.
Who is left to keep the diplomats safe? U.S. troops, that's who. But with the U.S. military force maxed out to support the so-called surge, our diplomats may be sending out an SOS to Bush to relieve them.
By the way, other diaries by mulp, goofyengineer, , and happyrock, have posted thoughts about Blackwater as the beginning of the end, though for different reasons.