VOA常速英语2007-Blackwater Chairman Defends His Guards Against A

By Sean Maroney
Washington
14 October 2007

The chairman of the American security company Blackwater USA is defending his company's guards, who are under investigation¹ over a September shooting incident in which 17 Iraqis were killed. VOA's Sean Maroney reports from Washington.

The Iraqi government accuses Blackwater guards of a deliberate, unprovoked shooting spree that killed 17 people in Baghdad on September 16.

But Blackwater chairman Erik Prince says, according to incident reports he has seen, the guards were responding to small arms fire while escorting a diplomatic convoy².

"There was no deliberate murder, no deliberate violence by our guys," said Erik Prince. "They've done 16,500 personal security detail-type missions just like this one on September 16th - 16.5 thousand since 2005 [and] less than one percent resulted in any discharge of a firearm by our people."

A committee report in the House of Representatives says Blackwater was involved in 195 shooting incidents since 2005, and had to fire 122 personnel for improper³ conduct, including misuse⁴ of weapons and alcohol and drug violations⁵.

During an appearance on CNN's Late Edition, Prince also said there was no basis for a lawsuit⁶ filed last week by the Center for Constitutional Rights. The suit accuses Blackwater of murder and war crimes, and it seeks unspecified damages on behalf of one survivor⁷ and the families of three of those who died.

Prince contends the suit is politically motivated.

"The trial lawyers who filed this lawsuit are the same guys that defended the World Trade Center bombings in 1993, the Blind Sheik, and defended a bunch of killers⁸ of FBI agents and other cops," he said. "So, this is very much a politically motivated lawsuit for media attention."

Currently, private American security firms in Iraq are immune from both Iraqi and U.S. military laws. However, the House of Representatives approved legislation that would subject contractors⁹ to prosecution¹⁰ by U.S. courts, and similar legislation is expected to be introduced in the Senate.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the September 16 incident to allow for the possibility that it might lead to the prosecution of Blackwater agents by the Justice Department.

Meanwhile, the State Department has also ordered tighter oversight¹¹ of private security firms. U.S. security officers will now ride along on all diplomatic convoys¹² guarded by Blackwater in Baghdad. Video equipment inside of convoy vehicles will also record any security incidents, and radio transmissions from the convoys to the U.S. Embassy will be recorded.

Prince says he welcomes the added safeguards.

"We actually asked for that a year-and-a-half ago in writing to the State Department," said Prince. "We are tired of having it be our guy's word against someone else in an incident. Let it be a third party. Let the video camera record, or let it be a State Department staff Diplomatic Security Agent out there riding in the cars."

Blackwater USA is one of three private security firms the State Department employs in Iraq with about 1,000 employees. Since 2001, the firm has secured U.S. government contracts worth more than a $1 billion.

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

3 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

4 misuse   

n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用

参考例句：

• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents.你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。
• He was sacked for computer misuse.他因滥用计算机而被解雇了。

5 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

6 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

7 survivor   

n.生存者，残存者，幸存者

参考例句：

• The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
• There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。

8 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

9 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

11 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

12 convoys   

n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队

参考例句：

• Truck convoys often stop over for lunch here. 车队经常在这里停下来吃午饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A UN official said aid programs will be suspended until there's adequate protection for relief convoys. 一名联合国官员说将会暂停援助项目，直到援助车队能够得到充分的保护为止。 来自辞典例句