Jeremy Scahill

Independent journalist Jeremy Scahill is author of Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army. He is a frequent contributor to The Nation magazine and a correspondent for the national radio and TV program Democracy Now! He is currently a Puffin Foundation writing fellow at The Nation Institute.

Blackwater Wants to Surge Its Armed Force in Afghanistan

A just-released U.S. State Department inspector general’s report [.pdf] on Blackwater’s work in Afghanistan reveals that Blackwater is proposing increasing its private armed forces in Afghanistan, particularly in Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat where the U.S. is opening consulates. Blackwater is currently in the running for a $1 billion contract to train Afghanistan’s national police force. In … Continue reading “Blackwater Wants to Surge Its Armed Force in Afghanistan”

Congressman Prepares Legislation to Ban Blackwater

As multiple scandals involving Blackwater continue to emerge almost daily, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is preparing to introduce legislation aimed at ending the US government’s relationship with Blackwater and other armed contracting companies. “In 2009, the U.S. government employed well over 20,000 armed private security … Continue reading “Congressman Prepares Legislation to Ban Blackwater”

Two Blackwater Guards Arrested by FBI on Murder Charges

Two former Blackwater operatives were arrested by US federal agents on murder charges, stemming from their alleged involvement in the shooting deaths of two Afghan civilians in Kabul in May. They have been identified as Justin Cannon, 27, of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Christopher Drotleff, 29, of Virginia Beach, Va. They have been charged with … Continue reading “Two Blackwater Guards Arrested by FBI on Murder Charges”

Why Is the State Department Speaking for JSOC?

Interesting chain of command issues seem to be emerging in the official "denials" being offered about my story in The Nation magazine on Blackwater and the Joint Special Operations Command operations in Pakistan. A few hours before the piece was published, I received a call — unprompted — from the office of Admiral Mike Mullen, … Continue reading “Why Is the State Department Speaking for JSOC?”

Federal Prosecutors Say Blackwater ‘Specifically Intended to Kill’ Civilians

A month ago, most major, corporate media outlets ignored the sworn statements of two former Blackwater employees, one of whom — identified in court papers as John Doe #2 — alleged that the company’s owner Erik Prince "views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe," and … Continue reading “Federal Prosecutors Say Blackwater ‘Specifically Intended to Kill’ Civilians”