Congressman John D. Dingell

March 11, 2008

Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) recently sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Oversight and Government Reform asking them to continue to look into an incident that occurred on September 16 last year where State Department security contractor Blackwater Worldwide is accused of killing a number of Iraqi civilians.  Congressman Dingell is concerned that the incident raises a number of troubling questions about the government’s ability to police the behavior of private corporations responsible for providing security services in Iraq.

“This story is important because it combines aspects of so many the Bush Administration’s failures: the failure to successfully prosecute the war in Iraq, the failure to conduct proper oversight of powerful politically connected defense contractors, and the failure to adhere to fundamental standards of human rights. 

“I am concerned that the response I received from the State Department is confirmation that either the Bush Administration is not taking this issue seriously enough, or it lacks the willingness to police the behavior of private contractors operating in Iraq, or both.  I will continue to monitor the grand jury proceedings and criminal investigation, and will follow up with the State Dept when they no longer can hide behind the excuse of an open investigation.

“In the meantime I have forwarded my correspondence with the State Department to the two committees in the House of Representatives that have oversight authority over this matter and I am hopeful they will continue to look into this.”