Gas, Gas, Gas!

I just saw this very interesting article in the NY Times about our favorite mercenary force (Blackwater) using CS grenades in an incident in Iraq two years ago.

The helicopter was hovering over a Baghdad checkpoint into the Green Zone, one typically crowded with cars, Iraqi civilians and United States military personnel.

Suddenly, on that May day in 2005, the copter dropped CS gas, a riot-control substance the American military in Iraq can use only under the strictest conditions and with the approval of top military commanders. An armored vehicle on the ground also released the gas, temporarily blinding drivers, passers-by and at least 10 American soldiers operating the checkpoint.

“This was decidedly uncool and very, very dangerous,” Capt. Kincy Clark of the Army, the senior officer at the scene, wrote later that day. “It’s not a good thing to cause soldiers who are standing guard against car bombs, snipers and suicide bombers to cover their faces, choke, cough and otherwise degrade our awareness.”

Both the helicopter and the vehicle involved in the incident at the Assassins’ Gate checkpoint were not from the United States military, but were part of a convoy operated by Blackwater Worldwide, the private security contractor that is under scrutiny for its role in a series of violent episodes in Iraq, including a September shooting in downtown Baghdad that left 17 Iraqis dead.

None of the American soldiers exposed to the chemical, which is similar to tear gas, required medical attention, and it is not clear if any Iraqis did. Still, the previously undisclosed incident has raised significant new questions about the role of private security contractors in Iraq, and whether they operate under the same rules of engagement and international treaty obligations that the American military observes.
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Anne Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for Blackwater, said the CS gas had been released by mistake.

“Blackwater teams in the air and on the ground were preparing a secure route near a checkpoint to provide passage for a motorcade,” Ms. Tyrrell said in an e-mail message. “It seems a CS gas canister was mistaken for a smoke canister and released near an intersection and checkpoint.”

Now there are just a number of things wrong with this story. I'll pass by the reporter's ignorance stating that "the chemical [CS], which is similar to tear gas" - ah, it IS tear gas, dummy. Using tear gas to try to get through a traffic jam is not one of the authorized uses of riot control agents, at least for the military. Blackwater says that the State Dept contract authorized it, while the State Dept says, well, it didn't say they couldn't use it. The US military cannot use CS grenades in a combat zone unless the president has authorized it, and then for defensive use only. So Blackwater's backup story is, well, we thought it was a smoke grenade. That's bullshit, as you can see in these pictures.

As you can see, the two grenades are similar in shape and function, but have very distinct coloring differences. The Army, in its wisdom in designing soldier-proof equipment, recognized that it would be a BAD THING if a soldier popped a CS grenade in a mistaken effort to provide smoke to cover his buddy's movement on the ground. So the CS grenades are very carefully colored with a distinct red stripe on grey background as opposed to the smoke grenades' color scheme.

The sensitivity over tear gas can be tracked back to the Vietnam conflict, when US forces increasingly used CS grenades and CS powder to smoke out VC insurgents out of houses and tunnels. The very sensitive international community blasted the use as "chemical warfare" (which I disagree with, but what the hell, let's run with it), resulting in President Ford's issuing an executive order limiting its use in military combat operations. "It is what it is," right? At least we're not banned from using it, and the U.S. government (at least) does distinguish riot control agents as different than toxic chemical munitions.

Today, the Blackwater contract has been changed to exclude CS grenade use, but the State Dept is standing strong on the statement that there was nothing illegal or wrong with Blackwater's actions. Make sure to read the full NY Times article, especially CPT Clark's narrative on the event. Interesting that the troops there must not be carrying their protective masks, you know, chlorine VBIEDs and all. But then again, we chemos never could convince the troops that carrying and maintaining one's protective mask before you got slimed was a good practice...

Comments

[Grandjester]

There really needs to be a "No Dicks" policy in Government Contracting.

Blackwater bids a contract, "Nope sorry, you guys are dicks, no contract."

There are other Mercs, uh, CONTRACTORS working in Iraq, but we only hear about the dicks, and invariably, those dicks are Blackwater dicks. Drop their contracts and get them the fuck outta Dodge, they are right up there with Abu Gharib when it comes to the fuckups in this war.

[James]

As has been pointed out elsewhere, it's extremely unlikely that the crew on the helicopter AND the armored vehicle would spontaneously make an identical "mistake" and release tear gas at the same time.

One theory is that the mercenaries were pissed about being stuck in traffic and decided to open a lane for themselves with riot control agents. Perhaps, J, you could give us your professional opinion: would tear gas dropped in traffic clear the street or cause accidents and abandoned vehicles?

Arrogant, ignorant, stupid, and heavily armed, Blackwater is a heavy-handed parody of the Bush Administration.

[NVH]

GJ, I think a "no dicks" policy is a great idea. That being said, you aren't going to be able to exclude entire companies as dicks, you'll have to be more selective, which is why companies should have "no dicks" policies. At least then they would police their own dicks. That's a good one for a Friday man.

[raszputini]

The only thing about the "no dicks" policy, which I think is a great idea, is that by the very nature of being an employee of an organization like Blackwater, you have a predisposition that, almost certainly, makes you a dick.