The hearing is titled "Private Security Firms in Iraq" will cover "the mission and performance of Blackwater USA and its affiliated companies in Iraq and Afghanistan and to review whether the reliance of the U.S. government on private security contractors is serving U.S. interests in Iraq". It is being held by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee; chaired by Henry Waxman.
The hearing will address three key questions: (1) Is Blackwater's presence advancing or undermining U.S. efforts? (2) Has State Department responded appropriately to the shooting incidents involving Blackwater forces? (3) What are the costs to U.S. taxpayers for the reliance on Blackwater and other private military contractors?
Please unrecommend diary #1 and recommend this diary. Please unrecommend this diary, and recommend Diary #3.
The hearing started at 10:00am EDT and is scheduled to last approximately 3.5 hours.
Witnesses:
Erik Prince, Chairman, the Prince Group, LLC and Blackwater USA
Ambassador David M. Satterfield, Special Adviser, Coordinator for Iraq
Ambassador Richard J. Griffin, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Diplomatic Security and Director of the Office of Foreign Missions
William H. Moser, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Logistics Management
Committee Members:
Democrats:
* Henry A. Waxman, California, Chairman
* Rep. Tom Lantos, California
* Rep. Edolphus Towns, New York
* Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, Pennsylvania
* Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, New York
* Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland
* Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio
* Rep. Danny K. Davis, Illinois
* Rep. John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
* Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, Missouri
* Rep. Diane E. Watson, California
* Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts
* Rep. Brian Higgins, New York
* Rep. John A. Yarmuth, Kentucky
* Rep. Bruce L. Braley, Iowa
* Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia
* Rep. Betty McCollum, Minnesota
* Rep. Jim Cooper, Tennessee
* Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland
* Rep. Paul W. Hodes, New Hampshire
* Rep. Christopher S. Murphy, Connecticut
* Rep. John P. Sarbanes, Maryland
* Rep. Peter Welch, Vermont
Republicans:
* Rep. Tom Davis, Virginia, Ranking Minority Member
* Rep. Dan Burton, Indiana
* Rep. Christopher Shays, Connecticut
* Rep. John M. McHugh, New York
* Rep. John L. Mica, Florida
* Rep. Mark E. Souder, Indiana
* Rep. Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania
* Rep. Chris Cannon, Utah
* Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee
* Rep. Michael Turner, Ohio
* Rep. Darrell E. Issa, California
* Rep. Kenny Marchant, Texas
* Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland, Georgia
* Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina
* Rep. Virginia Foxx, North Carolina
* Rep. Brian Bilbray, California
* Rep. Bill Sali, Idaho
* Rep. Jim Jordan, Ohio
This hearing is being streamed via C-Span 3.
Also: Oversight.House source.
For additional information, check out Magnifico's Diary from yesterday, and this MSNBC story from today.
No pictures, please!
Today's volunteers:
- gchaucer2
- Ellicatt (you are here)
- Omen
- MKinTN