This is one of those stories that just seem to get weirder and weirder as you get into them.
Basically, it goes like this: a Blackwater subsidiary, Presidential Airways is being sued by the families of 3 servicemen killed in a crash of a Presidential flight in Afghanistan. Presidential's has been defending itself in a Florida federal court by arguing that since the crash occurred in Afghanistan, Shari'a law, should apply.
But it gets stranger still.
Blackwater Defends itself arguing for Shari'a Law
I suppose that a U.S. government contractor, ferrying U.S. soldiers around pursuant to a Defense Department contract, arguing that Shari'a law ought to apply would be strange enough, but this is a story like an onion: as you peel away the layers it just gets stranger.
Apparently, Shari'a law would not hold a corporation liable for the acts of its employees, in contrast to American law which generally applies the concept of respondeat superior.
It just amazes me how "patriotic" Blackwater can truly be (when it suits the company's goals; otherwise, not so much).
Turns out the lawyer making the argument for Presidential/Blackwater is Joseph E. Schmitz, the son of my former Congressman, John Schmitz, and the brother of Mary K. Latourneau.
Joseph E. Schmitz
You may remember (or maybe not, but you should know him) John Schmitz, as one of the craziest right-wing Congressmen of all time. On Nixon's visit to China, he remarked "I didn't care that Nixon went to China, I was only upset that he came back." I suspect you already know of Mary K Latourneau.
I wonder, now that we in San Diego have a Blackwater facility in our midst, whether the company will be asking to have ancient Spanish Civil Law applied to any dispute, since the area was once part of Spain. Then they can just capture and enslave any undocumented immigrants they find and make them build a mission (just like Father Serra did 240 years ago).
I hope to be finding some of the pleadings and the law and motion in this case today, and I will update when I come up with something. I have got to see this.