Now try not to be too shocked by this cozy relationship. Because I know you will be:
The State Department has released copies of its contracts for private security services with Blackwater Lodge and Training Center and Blackwater Security Consulting. It's a hefty 323-page stack, and it comes with a catch:
About 169 of the pages are blank or mostly blank.
Released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the contracts -- worth up to $1.2 billion -- have been heavily redacted by the government. A State Department spokesman said the officials responsible for the cuts are simply trying to protect sensitive information that might put individuals at risk. He declined to say what kind of information was cut.
In a cover letter, the department notes that it "gave full consideration" to deletions recommended by Blackwater officials.
No way! You mean Blackwater made a recommendation and the State Department bent over and said "thank you sir may I have another!" That is just SO much different than how I thought that relationship worked...
Oh, one more piece of interest.
Page 35 specifies that "All Contracting employees working under this contract should: Be well proportioned in height and weight," among other qualities.
Well I guess we now know why Dick Cheney didn't get the job....
