Merry Christmas and happy new years!
In February 2009, Blackwater changed its name to “Xe,” (pronounced like the letter “Z”), as part of a “rebranding” effort aimed at helping the company distance itself from negative incidents such as a September 2007 shooting in Nisoor Square in Baghdad, Iraq that killed at least a dozen civilians.[1] The company says its latest name change is meant to reflect a new focus. Blackwater / Xe spokesperson Anne Tyrrell said, “We’ve taken the company to a place where it is no longer accurately described as Blackwater.” Its subsidiaries also have new names: Blackwater Airships is now Guardian Flight Systems, Blackwater Target Systems is GSD Manufacturing, and Blackwater Lodge and Training Center is the U.S. Training Center. The company also shed its bear-paw and crosshairs logo, for a stylized rendering of the name “Xe.” The new head of Blackwater / Xe, Gary Jackson, told employees, “Xe will be a one-stop shopping source for world class services in the fields of security, stability, aviation, training and logistics.” [2]
Blackwater offers “tactical training,” firing range and target systems, and security consulting under the company’s subdivisions: Blackwater Training Center, Blackwater Target Systems, Blackwater Security Consulting and Blackwater Canine. According to its website, Blackwater provides “a spectrum of support to military, government agencies, law enforcement and civilian entities in training, targets and range operations as a solution provider.” Their slogan is: “Providing a new generation of capability, skills, and people to solve the spectrum of needs in the world of security.”[3]
Blackwater received no-bid contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and post-Katrina New Orleans under the Bush administration.[4]
A “Timeline of significant events for Blackwater” was posted September 18, 2007, by The Virginian-Pilot of Hampton Roads, Virginia.[5]
In November 2008, Blackwater announced that it had “laid off an undisclosed number of employees after it failed to win a government contract for its Grizzly armored vehicle to replace the Humvee.”
from SourceWatch
Imagine if Verdis had a private military sector. Would be nice.
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