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Iraqi Government to Expel Blackwater After Fatal Shooting

HeadlineSep 18, 2007

The Iraqi government has announced it will review the status of all private security companies working in the country following a shootout on Sunday involving employees from the company Blackwater that left up to 11 civilians dead. On Monday, Iraq’s Interior Ministry announced that it had revoked Blackwater’s license to operate in Iraq. The State Department is now attempting to prevent the Iraqi government from expelling Blackwater. On Monday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and vowed the U.S. would investigate the fatal shooting. While Iraqis blamed Blackwater for the civilian deaths, the company said it acted appropriately “in response to a hostile attack” by armed insurgents. State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack said he had no information about any Iraqi laws Blackwater or its employees might be subject to. We’ll have more on Blackwater after headlines.

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